Heavy rock heavyweights Metallica and Rage Against the Machine have been hailed as heroes at Kerrang! magazine's annual awards ceremony in London.
Metallica received the metal magazine's inspiration award, while Rage Against the Machine entered its Hall of Fame.
US band 30 Seconds To Mars, fronted by actor Jared Leto, were the only act to win more than once, picking up best single and best international band.
Welsh rockers Bullet For My Valentine were named best British band.
Rat-brain robot aids memory study ...
Villa set to clinch Sidwell deal ... />The ceremony, one of the most boisterous in the music calendar, hosts the hottest names in heavy rock - from outrageous thrash metal monsters to mainstream stars.
Metallica were given the biggest ovation of the night when they collected their award.
"We are very, very appreciative of all the love we feel around us," singer James Hetfield told the crowd.
"Heavy metal is resurging, coming alive again. Thank you for supporting that."
'Classic albums'
The band had been name-checked as inspirations by some of the earlier winners, including 30 Seconds To Mars and Slipknot.
Metallica have been going for 27 years and have sold more than 100 million records worldwide.
Kerrang! editor Paul Brannigan credited them with having "changed the face of heavy metal forever".
"Every musician in this room is influenced by this band and their classic albums," he said.
Metallica are headlining the Reading and Leeds Festivals this weekend alongside Rage Against the Machine, which also got a rapturous reception at the ceremony.
"Thank you so much," singer Zack De La Rocha said, before reeling off a list of names that included The Clash, Public Enemy, Bob Dylan and "anyone who went out in the streets and showed Tony Blair the door".
30 Seconds To Mars refrained from mentioning their former record label EMI in their speeches after the company sued the band for $30m (Ј16m).
Accepting the best single prize for From Yesterday, Leto described the award as "an unbelievable gift".
Masked metal titans Slipknot, meanwhile, were given the Kerrang! Icon honour.
That was accepted by three band members - all in trademark horror outfits - with drummer Joey Jordison absent after breaking his ankle.
The injury has forced the band to cancel their appearances at Reading and Leeds. "We showed up for the booze - I didn't even know we were nominated," they said.
Mr Brannigan had welcomed the bands as "ladies, gentlemen and mythical beasts", and the event has a reputation for drunken behaviour.
Sadistic housewife
And he predicted that they would turn into "dribbling, brain-dead morons" after a night of alcohol.
Other winners included Def Leppard, who sent a video message after being named classic songwriters.
Avenged Sevenfold picked up best album, while Machine Head were named best live act.
Slaves To Gravity won the best British newcomer trophy, with the international equivalent going to rising stars Black Tide.
The winners of best video were New York progressive-rockers Coheed & Cambria, for the track Feathers - a vision of American suburbia shot in black and white and featuring a sadistic housewife.
The night was hosted by Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian, with eight of the 13 winners voted for by Kerrang! readers.
(BBC)
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