Cause Of Death Revealed: Avenged Sevenfold Drummer Died of Accidental Overdose

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[via Rolling Stone]

Orange County Deputy Coroner Mitchell Sigal confirmed today that Avenged Sevenfold drummer Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan died on December 28, 2009 from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs and alcohol. The toxicology report said Sullivan suffered "acute polydrug intoxication due to combined effects of Oxycodone, Oxymorphone, Diazepam/Nordiazepam and ethanol." (Acute polydrug intoxication is the same thing actor Heath Ledger died of).

Oxycodone is painkiller that substitutes for Codeine, Oxymorphone is a painkiller similar to Morphine, Diazepam/Nordiazepam are anxiety medications and ethanol is the intoxicant in alcohol.

Sullivan had cardiomegaly (an enlarged heart) as well, which may have been a "significant condition" in the drummer's death.

Sullivan died in Huntington Beach and was buried in a private ceremony on January 6. He was working with the rest of his band on their fourth fifth studio album, Nightmare, when he died. That album is scheduled for release on July 27. Avenged Sevenfold hired one of Sullivan's favorite drummers, Dream Theater's Mike Portnoy, to play on Nightmare; Portnoy will also tour with Avenged Sevenfold on the Rockstar Energy Uproar festival, which has an Irvine stop in September.