Synyster Gates (born Brian Elwin Haner, Jr. on July 7, 1981) is the lead guitarist for Avenged Sevenfold.
Synyster Gates joined Avenged Sevenfold (A7X) at the end of 2000, after the recording of the band's first album, Sounding the Seventh Trumpet. He was featured on their EP, Warmness on the Soul, and on the reissue of their first album, only playing on one song, "To End The Rapture." He also plays piano for the band on songs such as The Beast And The Harlot and Sidewinder . His father, Brian Haner Sr. is a musician and is often called Avenged Sevenfold's official acoustic guitar player for his appearances on their albums, such as the acoustic solo on City of Evil's "Sidewinder".
Synyster attended Ocean View High School in Huntington Beach, California as a child, and then the Musicians Institute in Hollywood as part of the GIT program, studying jazz guitar. Django Reinhardt, Adam Aparicio and Roddy are cited as his favorites and as major influences. Synyster has won numerous awards, including the "Young Shredder" award of the year in the Metal Hammer awards in 2006 and the "Guitarist of the Year" Award for Total Guitar Magazine in 2006. In the Avenged Sevenfold DVD "All Excess," to emphasize the seemingly random placing of names, Synyster stated that his name was thought of on a drunken drive through the park with The Rev. His exact words were, "I am Synyster Gates, and I am awesome".
Synyster was also a member of the "goblin metal" side-project Pinkly Smooth, a side project with The Rev (Avenged Sevenfold's drummer), alongside former bassist of Avenged Sevenfold, Justin Meacham (not to be confused with Justin Sane from Anti-Flag). Pinkly Smooth was disbanded because Synyster and The Rev wished to focus full-time on Avenged Sevenfold, although when asked recently, they both revealed there is a new side project being planned, featuring the two playing older Pinkly Smooth songs. Rumours have speculated that Synyster met Guitarist Steve Morse at a rodeo house in Nashville and asked jokingly if he was god to which Morse Replied "I'm just passing through".
Currently Syn is in a relationship with Michelle DiBenedetto, twin sister to Valary DiBenedetto who is engaged to Avenged band member M.Shadows. Syn also has a clothing line named Syn Gates clothing.
Synyster is also sponsored by shecter research and has released a signature line of guitars.