METALLICA have issued the following update:

"It's been well over ten years, so we are really looking forward to heading back to Lyon, France for our first show at Halle Tony Garnier since 1996! We will be there May 23rd, 2010 with tickets on sale December 23rd, 2009. Met Clubbers, you know the drill... check www.metclub.com for pre-sale info.

The seemingly random tour date announcements are not done yet... really! There are a few more shows in the works, so we will be back with more this week."

Upcoming Metallica dates:

January

19 - Lima, Peru - Estadio San Marcos
21 - Buenos Aires, Argentina - River Plate Stadium
22 - Buenos Aires, Argentina - River Plate Stadium
26 - Santiago, Chile - Club Hipico
28 - Porto Alegre, Brazil - Zequinha Stadium
30 - Sao Paulo, Brazil - Morumbi Stadium
31 - Sao Paulo, Brazil - Morumbi Stadium

March

1 - Guadalajara, Mexico - Estadio Tres de Marzo
3 - Monterrey, Mexico - Estadio Universitario
5 - Guatemala City, Guatemala - Estadio Mateo Flores
7 - San Jose, Costa Rica - Saprissa Stadium
8 - Panama City, Panama - Plaza Figali
10 - Bogota, Colombia - Park Simon Bolivar
12 - Caracas, Venezuela - La Rinconada
14 - San Juan, Puerto Rico - Coliseo de Puerto Rico

April

13 - Oslo, Norway - Telenor Arena
14 - Oslo, Norway - Telenor Arena
17 - Riga, Latvia - Riga Arena
18 - Riga, Latvia - Riga Arena
20 - Vilnius, Lithuania - Siemens Arena
21 - Vilnius, Lithuania - Siemens Arena
24 - Moscow, Russia - SK Olimpiisky
25 - Moscow, Russia - SK Olimpiisky

May

11 - Belfast, Ireland - Odyssey Arena
12 - Belfast, Ireland - Odyssey Arena
14 - Budapest, Hungary - Puskas Ferenc Stadium
16 - Zagreb, Croatia - Zagreb Hippodrome
18 - Lisbon, Portugal - Pavilhao Atlantico
23 - Lyon, France - Halle Tony Garnier

June

16 - Warsaw, Poland - Sonisphere - Bemowo Airport
19 - Prague, Czech Republic - Sonisphere - Mimon Airport

As previously reported, the world wide web has been abound with speculation on a possible Big Four tour for several months. Now, the UK/European Sonisphere can exclusively reveal that Metallica, SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX will play together for the first time in history, in a move that will have metalheads across the globe frenzied with excitement.

Says Metallica's Lars Ulrich of this historic announcement: "Who would have thought that more than 25 years after its inception, thrash metal's big 4 would not only still be around and more popular than ever, but will now play together for the first time...what a mindfuck! Bring it on!"

"It's about fucking time this happened," says Slayer's Kerry King, "and about time the fans finally get what they want. This is fucking awesome."

Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian agrees, commenting on the enormity of the announcement.

"People have been talking about these four bands playing together since 1984. That's twenty-six years of expectation!! And the thing is, I believe not only will we live up to the expectations, we will shatter them! No other four bands as influential as the four of us have ever done this. Imagine if THE BEATLES, STONES, THE WHO and ZEPPELIN had done shows? Or SABBATH, PRIEST, MAIDEN, MOTÖRHEAD? Well, I may be getting into some rarified air here but as a fan, that's how big I feel this is."

These four legendary acts broke out of the underground thrash movement to dominate the metal world in the 1980s, selling millions of records and packing arenas across the globe. The metal giants have never before all shared the same stage, despite huge demand. But on June 16, 2010, Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax will take to the Sonisphere stage at Bemowo Airport, Poland, to make the dreams of headbangers the world over become a reality. A second Big Four appearance is planned for SONISPHERE CZECH REPUBLIC three days later, with more Sonisphere shows featuring the awesome combo to be announced in the coming days and weeks.

"This is a 'once-in-a-lifetime' opportunity for heavy metal fans to see the four greatest heavy metal bands in American history back together on one stage," concludes Megadeth mainman Dave Mustaine. "If there are any heads left at the end of this festival that haven't banged, they don't belong there."

Tickets are available from www.sonispherefestivals.com.