METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH, ANTHRAX Confirmed For France's SONISPHERE

December 17, 2010

The so-called "Big Four" of 1980s thrash metal — METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX — has been confirmed as for the French edition of the Sonisphere festival, set to take place July 8-9, 2011 in Amnéville. Also scheduled to appear is SLIPKNOT. The "Big Four" will perform on Saturday, July 9.

METALLICA, MEGADETH, ANTHRAX and SLAYER were recently confirmed for their first "Big Four" show of 2011, scheduled for the U.K. edition of the Sonisphere festival on Friday, July 8. This will be the first gig featuring all four groups since they did a series of shows together in Eastern Europe last summer to massive crowds and acclaim.

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich said in a statement, "As soon as the 'Big Four' gigs started rolling across Sonisphere festivals in Eastern Europe last summer, we all felt we were part of something special. The vibe within the bands was more than anyone had anticipated and the vibe with the fans was so next level, it completely blew our minds... there was no way this should not happen again!!!"

The so-called "Big Four" are arguably the biggest and longest-lasting acts to emerge from the thrash/speed metal underground of the late '80s, but never shared a stage together until this year.

Ulrich recently told The Pulse Of Radio that there's no competition among the four bands when they play together. "The only competition is for METALLICA to go out and be the best METALLICA it can be every night, or for Lars to go out and try and make it through without one of his arms flying off or, you know, whatever. So the only competition is just really internal. I think that the bands now are so established that it's just not about, like, 'Let's see if we can blow the other guys off,' or, you know, 'Let's see if they can follow that.'"

It is not clear yet whether more "Big Four" events are planned for next year, although there is strong speculation that more shows in Europe and North America are in the works.

A deluxe CD/DVD package filmed and recorded at a "Big Four" show in Sofia, Bulgaria last June was released in November.

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