Metallica tour ready to rock North America

The heavy metal icons of Metallica have announced plans for an extensive North American tour in support of their first studio album in five years. The ten-track “Death Magnetic” is slated to hit the streets on September 12, and the band will follow shortly thereafter on October 21. The first leg of the tour will kick off in Glendale, AZ, and has dates scheduled through January 31 in Newark, NJ.

While Texas-based heavy metal band The Sword is scheduled to open for the entire 32-date tour, three other bands are set to accompany Metallica for limited engagements. Another Southern metal group, Down, will appear on the tour’s October and November dates. Lamb of God will then pick up with the tour in December, followed by Grammy nominated Machine Head’s January performances.

“We’re ready to start a proper indoor arena tour of the States and Canada,” the band members said in a statement posted on their Web site, noting their four year absence from the touring scene. “We can’t wait to visit all of our ‘Talli-fans here…it really has been too long.”

Metallica has been a staple of the hard rock and heavy metal scenes since the release of their first album, “Kill ‘Em All” in 1983, two years after the group’s formation. “Death Magnetic” will be the band’s ninth original studio album, and their first since the release of “St. Anger” in 2003. Metallica has released two cover albums (“Garage Days Re-Revisited” and “Garage, Inc.”), as well as the live album “S&M.”

Metallica itinerary:
(Dates subject to change.)