Metal heads can get excited now it's been let slip leaders of the heavy metal era Metallica will be heading to Australia for the end of the year. Fans have been anticipating the return of the hardcore four-peice since the release of their latest album Death Magnetic in 2008. Australia hasn't seen Metallica at its shores since their Big Day Out spot in 2004 in promotion of their 2001 release St Anger.

The news came about after an interview at a recent Columbian news conference when drummer Lars Ulrich revealed a trip to Australia was in the ropes for the band this year. "We’re staying out and doing dates up till November, in Australia and New Zealand is where we’re heading in November and then after that we’re gonna take a little bit of chill time, ’cause it’s been a couple of years on the road, and then after that I think we’re just gonna go back and continue with another record," Ulrich said.

Metallica have been straining the necks of head thrashing fans for three decades and show no signs of slowing down with Death Magnetic reaching the number one spot in several countries including Australia, Canada, Mexico and Europe. It stayed in the number one spot on the Billboard 200 album chart for three consecutive weeks. Being described as a throwback to their 80s influences, Death Magnetic was produced by prolific producer Rick Reuben, famous for his work with the likes of Slayer, Slipknot and System of a Down.