Metallica to headline Soundwave - will they come to NZ?

Metallica will headline the Soundwave Festival in Australia. Photo / AP

Iconic rock act Metallica is headlining Australia's Soundwave music festival in 2013, alongside Linkin Park, Blink 182 and A Perfect Circle.

Other bands included on today's first line-up announcement include The Offspring, Paramore, Garbage, Tomahawk, Stone Sour, Anthrax, Sum 41, Dragonforce, Ghost and Kyuss Lives.

Soundwave hits five Australian cities in February and March: Brisbane on February 23, Sydney on February 24, Melbourne on March 1, Adelaide on March 2 and Perth on March 4.

Tickets usually sell out quickly, but Kiwi fans can cross their fingers and hope for some of the bands to announce New Zealand sideshows.

Metallica last performed here in 2010 at two sold out Vector Arena shows, while Linkin Park and Kyuss Lives have also played shows here in the last few years.

Less frequent visitors are A Perfect Circle, Garbage, The Offspring and Blink 182, who were last here for the 2000 Big Day Out and may tour with a fill-in drummer as Travis Barker doesn't like to fly.

Metallica have been playing their Black album in reverse during recent shows, but there's no word yet on what kind of set they'll be playing.

Check out the full line-up on Soundwave's Facebook page.

- Herald online