Enter sandmen...

Metallica have confirmed an Irish date as part of the band’s 2003 European tour.

According to the band's official website the metal maestros will be entertaining the masses at a yet-to-be-revealed Dublin venue on August 21.

This news coincides with a series of rumors currently circulating the hard rockin' underground that the band are to headline a one day metal fest in the capital.

As the man says, we'll keep you posted.

If your appetite for distortion is still groaning for more, gorge yourself with the promise of Metallica’s long awaited studio album proper, following up to 1997’s Reload.

According to a band spokesperson 2003 is shaping up as quite a year for the foursome: "My prediction is that 2003 will be Metallica's year! First of all a new album and then we had some European dates pop up. More dates will probably be confirmed shortly."