Download Festival: Metallica land double headline slot

Metallica said they were "next-level honoured" to be performing at the festival

Metallica are to play two headline sets at next year's Download Festival as the rock event celebrates its 20th anniversary.

The US band will perform on Thursday and Saturday at the festival, which starts at Donington Park in Leicestershire on 8 June.

Bring Me The Horizon will headline the Friday night with Slipknot bringing the four-night event to a close.

The line-up also features Evanescence, Parkway Drive, Disturbed and Placebo.

'Unique' sets

The 2023 event will be the first time the festival has hosted four headline sets.

In a statement, Metallica said: "We are next-level honoured to once again come back and partake in the Download shenanigans on the hallowed grounds of Castle Donington, which has an unparalleled place in rock history."

They added the two sets would be completely different with no songs repeated.

Other acts due to appear include Pendulum, Architects, Ghost, The Distillers, Alexisonfire, Motionless In White, The Blackout, I Prevail, Municipal Waste, Lorna Shore and Asking Alexandria.

Download made its debut in 2003 at the same site that famously hosted the Monsters of Rock festival during the 1980s and 1990s.