Evile have released a digital single for their cover of Pantera’s “Cemetary Gates” exclusively through iTunes. The outing also comes with a special version of Evile’s track “Time No More“, complete with Japanese vocals and lyrics. In other news, members of the band recently teamed up with Warbringer for a live cover of Metallica’s “Creeping Death” at an overseas show in Essen, Germany.

Fan-filmed footage of the performance can be found below:

Judas Priest and AC/DC took home awards at this years “52 Annual Grammy Awards“. Judas Priest won Best Metal Performance for their track “Dissident Aggressor” from their “A Touch Of Evil – Live” outing.

The nominees for the Best Metal Performance category this year were as follows:

Judas Priest – “Dissident Aggressor” (track from: “A Touch Of Evil Live“)
Lamb Of God – “Set To Fail” (track from: “Wrath“)
Megadeth – “Head Crusher” (track from: “Endgame“)
Ministry – “Senor Peligro” (track from: “Adios…“)
Slayer – “Hate Worldwide” (track from: “World Painted Blood“)

Meanwhile, AC/DC took home the award for the Best Hard Rock Performance for their track “War Machine” from their latest album “Black Ice“.

The nominees for that category ran as follows:

AC/DC – “War Machine” (track from: “Black Ice“)
Alice In Chains – “Check My Brain” (track from: “Black Gives Way To Blue“)
Linkin Park – “What I’ve Done” (track from: “Road To Revolution: Live At Milton Keyes“)
Metallica – “The Unforgiven IIII” (track from: “Death Magnetic“)
Nickelback – “Burn It To The Ground” (track from: “Dark Horse“)

Following Metallica’s recent confirmation that they will be sharing the stage with Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax this coming summer; members of Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax have also chimed in on the shows.

The official press release on the matter can be found below:

The world wide web has been abound with speculation on a possible “BIG FOUR” tour for several months. Now, SONISPHERE can exclusively reveal that METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX will play together for the first time in history, in a move that will have metalheads across the globe frenzied with excitement.

Says LARS ULRICH/METALLICA of this historic announcement:
“Who would have thought that more than 25 years after its inception, thrash metal’s big 4 would not only still be around and more popular than ever, but will now play together for the first time…what a mindfuck! Bring it on!”

“It’s about fucking time this happened,” said SLAYER’s KERRY KING. “and about time the fans finally get what they want. This is fucking awesome.”

ANTHRAX guitarist SCOTT IAN agrees, commenting on the enormity of the announcement.

“People have been talking about these four bands playing together since 1984. That’s twenty-six years of expectation!!! And the thing is, I believe not only will we live up to the expectations, we will shatter them!!

No other four bands as influential as the four of us have ever done this. Imagine if The Beatles, Stones, The Who and Zeppelin had done shows? Or Sabbath, Priest, Maiden, Motorhead? Well, I may be getting into some rarified air here but as a fan, that’s how big I feel this is.”

These four legendary acts broke out of the underground thrash movement to dominate the metal world in the 1980s, selling millions of records and packing arenas across the globe.

The metal giants have never before all shared the same stage, despite huge demand. But on 16th June 2010, METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX will take to the SONISPHERE stage at Bemowo Airport, Poland, to make the dreams of headbangers the world over become a reality.

A second Big Four appearance is planned for SONISPHERE CZECH REPUBLIC three days later, with more SONISPHERE shows featuring the awesome combo to be announced in the coming days and weeks.

“This is a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity for Heavy Metal “Fans” to see the four greatest Heavy Metal “Bands” in American History back together on one stage” concludes MEGADETH mainman DAVE MUSTAINE. “If there are any heads left at the end of this Festival that haven’t banged, they don’t belong there.”

Additional details on the Sonisphere Festival’s can be found over at www.sonispherefestivals.com.

Metallica, Slayer, Iron Maiden, Mastodon, Anthrax and more are among the many artists confirmed for select stops of the upcoming European 2010 “Sonisphere Festival” shows. Different band line-ups will take part in each stop of the trek with those announced thus far running as follows:

June 16th Warsaw, POL – Bemowo Airport

Line-up:
Metallica
Slayer
Anthrax
Mastodon
Behemoth

June 19th Prague, CZE – Letiste Hradcany u Mimone

Line-up:
Metallica
Heaven And Hell
Slayer
Anthrax
Mastodon

July 30th – August 01st Knebworth, UK – Knebworth Park

Line-up:

Iron Maiden
Rammstein
Alice Cooper
Motley Crue
Slayer
Anthrax
The Cult
Iggy And The Stooges

August 07th Stockholm, SWE – Stora Skuggan

Line-up:
Iron Maiden
Heaven And Hell
Motley Crue
Alice Cooper
Iggy And The Stooges
Slayer
Anthrax

August 08th Pori, FIN – Kirjurinlouto

Line-up:
Iron Maiden
HIM
Heaven And Hell
Motley Crue
Alice Cooper
Iggy And The Stooges
Slayer
The Cult
Anthrax

Additional dates are currently pending with more information available at www.sonispherefestivals.com.

Mastodon have announced that they will be supporting Metallica on their March Mexican/South American run. Dates include:

March 01st Guadalajara, MEX – Estadio Tres de Marzo
March 03rd Monterrey, MEX – Estadio Universitario
March 05th Guatemala City, GTM – Estadio Mateo Flores
March 07th San Jose, CR – Saprissa Stadium
March 08th Panama City, PAN – Plaza Figali
March 10th Bogota, COL – Park Simon Bolivar
March 12th Caracas, VEN – La Rinconada
March 14th San Juan, PR – Coliseo de Puerto Rico

Metallica have been rolling out dates for their “World Magnetic Tour 2010“, stops announced so far run as follows:

January 19th Lima, PER – Estadio San Marcos
January 21st Buenos Aires, ARG – River Plate Stadium
January 26th Santiago, CHL – Club Hipico
January 28th Porto Alegre, BRA – Zequinha Stadium
January 30th Sao Paulo, BRA – Morumbi Stadium
March 07th San Jose, CR – Saprissa Stadium
March 08th Panama City, PAN – Plaza Figali
March 10th Bogota, COL – Park Simon Bolivar
March 12th Caracas, VEN – La Rinconada
April 13th Oslo, NOR – Telenor Arena
April 14th Oslo, NOR – Telenor Arena
April 17th Riga, LAT – Riga Arena
April 18th Riga, LAT – Riga Arena
April 20th Vilnius, LIT – Siemens Arena
April 24th Moscow, RUS – SK Olimpiisky
April 25th Moscow, RUS – SK Olimpiisky

Six Feet Under are planning a January 19th release date through Metal Blade for the third installment in their covers series, “Graveyard Classics 3“. The track listing for the latest outing runs as follows:

01 – “A Dangerous Meeting” (Mercyful Fate cover)
02 – “Metal On Metal” (Anvil cover)
03 – “The Frayed Ends Of Sanity” (Metallica cover)
04 – “At Dawn They Sleep” (Slayer cover)
05 – “Not Fragile” (BTO cover)
06 – “On Fire” (Van Halen cover)
07 – “Pounding Metal” (Exciter cover)
08 – “Destroyer” (Twisted Sister cover)
09 – “Psychotherapy” (The Ramones cover)
10 – “Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck” (Prong cover)

Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine recently checked in with an update and addressed the long running rumors of a potential tour with the ‘big four’ (Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax. He had the following to say about the rumors:

“There has been a lot of talk about the possibility of a Big Four Tour and while I find the timing peculiar, the opportunity is a once in a lifetime opportunity, because we all are really so very different now, and the chances of this happening are probably not going to come around again in the future; due to personal plans, new ventures, and the inevitable passing of torches to the next generation in each of our respective genres (or the sub-genres that were created).
While there is nothing to say at this point, if it happens, when it happens we, as well as my other three fellow horsemen, will let you know.”