METAL gods Metallica are the first headliners to be confirmed for the 2015 Leeds Festival at Bramham Park, near Wetherby.

James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, Lars Ulrich and Rob Trujillo will top the main-stage line-up for a record fourth occasion in their exclusive British summer festival appearances at the Leeds and sister Reading Festival on the Bank Holiday weekend of August 28 to 30.

“We're obviously beyond thrilled to be returning to headline the magnificent and mighty double shot at Leeds and Reading for the fourth time," says Lars Ulrich. "We're practically the house band. Bring it!”

Festival boss Melvin Benn enthuses: "I’m excited to be able to announce Metallica as the first headliner for Leeds 2015. Their amazing live show promises to be a favourite with rock, metal and genuine music fans, perfectly topping a bill of brilliant acts from across the genres. I’m looking forward to revealing the rest of the line-up, which will feature the absolute best of rock, indie, dance and hip hop and will only add to the amazing atmosphere that makes Leeds Festival so special.”

Further acts confirmed for next summer are Californian post-hardcore band Pierce The Veil; drum'n'bass returnee Wilkinson Live; Swedish punks Refused; hip-hop flavour of the moment, Run The Jewels; rap veterans Killer Mike and El-P and indie rockers Manchester Orchestra, making their third Leeds appearance.

Looking forward to his Leeds debut, Pierce The Veil's Vic Fuentes says: "We've been dying to do Leeds Festival ever since we started touring in the UK! It's such an honour to be a part of something that people wait all year round to see.”

Metallica, meanwhile, are to re-release their filmSome Kind Of Monster on December 15, making it available for the first time digitally and on Blu-ray and newly complemented by Metallica: This Monster Lives, a new 25-minute feature that follows up on the last decade with the band.

Tickets for Leeds Festival are on sale on 0871 231 0821 and at seetickets.com, strictly limited to a maximum of four per person/address/payment card.