Metallica [ tickets ], Slayer [ tickets ], Megadeth [ tickets ] and Anthrax [ tickets ] will share the stage for the first time June 16 at the Sonisphere festival in Warsaw, Poland.

The "Big Four" also have been confirmed to perform June 19 at the Sonisphere fest in Prague, according to a press release.

In a statement, Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian said, "People have been talking about these four bands playing together since 1984. ... 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?"

Organizers plan to announce additional Sonisphere events featuring the four heavy metal bands in the coming weeks.

Ticket information is available on the Sonisphere Festival website.