Don't bang your heads if you don't make it: Metallica tickets on sale for July concert in Istanbul

ISTANBUL - Anadolu Agency

Metallica will perform at an Istanbul concert on July 13. Ticket holders will be able to choose the songs they would like to be played by the band

Fast, fierce and surprisingly melodic, heavy metal icon Metallica is set to return to Istanbul this summer.

“We’re excited to make our fifth trip to Istanbul, Turkey, on July 13 to extend the European run of ‘By Request’ dates,” the group said on its website.

The band embarked on a series of South American and European gigs in March as part of a tour named “By Request,” which gives ticket holders a chance to vote on what songs they would like to hear at the show they attend.

Those who buy tickets online will receive an email with a code and a link to a site on which they can choose the songs they would like to be played by the band at the gig.

The Istanbul concert will be at İTÜ Stadium at 5 p.m., with tickets on sale online at biletix.com.

The flagship for the thrash metal movement of the 1980s, Los Angeles-based Metallica led a wave of heavy metal bands that stood in direct contrast with the pop-oriented commercial metal that dominated the charts at the time.

Formed in 1981, the band has been one of the most commercially successful bands of all time, having sold over 110 million records worldwide.

The band is preparing for its fifth appearance in Istanbul, having previously performed in the city in 1993, 1999, 2008 and 2010.

“The fans are always next level there,” the band said in its announcement of the concert.