After weeks of speculation, Live Nation has put together a killer package that is bound to go down as the heavy metal event of 2008 – JUDAS PRIEST, HEAVEN AND HELL, MOTORHEAD and TESTAMENT will be touring together for the first time.

Dubbed “The Metal Masters Tour,” the fifteen-date U.S. trek kicks off August 6th at the Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, New Jersey. Tickets go on sale to the public beginning this weekend at www.livenation.com. JUDAS PRIEST will be supporting their epic concept album, Nostradamus, arriving June 17th via Epic Records, which tells the tale of the renowned 16th century prophet. A few tracks from Nostradamus will make their in-concert debut on “The Metal Masters Tour,” but the majority of PRIEST’s set list will include some of metal’s all-time classics, as well as fan favorites that span the quintet’s entire career. Without a doubt, this will be one of PRIEST’s most powerful sets ever.

HEAVEN AND HELL will be supporting the release of The Rules Of Hell, a five-CD boxed set available July 22nd from Rhino Records, which features re-mastered versions of all four Dio-era BLACK SABBATH albums (Heaven And Hell, Mob Rules, Live Evil and Dehumanizer) in a deluxe package with new liner notes.

Perennial road rats MOTORHEAD will be offering a blistering barnstormer of a set spanning more than three decades of molar-rattling biker metal. A new studio album – the 20th of their storied career – is currently being recorded at their old pal Dave Grohl’s studio with an August release date targeted. Frontman Lemmy, named by the U.K.’s Guardian newspaper as “the nation’s greatest living Englishman,” blairs out, “Here it comes everybody, the test of your Metalness in 2008 and the years to come! Come one come all and be abused!”

Rounding out the line-up will be legendary thrash metal titans TESTAMENT, whose new album, The Formation of Damnation, (April 29th) displays TESTAMENT as the quintessential modern heavy metal band, whose experience and accumulated skill allows them to attack with reserves of anger, energy and finesse that make them more powerful than ever. Lead singer Chuck Billy says, “Uniting these bands is the heavy metal event of generations. We are so proud to be a part of it.”

“As ever, we look forward to screaming out loud with our metal maniac fans when we hit the road,” enthuses PRIEST singer, Rob Halford. “Thank you once again for your devotion and support. The PRIEST is back!”

This tour will be limited to fifteen very special engagements, and Citi cardmembers will have pre-sale access to tickets through Citi’s Private Pass® Program, available to all Citi cardmembers at www.privatepass.citi.com.

Metal maniacs seeking the ultimate concert experience can access unique VIP ticket and fan experience packages that offer premium seats, meet & greets, pre-concert parties and more brought to you by the band’s official websites,
www.judaspriest.com and www.heavenandhelllive.com.

VIP packages for the first events will be on sale by 10 a.m eastern time on Friday, April 25th. Also, not all VIP packages are the same, so be sure to pick the right one that suits you best.

See the official web sites for continually updated tour information and on-sale dates.

The dates are as follows:

Wed 06-Aug-08 Susquehanna Bank Center, Camden, NJ – PUBLIC ON SALE APRIL 26, 10 am
Thu 07-Aug-08 Nissan Pavilion, Bristow, VA – PUBLIC ON SALE SOON
Sat 09-Aug-08 PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ – PUBLIC ON SALE APRIL 26, 10 am
Sun 10-Aug-08 Nikon at Jones Beach, Wantagh, NY – PUBLIC ON SALE APRIL 26, 10 am
Wed 13-Aug-08 Molson Amphitheatre, Toronto, ON – PUBLIC ON SALE APRIL 25, 10 am
Sat 16-Aug-08 Post Gazette Pavilion, Pittsburgh, PA – PUBLIC ON SALE APRIL 25, 10 am
Mon 18-Aug-08 DTE Energy Music Theatre, Detroit, MI – PUBLIC ON SALE SOON
Tue 19-Aug-08 First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre, Chicago, IL – PUBLIC ON SALE APRIL 25, 5 pm
Fri 22-Aug-08 Superpages.com Amphitheatre, Dallas, TX – PUBLIC ON SALE SOON
Sat 23-Aug-08 Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Houston, TX – PUBLIC ON SALE SOON
Sun 24-Aug-08 Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, San Antonio, TX – PUBLIC ON SALE SOON
Wed 27-Aug-08 Journal Pavilion, Albuquerque, NM – PUBLIC ON SALE SOON
Thu 28-Aug-08 Cricket Wireless Pavilion, Phoenix, AZ – PUBLIC ON SALE SOON
Sat 30-Aug-08 Glen Helen Pavilion, San Bernardino, CA – PUBLIC ON SALE SOON
Sun 31-Aug-08 Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA – PUBLIC ON SALE APRIL 27, 10 am