Alice In Chains, Machine Head, The Sword, Thin Lizzy and Avenged Sevenfold will be joining Metallica and Linkin Park at Sonisphere Festival at Knebworth on 01 & 02 August 2009.

Thrash Hits had a chat with Mastodon guitarist Bill Kelliher last week and he talked about hanging out with Thin Lizzy and playing Lizzy classic, ‘Emerald’ live. Basically, expect a nice onstage collaboration.

Interestingly, Sonisphere has been given the seal of approval by Kerrang! magazine who have moved dtheir annual awards ceremony to the day after the Knebworth event. The Kerrang! Awards traditionally take place the day before Reading & Leeds Festival but as we reported Radiohead, Kings Of Leon and Arctic Monkeys (in that order) are set to headline the NME-affiliated event.

Metal Hammer’s Golden Gods awards ceremony takes place the day after the Kerrang!-affiliated Download Festival and the K! Awards are now the day after the Hammer-affiliated Sonisphere. They’re definitely sharing the wealth.