Next month, when Metallica are awarded the Polar Music Prize, the band will be in the company of some rock and roll royalty as members of Deep Purple are set to read the citation welcoming the metal titans as the 2018 Laureates. Members of Ghost and Candlemass will also perform a Metallica song at the event.

Drummer  Lars Ulrich and bassist Robert Trujillo will be on hand to accept the award, and the commendation will be read by Purple drummer Ian Paice and bassist Roger Glover. It will be a bit of reciprocation between the two bands, as Ulrich inducted Deep Purple into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016.

Taking place June 14 at Konserthuset in Stockholm, Sweden, the ceremony traditionally features Swedish artists performing the Laureates' music, and this year it will be members of Ghost and Candlemass paying tribute to Metallica. Both bands are from Sweden. Also on hand will be Refused frontman Dennis Lyxzén and former Motorhead/current Scorpions drummer Mikkey Dee, who will play an original composition intended for the occasion.

His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf will present Ulrich and Trujillo with the award. Each honoree is also awarded one million SEK (roughly $125,000), which every member of Metallica will donate to the All Within My Hands foundation.

The Polar Music Prize is given to "celebrate music in all its various forms and to emphasize the original intention of the Polar Music Prize: to break down musical boundaries by bringing together people from all the different worlds of music."

"Receiving the Polar Music Prize is an incredible thing. It puts us in very distinguished company," commented Ulrich upon being notified of the honor. "It's a great validation of everything that Metallica has done over the last 35 years. At the same time, we feel like we're in our prime with a lot of good years ahead of us. Thank you very much." James Hetfield added, "I feel very honored to be in such great company with the others who have accepted the Polar Music Prize. As myself and as Metallica, I'm grateful to have this as part of our legacy, our history. Thank you."

Metallica is planning to take the majority of the summer off, and then return to the road in North America for a run of arena shows in the fall. The full list of upcoming dates can be found here.

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