UPDATE: Well it’s official, per Metallica’s site — the metal gods will indeed be playing Antarctica in December. Here’s the statement from the band:

After over 30 years as a band, we have been unbelievably fortunate to visit just about every corner of the earth . . . except for one. That is all about to change as we are set travel to Antarctica, the only continent that Metallica has never played on until now!! We are partnering with Coca-Cola Zero for one of the most unique and special concert events in our career as we’ll be performing near the heliport of the Argentine Antarctic Base Carlini on Sunday, December 8, 2013.

Latin American fans in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Mexico will be able to enter a contest for the chance to win an Antarctic cruise that sails December 3-10 and will stop at Carlini. We’ll be playing inside a dome on the base and in another twist, the show will be transmitted to the audience via headphones with no amplification . . . a real first for us! The show will also be streamed live for our friends in those Latin American countries who cannot join us at the base and filmed to share with everyone at a later date.

To enter the contest to join us in Antarctica, click here: http://www.coca-colazero.com.ar. Contest entry begins on October 28th.

Pack up those warm clothes and we’ll see you at the bottom of the planet!

You can read statements from Coke Zero and get more details here.

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Last month, I saw Metallica play the Apollo, a show I’m comfortable saying ranks among the very best I have ever seen. It was also, I thought, probably the most interesting, unlikely setting for the band — but it looks like they’ve got me topped. It appears Metallica will play a Coke Zero-sponsored show in Antarctica in December. Per Blabbermouth, the show “will take place between December 2 and December 15 and will see the group performing on Earth’s southernmost continent, about 98% of which is covered by ice that averages at least 1 mile (1.6 km) in thickness.”

Of course you can’t buy tickets to the concert — which is, by the way, the second ever to be held in Antarctica. You gotta win ‘em. And right now, you have to be a resident of one of the following Colombian cities in order to be eligible to win: Bogotá, Cali, Medellín, Villavicencio, Bucaramanga, or Cúcuta. The deets are here. Why Colombia? Got me. I’m sure some tix will show up on Craigslist at some point. Scroll to 14:22 on the video below, and check out some amazing footage of the band playing “Master Of Puppets” at the Apollo last month. If the Antarctica gig is gonna be as good as that one, it might even be worth Arcade Fire money.

Yes I know the above pic is 30 years old, and Cliff Burton has passed away (R.I.P.), but I can’t find any shots of the band with Trujillo standing in the snow. No disrespect intended. I love Cliff, of course, and Trujillo is absolutely worthy of his spot on that stage today. Love Newsted too, actually. Metallica bassists are good people.