Slipknot have been confirmed as the third and final headliners at Download 2013, four years after their breakthrough appearance at Donington.

They’ll close the show on Friday 14 June, with Iron Maiden following suit on the Saturday and Rammstein rounding off the three-day event on the Sunday.

Download promoter Andy Copping says:

“Slipknot’s last appearance has gone down in history as one of the best-ever headline sets. God knows what they’ll have in story for 2013 – but I’m looking forward to seeing how they’ll top the last one.”

The band recently confirmed they were starting work on their first album since the shock death of bassist Paul Gray in 2010, a tumultuous event which threw their future into doubt.

Last year they returned to the live circuit with former member Donnie Steel replication Gray’s musical input from offstage, while the missing member’s No2 uniform was placed where he used to stand.

Tickets for the 2013 edition of Download go on sale at 9am tomorrow (Friday, September 28) at www.downloadfestival.co.uk. RIP ticket packages can be purchased via www.livenationexperience.co.uk.