STAGE times for the 2010 Sonisphere Festival at Knebworth have been announced.

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German metallers Rammstein will bring their explosive show and pyrotechnics to the main Apollo Stage for two hours from 8.45pm next Saturday.

This will be Rammstein’s first festival performance in the UK and it promises to be one of the highlights of Sonisphere.

As a taster, lead singer Till Lindemann sings ‘Rammstein’ engulfed in flames from head to toe, while a trio of guitars spurt 20-foot long jets of flames when ‘Du Hast’ is aired.

Metalheads have been warned!

Shock rocker Alice Cooper will close the first night on Friday from 9.30pm after Europe and Gary Numan have performed 45 minute sets.

Other bands to look out for over the weekend include Finnish heavy cellists Apocalyptica, who will bring their classical take on metal to the Saturn stage on Saturday from 3.55pm.

Swedish war machine Sabaton have a much earlier slot on the second stage from 11.50am.

Thrash legends Anthrax will later be on Apollo from 1.35pm on Saturday.

Meanwhile, fellow Big Four titans Slayer will take to the main stage at 3.05pm on Sunday for a 45-minute set.

They will be followed on Apollo by Alice in Chains – one of the surprise hits of Sonisphere last year – from 4.40pm.

J-Rock superstars Dir en Grey will also bring their metal to Knebworth on Sunday.

Their only UK festival performance of 2010 will take place on the Saturn stage from 2.20pm.

Dance-metallers Pendulum will play for an hour on Apollo from 6.25pm as special guests of headliners Iron Maiden, who will close the festival on the Sunday with a two-hour set from 8.45pm.

Elsewhere on the smaller stages, British thrash merchants Sylosis will appear on the Bohemia stage from 8.50pm on Friday.

With guitarist Josh Middleton now handling vocal duties, the band return to Knebworth more focused than ever, to show just why they are leading the charge in UK modern thrash.

Staying in Bohemia, 65daysofstatic are due on at 9.45pm for 45 minutes.

Kerrang! awards nominees Fei Comodo will be headlining the Red Bull Stage on Friday from 10.30pm to 11pm.

The Essex band are currently working on a new album co produced by Dave McPherson from Inme.

Heaven’s Basement return to Sonisphere on Saturday with a slot in the Bohemia tent from 1.05pm.

The following day, The Defiled will appear in Bohemia from 12.20pm having played the smaller Jagermeister stage last year.

Currently recording their debut full length, The Defiled take a break to provide a heavy alternative to Madina Lake straight after Henry Rollins’ Sunday sermon.

A new band to look out for on the Jagermeister stage on Saturday from 2.30pm is Young Legionnaire, featuring Paul Mullen from The Automatic and Bloc Party bassist Gordon Moakes.

* Check Sonisphere’s website for a full list of stage times later this week.