Enter Sandstorm: After Bypassing it in 2013, Metallica Rumored to be Playing Beijing in January

Headbangers the city over threw their horns in the air in hopes that rock gods Metallica, who played Shanghai in 2013 but skipped Beijing, will this time around grace our fair city with their metal presence on January 18.

Though no China tour dates are listed currently on their official website, several Chinese websites and WeChat accounts are abuzz with rumors of China gigs, including a date at Wukesong's LeSports Center (formerly the MasterCard Center).

What are confirmed are concert dates in Seoul on January 11 and then in Hong Kong on January 20, which leaves a suspiciously convenient eight-day gap in the schedule that would make room for rumored gigs in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou (with travel days in between).

Of course announcements like this are often merely wishful thinking (or the actions of a promoter floating the idea to gauge consumer demand). The internet is littered with rumors of previous Beijing gigs that never materialized, like this from 2008.

The band, 2009 inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the recipient of eight Grammies (and dozens of other awards), traces its history back to 1981 when lead vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield responded to a classified ad placed by drummer Lars Ulrich. That would make the band's track record span a little more than half the history of the People's Republic of China.

Though there's only a little over two months before the rumored show, it would not be unusual for the China gigs to remain unconfirmed at such a late date. In 2013 it was already June before tickets to their August shows in Shanghai went on sale (and were sold out in a matter of hours). Videos from the Shanghai gigs are plentiful on Youku and their pre-approved set list from their last China tour can be seen here (now there's a job for ya: official Heavy Metal Censor for the Ministry of Culture).

Truth be told, Beijing’s no longer a desert for imported heavy metal. The city hosted Megadeth last year and Iron Maiden this past spring, and even edgy death metalists Cannibal Corpse in 2012. Getting the porper permissions should not be an issue for Metallica, and given their sellouts in Shanghai in 2013, making bank should not be an issue either.

Metallica is touring to support the release of their 10th studio album Hardwired ... to Self Destruct, which is due to be released later this month.

Images: Metallica.com, Jammy.fm