Are Iron Maiden better than Metallica? Bruce Dickinson certainly thinks so. The Iron Maiden vocalist made that very claim a few years ago, and in a new interview, Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich actually responded to Dickinson's boasting.

At this year's Sonisphere festival, Iron Maiden are set to headline the July 5 date, while Metallica will headline the fest's third and final day, July 6. The performances will make history as the first time Iron Maiden and Metallica have ever co-headlined in the U.K. Even cooler, Bruce Dickinson will take his piloting skills to the Sonisphere skies with the Great War Display Team, performing a 12-minute demonstration based on World War I aerial battles for the festival crowd.

Back in 2011, Bruce Dickinson reiterated a previous claim that Iron Maiden are a better band than Metallica. "I got into trouble for saying that we're better than Metallica … and, it's true!" Dickinson told Metal Hammer magazine. "They might be bigger than us and they might sell more tickets than us and they might get more gold-plated middle-class bourgeoisie turning up to their shows but they're not Maiden. I did say it's a bit of a wind-up. I thought, if I'm going to turn into an a--hole, I might as well, you know, go for it!"

In a new interview with the Guardian, Dickinson's comments were brought up to Metallica's Lars Ulrich, who offered a humble response. "I will never argue with that," says Ulrich. "I will always support Bruce Dickinson in whatever nonsense he says. That's part of the fun. So go Iron Maiden! It's fine."

The 2014 Sonisphere festival will kick off on July 4 at England's Knebworth Park. For all your Sonisphere info, click here.

See the Yearbook Photos of Lars Ulrich + Other Metallica Members Here:

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