Swedish progressive metallers OPETH have been confirmed for next year's Dubai Desert Rock 2009, set to take place March 6-7, 2009 at Dubai Festival City, United Arab Emirates. More bands will be revealed later this month followed by the the headliner announcement before the end of the year.

This will mark OPETH's first appearance in the Middle East.

A total of 28,000 tickets were sold to Dubai Desert Rock Festival's fifth anniversary event, which was held this past March at Dubai Festival City.

KORN, MACHINE HEAD, KILLSWITCH ENAGE, AS I LAY DYING, NERVECELL and SLAPSHOCK performed on the first day and MUSE, VELVET REVOLVER, MARKY RAMONE, JULIANA DOWN and SPOON FEEDAS on the second.

THE GALEEJ GURUS, winners of Shamal Battle held at the same venue on the March 5, performed on both days on the same stage as these rock legends

Launched in April 2003, Dubai Desert Rock Festival has grown to encompass nine international bands, two local bands, the Shamal winner (GALEEJ GURUS from Bangalore, India) over two days, the first suspended bar ever, an Infusion Dance Tent, a Calvin Klein Fragrances VIP Lounge, the Lee Cooper cable slide and numerous other entertainment options for the audience.

Jackie Wartanian, president of CSM, explains, "Desert Rock is still a baby festival compared to the ones in Europe for instance. But we're proud to have grown from a three hour show to a two-day festival. When we started we had great vision for the future with the aim to put Dubai Desert Rock Festival on the world music festival map and we have achieved that."

(Thanks: Phride.com)