The first few months of the year don't have to suck! Yes, it's cold, but recent years have seen many a rock and metal band hitting the high seas and escaping winter's clutches by joining rock cruises where they also get to mingle with their fans. The 70,000 Tons of Metal cruise is one of the more popular cruises going, and they've just announced the first confirmed acts for the 2017 edition.

Anthrax and Death Angel are leading the way, with Amaranthe, Amorphis, Annihilator, Cruachan, Grave Digger, Haggard, Kalmah, Kamelot, Nile and Therion all set to join them. This is the first wave of announcements with 60 acts in total expected to take part by the time all is revealed.

The 70,000 Tons of Metal cruise will set sail on Feb. 2 from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas ship will then travel to Labadee, Haiti and will continue rocking until the return to port on Monday, Feb. 6.

While the initial group of acts is promising, be aware that more acts will be revealed at a later date. For more information on booking the cruise, head to the 70,000 Tons of Metal website.

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