User:CrowzRSA/Sandbox/Sandbox 2/Slayer/The Big 4 Live

The Big 4 Live from Sofia, Bulgaria is a DVD/Blu-ray featuring live concert performances by Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax, which are collectively known as "The Big 4" of thrash metal. The event took place on June 16, 2010 at the Sonisphere Festival at Bemowo Airport in Warsaw, Poland. Before it's DVD release, it was shown at 450 movie theaters in the United States and over 350 movie theaters across Europe, Canada, and Latin America on June 22, 2010. There was a limited-edition guitar pick unveiled shortly after the contents and artwork were released.

Reception was generally positive from musical critics. Sites like Allmusic and About.com gave the album a positive review, and Blogcritics gave the DVD a mixed review. It peaked at number one on the United States, United Kingdom, Austrian, and Canadian DVD charts, and also carted on three other charts. It went Gold in Germany, and earned Megadeth a Double-Platinum certification.

Background and release
On June 16, 2010 at the Sonisphere Festival at Bemowo Airport in Warsaw, Poland, the big four —Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax— played together for the first time in history. The first photo of all the members of the four bands (except for Slayer's Jeff Hanneman) in a room together, taken on Tuesday, June 15, 2010. Directed by Nick Wickham, the event was filmed and transmitted via satellite to over 450 movie theaters in the United States and over 350 movie theaters across Europe, Canada, and Latin America. The event lasted for only one night, specifically on June 22, 2010. Tickets were made available for around $20 at TheBigFourLive.com, as well as a listing for the theaters where people could view it. Delayed screenings were planned for Australia, South Africa and New Zealand.

The film's contents and artwork were revealed on August 25, 2010. A limited-edition guitar pick was unveiled on August 26, 2010. Originally, the release dates European release on October 11, 2010. Metallica then announced on their official site that European release on October 15, 2010, an International release on October 18, 2010, and a North America release on October 19, 2010, and on September 15, 2010, it was announced that their would be a limited-edition "super deluxe" The Big Four: Live From Sofia, Bulgaria box set released. On September 17, 2010, a video was released giving a 36-second preview of the box set was released. On September 20, 2010, it was announced that the release date would be postponed to a European release on October 29, 2010, an International release on November 1, 2010, and a North America release on November 2, 2010. Metallica's "Sad But True" performance, taken from the film, was released on October 21, 2010. Four teaser clips for the video were released on October 12, 2010. On September 21, 2010, a three-and-a-half-minute trailer was released.

Reception
Reception was generally positive from musical critics. Thom Jurek, who reviewed for AllMusic, rewarded the album with four out of five stars. Jurek called the performance of "Am I Evil?", which had members of all four bands perform, a "historic high point," and called each song "incredibly energetic, clearly riding the crowd excitement of the event, and the performances are stellar without a lapse." He also said that the album's standouts were Anthrax's "Madhouse" and "Antisocial"; Megadeth's "Head Crusher" and the "Peace Sells/Holy Wars Reprise"; Slayer's "Angel of Death", "Seasons in the Abyss", and "Raining Blood"; and Metallica's "Fade to Black", "Creeping Death", "Master of Puppets", and "For Whom the Bell Tolls".

Chad Bower, an About.com employee, said that the concert was "one of the defining moments and biggest events in recent metal history." He also said that despite their age, the bands can still put on a "great show." He described each band as having their own distinctive attitude/vibe, writing: "Anthrax has a more lighthearted, fun approach, while Megadeth is 100 percent business with very little banter and focus on the music. Slayer has a more ominous vibe, although their evil mystique has lessened over the years. Metallica were very inclusive, with James Hetfield acting as everybody's favorite uncle interacting with the crowd and taking time to soak it all in."

Contents
DVD 1/CD 1
 * Anthrax
 * 1) "Caught in a Mosh"
 * 2) "Got the Time"
 * 3) "Madhouse"
 * 4) "Be All, End All"
 * 5) "Antisocial"
 * 6) "Indians"/"Heaven & Hell"
 * 7) "Medusa"
 * 8) "Only"
 * 9) "Metal Thrashing Mad"
 * 10) "I Am the Law"

DVD 1/CD 2
 * Megadeth
 * 1) "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due"
 * 2) "Hangar 18"
 * 3) "Wake Up Dead"
 * 4) "Head Crusher"
 * 5) "In My Darkest Hour"
 * 6) "Skin o' My Teeth"
 * 7) "A Tout le Monde"
 * 8) "Hook in Mouth"
 * 9) "Trust"
 * 10) "Sweating Bullets"
 * 11) "Symphony of Destruction"
 * 12) "Peace Sells"/"Holy Wars Reprise"

DVD 1/CD 3
 * Slayer
 * 1) "World Painted Blood"
 * 2) "Jihad"
 * 3) "War Ensemble"
 * 4) "Hate Worldwide"
 * 5) "Seasons in the Abyss"
 * 6) "Angel of Death"
 * 7) "Beauty Through Order"
 * 8) "Disciple"
 * 9) "Mandatory Suicide"
 * 10) "Chemical Warfare"
 * 11) "South of Heaven"
 * 12) "Raining Blood"

DVD 2/CD 4 & 5
 * Metallica
 * 1) "Creeping Death"
 * 2) "For Whom the Bell Tolls"
 * 3) "Fuel"
 * 4) "Harvester of Sorrow"
 * 5) "Fade to Black"
 * 6) "That Was Just Your Life"
 * 7) "Cyanide"
 * 8) "Sad but True"
 * 9) "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)"
 * 10) "All Nightmare Long"
 * 11) "One"
 * 12) "Master of Puppets"
 * 13) "Blackened"
 * 14) "Nothing Else Matters"
 * 15) "Enter Sandman"
 * 16) "Am I Evil?" w/ Dave Lombardo, Megadeth, and Anthrax
 * 17) "Hit the Lights"
 * 18) "Seek & Destroy"

Personnel
A complete list can be found at AllMusic.


 * Anthrax
 * Joey Belladonna - lead vocals
 * Rob Caggiano - lead guitar
 * Scott Ian - rhythm guitar, backing vocals
 * Frank Bello - bass, backing vocals
 * Charlie Benante - drums


 * Megadeth
 * Dave Mustaine - lead vocals, guitar
 * Chris Broderick - guitar, backing vocals
 * David Ellefson - bass, backing vocals
 * Shawn Drover - drums


 * Slayer
 * Tom Araya - vocals, bass
 * Jeff Hanneman - guitar
 * Kerry King - guitar
 * Dave Lombardo - drums


 * Metallica
 * James Hetfield - vocals, rhythm guitar
 * Kirk Hammett - lead guitar
 * Robert Trujillo - bass
 * Lars Ulrich - drums
 * Metallica
 * James Hetfield - vocals, rhythm guitar
 * Kirk Hammett - lead guitar
 * Robert Trujillo - bass
 * Lars Ulrich - drums


 * Production and assistance
 * Warren Lee - Bass Technician, Guitar Technician
 * Michael Pearce - Editing
 * Philip Richardson - Editing
 * John "Wedge" Brandon - Engineer, Production Manager, Tour Manager
 * David May - Executive Producer
 * Mark Workman - Lighting Director
 * Russ Russell - Mixing
 * Andy Sneap - Mixing
 * Ross Halfin - Photography
 * Jim Parsons - Producer
 * Chris Blair - Pyrotechnics
 * Michael McGuire - Pyrotechnics
 * Mike Osman - Sound Technician
 * Alan Doyle - Stage Manager
 * Chris David - Video Technician