The Big 4 Download -

By Alex Cross

To the uninitiated, the phrase might suggest a corporate software bundle or a financial earnings report. To a legion of denim-and-leather-clad fans spanning six continents, it refers to the single most coveted digital artifact in thrash metal history: the collective live recordings of Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax performing on the same bill at Sofia, Bulgaria’s Vasil Levski National Stadium on June 22, 2010. The Big 4 Download

The official DVD includes all four sets, but the download scene created "fan edits." There is a famous 4.5GB version that only includes the historic "Big 4 Jam" at the end—where members of all four bands play "Am I Evil?" and "Whiplash" together. Another edit removes all the interview filler. It is pure, unadulterated violence. The fans curated the experience better than the label did. Part IV: The Anatomy of a Digital Artifact Let’s break down what you are actually downloading. By Alex Cross To the uninitiated, the phrase

Then, the internet did what the internet does. It stole it. The official “Big 4” DVD/Blu-ray— The Big 4: Live from Sofia, Bulgaria —was released in October 2010. It was a beautiful package. Directed by Nick Wickham, it featured crystal-clear multi-camera angles, pristine audio mixed by the legendary Greg Fidelman, and bonus content. Another edit removes all the interview filler