Peter Atkinson from KNAC.com spoke with SLAYER guitarist Kerry King recently about a number of topics. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

KNAC.com: Given his neck surgery, how has Tom (Araya) been holding up with the busy tour schedule you've had and will have?

King: "He's done fine, so far. He's not headbanging. He can't. I've been telling him once he gets comfortable in his new skin he's gonna outlast all of us, because we're beating ourselves up every day."

KNAC.com: Because Tom can't be as much of the focal point as he used to be, do you and Jeff (Hanneman, guitarist) feel the need to compensate, do a little bit extra onstage to make up the difference?

King: "I think we've always done the same show, more or less. We're not the kind of band that runs around on ramps or has a lot of fancy stage moves or does any of that stuff. We focus on playing as hard as we can and being as tight as we can. I don't think there's any more that we can do, but I am conscious that he (Tom) can't, so maybe I do try to make a little bit more of a spectacle of myself, without being retarded. When it comes for us having to up the ante, I don't think there's any more ante to up (laughs). You know what I mean?"

KNAC.com: I guess that would lead to the obvious next question, what did you think of the shows you did with them and The Big Four?

King: "They were exceptional, it was awesome. The funny thing about it is we go over there thinking it's going to be all of us together on one stage and there were some shows where MEGADETH and ANTHRAX were on different stages than us and METALLICA, which kind of defeats the purpose of calling them Big Four shows. But the ones where it was Anthrax, Megadeth, us and Metallica, they were great.

KNAC.com: I asked Joey Belladonna from Anthrax about the possibility of American shows and he said all the bands were into the idea, is that your take?

King: "It's hard to say because there are so many logistical things that have to happen. It's hard enough just getting two bands together, never mind four bands that are used to headlining individually. So just making all the shit happen will be hard. But when the Carnage Tour came through San Fran a week or so ago, we saw Lars (Ulrich) and James (Hetfield, from Metallica). The bands are definitely getting along and as far as I'm aware everyone is completely into the idea."

KNAC.com: Since you mentioned some of the high points, what would you say have been some of the lowest points of your long career?

King: "Changing drummers five-six times wasn't much fun. Probably the worst was waiting for Tom to get healed from surgery. We've got the new album set, we're already to go and everyone's fired up to have Slayer tour the globe and then we're sitting there with our thumbs up our asses for six-seven months. But you gotta do what you gotta do, and Tom had to get himself fixed up so he could keep doing this. So now we're making up for that."

Read the entire interview here.

A new video unveiling the packaging of The Big Four: Live From Sofia, Bulgaria DVD and Blu-ray featuring Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax is available below on YouTube:

Warner Music in North America and Universal Music throughout the world will release The Big Four: Live From Sofia, Bulgaria DVD and Blu-ray containing footage of the June 22nd, 2010 Sonisphere cinecast from the Sofia, Bulgaria leg of the touring rock festival featuring the Big Four of 1980s thrash metal - Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax.

The DVD hits the streets on October 15th in Northern Europe, October 18th in most of the rest of the world, October 19th in North America and the full shows from all four bands will be included in the two-disc set along with behind-the-scenes and interview footage.

In addition to the two-DVD set and the corresponding Blu-ray, there will be a limited-edition "super deluxe" box set including the DVD set, five CDs with ALL the music, a 24-page booklet, a poster, photos of each band, and a Big Four guitar pick.

The deluxe set can be pre-ordered in the official Metallica Store and the Universal Store UK, all orders from the official Metallica store will include a limited edition RED Big 4 guitar pick with one of four different print colors (white, black, silver or gold - see below), not available in stores!

The tracklistings:

ANTHRAX:

'Caught In A Mosh'

'Got the Time'

'Madhouse'

'Be All, End All'

'Antisocial'

'Indians'/'Heaven And Hell'

'Medusa'

'Only'

'Metal Thrashing Mad'

'I Am The Law'

MEGADETH:

'Holy Wars... The Punishment Due'

'Hangar 18'

'Wake Up Dead'

'Head Crusher'

'In My Darkest Hour'

'Skin O' My Teeth'

'A Tout Le Monde'

'Hook In Mouth'

'Trust'

'Sweating Bullets'

'Symphony Of Destruction'

'Peace Sells'/'Holy Wars Reprise'

SLAYER:

'World Painted Blood'

'Jihad'

'War Ensemble'

'Hate Worldwide'

'Seasons In The Abyss'

'Angel of Death'

'Beauty Through Order'

'Disciple'

'Mandatory Suicide'

'Chemical Warfare'

'South of Heaven'

'Raining Blood'

METALLICA:

'Creeping Death'

'For Whom The Bell Tolls'

'Fuel'

'Harvester Of Sorrow'

'Fade To Black'

'That Was Just Your Life'

'Cyanide'

'Sad But True'

'Welcome Home (Sanitarium)'

'All Nightmare Long'

'One'

'Master Of Puppets'

'Blackened'

'Nothing Else Matters'

'Enter Sandman'

Encore:

'Am I Evil?' (with the Big Four)

'Hit The Lights'

'Seek and Destroy'