Metal, Hardcore, Indie, Rock
A last-minute alteration to one of the solos in a classic Metallica song was supposed to give it a completely different sound, as per Loudwire. In addition to paying tribute to the late Cliff Burton, current Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo joined the most recent episode of The Metallica Report podcast to discuss the bass sections of some of the band’s most well-known songs. On Tuesday, February 10, Burton, who passed away in a tour bus accident in 1986, would have turned 64. At one point in the program, the conversation shifted to Metallica‘s instrumental song “Orion,” from their 1986 album “Master of Puppets”, and the bass solo in it. According to Trujillo, the intended solo was not Burton’s bass but rather a Kirk Hammett guitar solo.
He was originally supposed to play the solo there, Kirk was, and he was away from the studio, came back the next day and Cliff had laid the track. He played the solo there and there was no solo for Kirk. Not that Kirk doesn’t get enough solos, but Cliff took his solo, which I think is just so cool.
According to Trujillo, Hammett was the one who gave the origin narrative of the bass solo, which ultimately seemed to benefit everyone. When “Orion” appears on Metallica‘s set list, it frequently stands out and isn’t merely an instrumental. According to Trujillo, the song has the power to bring the band members together as well as the fans together.
This is a song that automatically brings us together and it has to do with the emotion and the personality of the song. It’s so infectious that you have to be together and you also have to be together with the fans.
Trujillo sees it as a time of Metallica‘s members coming together and “celebrating” the spirit and feel of “Orion,” which is based on Burton’s memory.
Is it the spirit of Cliff? absolutely. The song is probably the closest thing to the spirit of Cliff and that’s why you need to be together.
Upcoming shows in 2026:
09* MAY ATHENS, GREECE OLYMPIC STADIUM 13* MAY BUCHAREST, ROMANIA ARENA NAȚIONALĂ 19* MAY CHORZÓW, POLAND STADION ŚLĄSKI 22* & 24ˣ MAY FRANKFURT, GERMANY DEUTSCHE BANK PARK 27* MAY ZÜRICH, SWITZERLAND STADION LETZIGRUND 30* MAY BERLIN, GERMANY OLYMPIASTADION 03* JUNE BOLOGNA, ITALY STADIO RENATO DALL’ARA 11ˣ & 13* JUNE BUDAPEST, HUNGARY PUSKAS ARENA 19ˣ & 21* JUNE DUBLIN, IRELAND AVIVA STADIUM 25* JUNE GLASGOW, SCOTLAND HAMPDEN PARK 28* JUNE CARDIFF, WALES PRINCIPALITY STADIUM 03* & 05ˣ JULY LONDON, ENGLAND LONDON STADIUM
*Support: Gojira & Knocked Loose
ˣSupport: Pantera & Avatar
As always, a portion of proceeds from every ticket sold will go to local charities via the band’s foundation, All Within My Hands. Established in 2017 as a way to give back to communities that have supported Metallica over the years, All Within My Hands has raised over $20 million, providing $11.4 million in grants to career and technical education programs, including the ground-breaking Metallica Scholars Initiative, now in its seventh year, over $7.4 million to combat food insecurity, and more than $4.7 million to disaster relief efforts.
