Orion (Metallica song)

"Orion"
Instrumental by Metallica
from the album Master of Puppets
ReleasedMarch 3, 1986 (1986-03-03)
RecordedSeptember – December 1985
StudioSweet Silence Studios, Copenhagen
GenreProgressive metal[1]
Length8:27
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)

"Orion" is an instrumental by American thrash metal band Metallica from their third studio album, Master of Puppets, released on March 3, 1986, by Elektra Records.[2] There the song features as track seven, and is entirely instrumental. "Orion" was written primarily by bassist Cliff Burton. The song was named after the constellation of the same name, Orion, due to its "spacey sounding" bridge.[3]

On September 27, 1986, while touring in 1986 to support Master of Puppets, the band's tour bus crashed, killing Burton. "Orion" was played over speakers during his funeral.[4] After his death, Metallica frontman James Hetfield had the notes from the bridge of the song tattooed on his left arm.[4][5]

  1. ^ Law, Sam (7 May 2021). "The 20 greatest Metallica songs – ranked". Kerrang. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  2. ^ "MASTER OF PUPPETS". metallica.com. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  3. ^ Sessions, Chris (11 September 2020). "Metallica's "Orion": A Love Letter To An Immaculate Song, And An Ode To An Impossible Album". Your Last Rites. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  4. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Jamez Tatz was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "TattoosJames Hetfield's 26 Tattoos & Their Meanings". BodyArtGuru. Retrieved 1 August 2023.