Orion (Metallica song) explained

Orion
Type:song
Artist:Metallica
Album:Master of Puppets
Recorded:September – December 1985
Studio:Sweet Silence Studios, Copenhagen
Genre:Progressive metal[1]
Length:8:27
Label:
Producer:

"Orion" is a song 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. After his death, Metallica frontman James Hetfield had the notes from the bridge of the song tattooed on his left arm.[4]

Background and writing

"Orion" is a multipart instrumental highlighting Burton's bass playing. A majority of the song was written by Burton, including the guitar solos.[5] It opens with a fade-in bass section, heavily processed to resemble an orchestra. It continues with mid-tempo riffing, followed by a bass riff at half-tempo. The tempo accelerates during the latter part, and ends with music fading out.[6] Burton arranged each part of the middle section, which features a moody bass line and multipart guitar harmonies. "Orion" contains two solos from Burton,[7] one from Hetfield, and three from the group's lead guitarist, Kirk Hammett.[8] Burton had originally intended to play all the solos on bass, but reluctantly gave up some to the band's two guitarists.

While demoing songs for Master of Puppets, "Orion" and "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" had been one song, titled "Only Thing"; between the demo sessions and the album recording sessions, the two songs were split apart. However, this meant that the song hadn't been fully written before the band's arrived to the studio in Copenhagen.[9] While working on finishing the track, the band made the decision to keep it as an instrumental.[10]

Live

"Orion" is the least-performed song from the album.[11] Its first full live performance was during the Escape from the Studio '06 tour, when the band performed the album in its entirety, honoring the 20th anniversary of its release.[12] [13] The song had previously only been played as a part of medleys, jams, or in an abridged form.[12] [14] On February 10, 2018, what would have been Cliff's 56th birthday, the group played the song. Lars Ulrich called the performance “a very special moment.”[15] On the first date of the band's tour in support of their 11th studio album, 72 Seasons, they opened the show with a performance of "Orion".[16]

Reception and legacy

"Orion" has been widely praised by fans and critics alike.

The song has been covered by numerous different bands and artists, including Dream Theater[17] and Mastodon.[18] The song was featured in the film [19] as well as the film's soundtrack.[20] Unlike the other songs from the project, "Orion" wasn't recorded live, instead recorded at a soundcheck prior to the show where the other tracks were recorded.

After the death of Cliff Burton, the song became one of Lars Ulrich's favourite Metallica songs. "Obviously, the emotional component of 'Orion' with the Cliff element... and that whole middle piece obviously is… it's beautiful and so unique, unlike anything that obviously we had ever done before or pretty much done ever since".[21]

Accolades

YearPublicationCountryAccoladeRank
2014Rolling StoneUnited StatesReaders’ Poll: The 10 Best Metallica Songs[22] 4
2019Metal HammerUnited StatesThe 50 best Metallica songs of all time[23] 6
2019Louder SoundUnited StatesThe 10 Best Metallica Songs Featuring Cliff Burton[24] 2
2021KerrangUnited KingdomThe 20 greatest Metallica songs – ranked13
2023The A.V. ClubUnited StatesEssential Metallica: Their 30 greatest songs, ranked[25] 3
2023Entertainment WeeklyUnited StatesThe 15 best Metallica songs[26] unranked

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.[27]

Metallica

Production

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Law . Sam . The 20 greatest Metallica songs – ranked . Kerrang . 2 August 2023 . 7 May 2021.
  2. Web site: MASTER OF PUPPETS . metallica.com . February 21, 2017.
  3. Web site: Sessions . Chris . Metallica’s "Orion": A Love Letter To An Immaculate Song, And An Ode To An Impossible Album . Your Last Rites . 1 August 2023 . 11 September 2020.
  4. Web site: TattoosJames Hetfield’s 26 Tattoos & Their Meanings . BodyArtGuru . 1 August 2023.
  5. Web site: Sevinc . Bihter . The Sad Truth About James Hetfield’s Cliff Burton Tattoo . Rock Celebrities . 1 August 2023 . 2 January 2022.
  6. Book: McIver, Joel. To Live Is to Die: The Life and Death of Metallica's Cliff Burton. 2009. Jawbone Press. 978-1-906002-24-4. 159–160, 165, 226.
  7. Web site: Lee . Cosmo . Metallica: The First Four Albums - "Orion" . Invisible Oranges . 1 August 2023 . 5 September 2011.
  8. Web site: Metallica’s ‘Orion’ played on cellos is face-meltingly awesome . ClassicFM . 1 August 2023 . 21 February 2018.
  9. Wall. Mick. Master Piece. Guitar World. January 2006. 52–61, 104–110. 1045-6295.
  10. Web site: Ustaer . Feyyaz . METALLICA REVEALS A FACT YOU PROBABLY DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT "ORION" . Metalhead Zone . 1 August 2023 . 6 December 2017 . I think the genesis of ‘Orion’ was Cliff Burton’s kind of middle bass part thing with the harmonies and those melodies. And we felt that probably should be an instrumental piece. And there was, I think, that main riff that’s at the front half of the song. And somehow we married those together and whatever….
  11. Web site: Songs. Metallica.com. May 21, 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120315121145/http://www.metallica.com/song_list.asp?sorting=1&sortdir=2&sortby=s.times_performed. March 15, 2012.
  12. Web site: SEE METALLICA PLAY "ORION" IN FULL FOR FIRST TIME EVER IN 2006 . Revolver . 1 August 2023 . 27 September 2022.
  13. Web site: Rutledge. Daniel. Metallica treat Kiwi fans to 'Orion'. 3 News. October 15, 2010. July 31, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20140307052353/http://www.3news.co.nz/Metallica-treat-Kiwi-fans-to-Orion/tabid/418/articleID/181485/Default.aspx. March 7, 2014. dead.
  14. Web site: ORION . Metallica.com . 1 August 2023.
  15. Web site: Munro . Scott . Watch Metallica play Orion in honour of Cliff Burton . Louder Sound . Metal Hammer . 1 August 2023 . 20 September 2022.
  16. Web site: Kennelty . Greg . Watch: METALLICA Debuts Two 72 Seasons Songs Live, Opened With "Orion" . Metal Injection . 1 August 2023 . 28 April 2023.
  17. Web site: 2021-07-23 . Master of Puppets - Live in Barcelona 2002 . 2022-09-26 . Dream Theater . 2022-09-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220926053329/https://dreamtheater.net/master-of-puppets-live-barcelona-2002/ . live .
  18. Web site: Metal Mixtape: Orion . Invisible Oranges . 1 August 2023 . 14 September 2007.
  19. Web site: Metallica Through the Never. tiff.net. September 2, 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130830163626/http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/festival/2013/metallicathroughthen. August 30, 2013. mdy-all.
  20. Web site: Metallica releasing Metallica Through the Never movie soundtrack. HitFix. July 29, 2013. August 30, 2013.
  21. Web site: Erel . Eray . Metallica’s Lars Ulrich Admits ‘Orion’ Has A Special Place In His Heart Because Of Cliff Burton . Metal Castle . 1 August 2023 . 23 May 2022.
  22. Web site: Readers’ Poll: The 10 Best Metallica Songs . . 2 August 2023 . 14 May 2014.
  23. Web site: The 50 best Metallica songs of all time . Louder Sound . Metal Hammer . 2 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200215170436/https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-50-best-metallica-songs-of-all-time/5 . 15 February 2020 . 16 January 2019.
  24. Web site: Johnson . Howard . The 10 Best Metallica Songs Featuring Cliff Burton . Louder Sound . 2 August 2023 . 19 July 2019.
  25. Web site: Reesman . Bryan . Essential Metallica: Their 30 greatest songs, ranked . . 2 August 2023 . 17 April 2023.
  26. Web site: Loftus . Johnny . The 15 best Metallica songs . . 2 August 2023 . 9 June 2023.
  27. Master of Puppets. CD liner notes. Metallica. 1986. Elektra Records. 9-60439-2.