Orion (Metallica song)
{{Infobox song
| name = Orion
| cover =
| alt =
| type = instrumental
| artist = Metallica
| album = Master of Puppets
| released = {{Start date|1986|3|3}}
| recorded = September – December 1985
| studio = Sweet Silence Studios, Copenhagen
| genre = Progressive metal{{cite web |last1=Law |first1=Sam |title=The 20 greatest Metallica songs – ranked |url=https://www.kerrang.com/the-20-greatest-metallica-songs-ranked?next= |website=Kerrang |access-date=2 August 2023 |date=7 May 2021}}
| length = 8:27
| label = * New Electric Way
| writer =
| producer = * Metallica
}}
"Orion" is an instrumental song by American thrash metal band Metallica from their third studio album, Master of Puppets, released on March 3, 1986, by Elektra Records.{{cite web |url=https://metallica.com/releases/albums/4211/master-of-puppets |title=MASTER OF PUPPETS |publisher=metallica.com |access-date=February 21, 2017}} There, the song features as track seven. "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.{{cite web |last1=Sessions |first1=Chris |title=Metallica's "Orion": A Love Letter To An Immaculate Song, And An Ode To An Impossible Album |url=https://yourlastrites.com/2020/09/11/metallicas-orion-a-love-letter-to-an-immaculate-song-and-ode-to-an-impossible-album/ |website=Your Last Rites |access-date=1 August 2023 |date=11 September 2020}}
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.{{cite web |title=TattoosJames Hetfield's 26 Tattoos & Their Meanings |url=https://bodyartguru.com/james-hetfield-tattoos/ |website=BodyArtGuru |date=12 May 2020 |access-date=1 August 2023}}
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.{{cite web |last1=Sevinc |first1=Bihter |title=The Sad Truth About James Hetfield's Cliff Burton Tattoo |url=https://rockcelebrities.net/the-sad-truth-about-james-hetfields-cliff-burton-tattoo/ |website=Rock Celebrities |access-date=1 August 2023 |date=2 January 2022}} 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.{{cite book|last=McIver|first=Joel|title=To Live Is to Die: The Life and Death of Metallica's Cliff Burton|year=2009|publisher=Jawbone Press|isbn=978-1-906002-24-4|pages=159–160, 165, 226}} Burton arranged each part of the middle section, which features a moody bass line and multipart guitar harmonies. "Orion" contains two solos from Burton,{{cite web |last1=Lee |first1=Cosmo |title=Metallica: The First Four Albums - "Orion" |url=https://www.invisibleoranges.com/metallica-the-first-four-albums-orion/ |website=Invisible Oranges |access-date=1 August 2023 |date=5 September 2011}} one from Hetfield, and three from the group's lead guitarist, Kirk Hammett.{{cite web |title=Metallica's 'Orion' played on cellos is face-meltingly awesome |url=https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/instruments/cello/metallica-orion-apocalyptica-cellos/ |website=ClassicFM |access-date=1 August 2023 |date=21 February 2018}} 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 had not been fully written before the band arrived to the studio in Copenhagen.{{cite journal|last=Wall|first=Mick|title=Master Piece|journal=Guitar World|date=January 2006|pages=52–61, 104–110|issn=1045-6295}}
Live
"Orion" is the least-performed song from the album.{{cite web|url=http://www.metallica.com/song_list.asp?sorting=1&sortdir=2&sortby=s.times_performed|title=Songs|publisher=Metallica.com|access-date=May 21, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120315121145/http://www.metallica.com/song_list.asp?sorting=1&sortdir=2&sortby=s.times_performed|archive-date=March 15, 2012}} 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.{{cite web |title=SEE METALLICA PLAY "ORION" IN FULL FOR FIRST TIME EVER IN 2006 |url=https://www.revolvermag.com/music/see-metallica-play-orion-full-first-time-ever-2006 |website=Revolver |access-date=1 August 2023 |date=27 September 2022}}{{cite web|last=Rutledge|first=Daniel|title=Metallica treat Kiwi fans to 'Orion'|url=http://www.3news.co.nz/Metallica-treat-Kiwi-fans-to-Orion/tabid/418/articleID/181485/Default.aspx|publisher=3 News|date=October 15, 2010|access-date=July 31, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140307052353/http://www.3news.co.nz/Metallica-treat-Kiwi-fans-to-Orion/tabid/418/articleID/181485/Default.aspx|archive-date=March 7, 2014|url-status=dead}} The song had previously only been played as a part of medleys, jams, or in an abridged form.{{cite web |title=ORION |url=https://www.metallica.com/tour/2005-11-13-san-francisco-california.html |website=Metallica.com |access-date=1 August 2023}} 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.”{{cite web |last1=Munro |first1=Scott |title=Watch Metallica play Orion in honour of Cliff Burton |url=https://www.loudersound.com/news/watch-metallica-play-orion-in-honour-of-cliff-burton |website=Louder Sound |publisher=Metal Hammer |access-date=1 August 2023 |date=20 September 2022}} 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".{{cite web |last1=Kennelty |first1=Greg |title=Watch: METALLICA Debuts Two 72 Seasons Songs Live, Opened With "Orion" |url=https://metalinjection.net/video/watch-metallica-debuts-two-72-seasons-songs-live-opened-with-orion |website=Metal Injection |access-date=1 August 2023 |date=28 April 2023}}
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{{Cite web |date=2021-07-23 |title=Master of Puppets - Live in Barcelona 2002 |url=https://dreamtheater.net/master-of-puppets-live-barcelona-2002/ |access-date=2022-09-26 |website=Dream Theater |archive-date=2022-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220926053329/https://dreamtheater.net/master-of-puppets-live-barcelona-2002/ |url-status=live }} and Mastodon.{{cite web |title=Metal Mixtape: Orion |url=https://www.invisibleoranges.com/metal-mixtape-orion/ |website=Invisible Oranges |access-date=1 August 2023 |date=14 September 2007}}
The song was featured in the film Metallica: Through the Never{{cite web|url=http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/festival/2013/metallicathroughthen|title=Metallica Through the Never|publisher=tiff.net|access-date=September 2, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130830163626/http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/festival/2013/metallicathroughthen|archive-date=August 30, 2013|df=mdy-all}} as well as the film's soundtrack.{{cite web|title=Metallica releasing Metallica Through the Never movie soundtrack|url=http://www.hitfix.com/news/metallica-releasing-metallica-through-the-never-movie-soundtrack|work=HitFix|date=July 29, 2013|access-date=August 30, 2013}} 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".{{cite web |last1=Erel |first1=Eray |title=Metallica's Lars Ulrich Admits 'Orion' Has A Special Place In His Heart Because Of Cliff Burton |url=https://www.metalcastle.net/metallica-icon-lars-ulrich-reveals-cliff-burton-influence-on-orion/ |website=Metal Castle |access-date=1 August 2023 |date=23 May 2022}}
= Accolades =
Personnel
Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.{{cite AV media notes|title=Master of Puppets|type=CD liner notes|others=Metallica|year=1986|publisher=Elektra Records|id=9-60439-2}}
Metallica
- James Hetfield – rhythm guitar, 2nd guitar solo
- Lars Ulrich – drums, percussion
- Cliff Burton – bass
- Kirk Hammett – lead guitar
Production
- Metallica – production
- Flemming Rasmussen – production, engineering
- Andy Wroblewski – assistant engineer
- Michael Wagener – mixing
- Mark Wilzcak – assistant mixing engineer
- George Marino – mastering, remastering on 1995 re-release
- Howie Weinberg – 2017 remastering
- Gentry Studer – 2017 remastering