There are not many early Metallica songs where Cliff Burton did not leave his musical mark. Throughout his time with the band, Burton gradually became one of the world’s most praised bassists, transforming his instrument into a lead voice rather than merely providing bass support for the guitar. By the time the band reached the peak with “Master of Puppets,” Burton was ready to take his compositional abilities to a new level.

Instead of playing typical bass chords, Burton treated his instrument like a primary guitar player. No matter what rhythmic structure came from James Hetfield’s guitar, Burton often played with the melody by changing the bass’s original part or performing runs across a wide tonal range that demanded attention, especially in epic compositions like ‘The Four Horsemen.’

However, beyond the classic metal style, Burton was also a fan of classical music. Influenced by Beethoven and Black Sabbath, Burton was known for incorporating various genres into Metallica’s music, reaching its peak with the bass solo “Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth)” in the band’s debut album, “Kill ‘Em All.”

By the time the band began working on their second release, “Ride The Lightning,” Burton had started establishing himself as a composer, contributing to over half of the songwriting credits with his outstanding riffs in tracks like ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls.’ His understanding of harmony also began to advance, creating guitar duets in songs like ‘Fade To Black’ and ‘Creeping Death.’

While his primary bass part in “The Call of Ktulu” remains an astounding studio moment, Burton began working on a masterpiece of his own. Presenting the initial sketch to Kirk Hammett, Burton started outlining what would become the instrumentals for ‘Orion,’ turning his favorite metal riff structures into an eight-minute musical journey.

Upon Hammett’s first hearing of the song, he expressed surprise at its complexity, telling Lars Ulrich, “He played a super rough version of it for me once in a hotel room, but that was just the progression. And then, I remember hearing it X months later, and it had all these harmonies and melodies. I was so surprised because it went from this little chord progression to this massive piece.”

Although Burton may have composed his masterpiece, he never got to see it performed live, passing away in September 1986 before having the chance to introduce the song to a broader audience. As subsequent bassists joined the band, they respected Burton’s playing style, with Jason Newsted and Robert Trujillo seamlessly incorporating parts of the song into their bass solos.

While the band occasionally brings the song back in their live performances, Ulrich claims that Burton is always present whenever they play it, stating to The New York Times, “It has a unique palette and illustrates the different sources of inspiration and creative influences that exist within the band. When we play it, Cliff’s spirit is definitely in the room. And Robert has conveyed Cliff’s spirit in the section he performs brilliantly. It’s a beautiful, beautiful moment.”