BASS LINES by Jaime Vazquez: Part XV – Metallica’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls”

Hello bass players and fans of bass playing!

This is it! A classic for the metalheads…

Band: Metallica
Song: “For Whom the Bell Tolls”
Words & Music by James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich & Cliff Burton
Genre: Heavy metal
Bass Player: Cliff Burton
Album: Ride the Lightning (1984)
Label: Elektra

“For Whom the Bell Tolls” was released as the second single from the album. The chromatic introduction was played by Cliff Burton with his bass guitar through distortion and a wah-wah pedal.

* “For Whom the Bell Tolls” has also appeared on Metallica‘s live 1999 album S&M, in which Metallica performed with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra.

Fig. 1 – For Whom the Bell Tolls’ Famous Bass Intro: