Which Metallica song opens with gong, sitar, and an overdubbed 12-string bass on The Black Album?

“Wherever I May Roam” opens with gong, sitar, and an overdubbed 12-string bass on The Black Album.

The unusual introduction gives the song an immediately distinctive sound before the main heavy-metal arrangement begins. The intro uses Asian-influenced instruments, including a gong and sitar, alongside a specially overdubbed Warwick 12-string bass.

That 12-string bass was used for effect during the introduction, emphasizing selected accented notes. A standard-tuned four-string bass handles the main bass part through the remainder of the recording, so the unusual instrument is not the song's full-time bass setup.

The track was released as the album's fourth single in October 1992. Its lyrics focus on a roaming, independent perspective, fitting the song's travel-oriented title and its place in Metallica's touring era.

“Wherever I May Roam” was also performed with the San Francisco Symphony on the S&M projects. In those live performances, Kirk Hammett used an electric sitar for the intro, while the original recording remained part of the band's established live approach.