A sitar appears in the introduction to Metallica’s “Wherever I May Roam.”
The song’s opening uses Asian-influenced instrumentation, including a gong and sitar, before the main heavy arrangement enters. That sound gives the track a distinctive atmosphere and supports its theme of constant travel and independence.
The recording also uses an overdubbed Warwick 12-string bass for the introduction. That instrument was used for effect on accented notes, while a standard tuned four-string bass provided the main bass part for the rest of the song. Both details help explain why the opening sounds different from the body of the track.
The sitar part is not normally recreated from scratch during the band’s standard live performances. Metallica has relied on the original sitar recording for the introduction, while the musicians enter on the song’s first accented note. During the S&M concerts, Kirk Hammett used a Danelectro electric sitar before switching to his ESP guitar. The track was released as the album’s fourth single in 1992.