A sitar is heard 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 full heavy-metal arrangement enters. The sitar gives the introduction a distinctive timbre that separates it from the standard guitar-and-drum attack associated with much of Metallica’s catalog.
The recording also uses a Warwick twelve-string bass for effect during the intro. After those accented opening sounds, the main bass part uses a standard-tuned four-string bass. This combination is why the introduction can sound more unusual than the rest of the track.
In live performances, Metallica has generally relied on the original sitar recording for the intro. During the S&M concerts, Kirk Hammett used a Danelectro electric sitar before switching to his ESP guitar, linking the studio texture to the band’s stage arrangements.