Metallica’s isolated tracks are a masterclass in tight, heavy rhythm playing. Here you can hear James Hetfield’s vocals and down-picked rhythm guitar, Kirk Hammett’s leads, Lars Ulrich’s drums and Cliff Burton’s bass on their own, from Master of Puppets and One to Enter Sandman and Nothing Else Matters.
Metallica isolated tracks on Multitrack Master
| Song | Isolated parts |
|---|---|
| Master Of Puppets | multitrack |
| Battery | Cliff Burton bass only |
| The Unforgiven | multitrack |
| Seek and Destroy | drums only |
| Ride The Lightning | vocal/drums only, guitars only |
| For Whom The Bell Tolls | multitrack |
| Enter Sandman | vocal only |
| Orion | Cliff Burton bass only |
| Disposable Heroes | guitar only |
| Nothing Else Matters | multitrack |
| Lars Ulrich talks recording drums | studio talk |
| My Apocalypse | vocal only, guitar only, drums only |
| One | multitrack |
| Wherever I May Roam | vocal, drums, bass only |
| Welcome Home (Sanitarium) | multitrack |
What to listen for in Metallica’s isolated tracks
- Down-picking. On the guitar-only tracks, listen for how evenly Hetfield down-picks fast riffs like Master of Puppets. It’s the core of the band’s sound.
- Cliff Burton’s bass as a lead instrument. Orion and Battery show how melodic and effects-driven Burton’s playing was.
- Layered rhythm guitars. The “Black Album” era rhythm tracks are stacked several times over, which you can hear clearly once the drums and vocals are gone.
- Drum arrangement. Ulrich’s parts are built around the riffs rather than groove, so the drums-only tracks often follow the guitar accents note for note.
About Metallica
Metallica formed in Los Angeles in 1981 when drummer Lars Ulrich and singer-guitarist James Hetfield answered a classified ad. With Kirk Hammett on lead guitar and Cliff Burton on bass, they released Kill ‘Em All, Ride the Lightning and Master of Puppets before Burton’s death in 1986. Jason Newsted and later Robert Trujillo took over on bass. The self-titled 1991 “Black Album”, produced by Bob Rock, made them one of the biggest rock bands in the world.
Metallica at a glance
Genre
Heavy metal, thrash metal
Labels
Megaforce
Elektra
Vertigo
Warner Bros
Blackened
Artist Website Link: http://metallica.com/
Discography
Kill ‘Em All (1983)
Ride the Lightning (1984)
Master of Puppets (1986)
…And Justice for All (1988)
Metallica (1991)
Load (1996)
Reload (1997)
St. Anger (2003)
Death Magnetic (2008)
Hardwired… to Self-Destruct (2016)
MultiTracks
Metallica | Master Of Puppets (multitrack)
Metallica | Battery (Cliff Burton bass only)
Metallica | The Unforgiven (multitrack)
Metallica | Seek and Destroy (drums only)
Metallica | Ride The Lightning (vocal/drums only, guitars only)
Metallica | For Whom The Bell Tolls (multitrack)
Metallica | Enter Sandman (vocal only)
Metallica | Orion (Cliff Burton bass only)
Metallica | Disposable Heroes (guitar only)
Metallica | Nothing Else Matters (multitrack)
Metallica | My Apocalypse (vocal only, guitar only, drums only)
Metallica | Wherever I May Roam (vocal, drums, bass only)
Metallica | Welcome Home (Sanitarium) (multitrack)
Metallica isolated tracks: FAQ
Can I hear Cliff Burton’s bass isolated?
Yes. The tracks above include Cliff Burton bass-only versions of Orion and Battery, both from Master of Puppets (1986).
Which Metallica album is Master of Puppets on?
Master of Puppets is the title track of the band’s 1986 album, their last with Cliff Burton.
Who produced the Black Album?
Metallica’s self-titled 1991 album, known as the Black Album, was produced by Bob Rock with Hetfield and Ulrich.
Want to make your own isolated track of any song? See our guide: Isolated Tracks: What They Are, Where They Come From and How to Make Your Own.