For Whom the Bell Tolls

by Metallica

For Whom the Bell Tolls cover art
  • Type: Single
  • Released: 1984
  • Label: Megaforce
  • Country: United States
  • Community rating: 4.13/5 from 3 ratings

Album Notes & Community Reviews

Inspired by Ernest Hemingway's novel of the same name, this crushing mid-tempo track showcases Metallica moving towards more complex, atmospheric song structures. It is particularly famous for Cliff Burton's opening chromatic bass line, which is heavily distorted and treated with a wah-wah pedal to sound like an electric guitar.

Genres

Descriptors: war, death, rhythmic, riff-heavy, literary

Tracklist

  1. For Whom the Bell Tolls (Edit) (3:59)
  2. For Whom the Bell Tolls (5:10)

Credits

  • INXS - primary artist

More from Metallica: full discography