…Wait, what? HERESY! 😱
When you think of Metallica riffs, the automatic response is: Hetfield. Hetfield. More Hetfield. The man is a walking down-pick machine with wrists made of pure titanium. But what if we told you there are riffs — real, certified bangers — that weren’t written by James Hetfield? 😳
Cue the Lars gasp. Cue the fanbase meltdown. Cue the wah pedal confusion. 🎚️
Yes, while Papa Het wrote most of Metallica’s signature riffs, he wasn’t the only mad scientist in the room. From spooky bass intros to chugging grooves and even ballad-born brilliance, other bandmates (and sneaky outsiders) have dropped some iconic riff bombs into the Metallica timeline.
Let’s dive deep into the riff vault and pull out 20 Metallica riffs that James Hetfield didn’t write… and yes, your world might never be the same again. 🤘
⚡ 1. “Orion” (Intro & Bridge) – Cliff Burton
That haunting, galactic bass intro? All Cliff. The man wasn’t just playing bass — he was painting soundscapes with it. The mid-section of “Orion” is more classical opus than thrash, and Burton wrote the whole thing with his wild brain and wah pedal. RIP legend 🖤
⚡ 2. “To Live Is to Die” (Theme) – Cliff Burton (posthumously)
Another tearjerker. Built around leftover riffs and ideas Cliff left behind, the band turned his ghostly notes into this instrumental masterpiece. A tribute and a creation. 🌫️
⚡ 3. “Wherever I May Roam” (Intro) – Kirk Hammett
That exotic, snake-charming intro riff? Kirk noodle wizardry. It adds an eerie elegance before Hetfield bulldozes in. 🐍
⚡ 4. “Enter Sandman” (Main Riff) – Kirk Hammett (with Bob Rock)
GASP. One of the most iconic riffs in rock wasn’t even Hetfield’s baby?! Kirk had the bones, and Bob Rock helped shape it. James tweaked it — but the spine? That was Kirk. Shocking, we know. 😱
⚡ 5. “Creeping Death” (‘Die’ bridge riff) – Kirk Hammett (from Exodus)
That brutal chant-along section originally came from a song Kirk wrote before joining Metallica. Exodus called it “Die by His Hand” — and now it lives forever as the ‘DIE! DIE! DIE!’ bit of legend. ☠️
⚡ 6. “Nothing Else Matters” (Melodic structure) – Lars Ulrich (co-arrangement)
James wrote the song (while on the phone, no less), but it was Lars who convinced him to release it. He also co-arranged and steered the song’s structure, adding drama and tension. Shockingly tender for the goblin behind the kit. 🥁❤️
⚡ 7. “The Call of Ktulu” – Cliff Burton & Kirk Hammett
This instrumental screams cosmic horror, and that’s down to Cliff’s fascination with Lovecraft and Kirk’s eerie tonal layering. It’s basically a doom symphony. 🐙
⚡ 8. “Sad But True” (Tuning Idea) – Bob Rock
Okay, Het wrote the riff — BUT Bob Rock told them to tune it down to D standard. That change defined the song’s seismic heaviness. Game-changing suggestion. 🤯
⚡ 9. “The Outlaw Torn” (Bridge Jam) – Kirk Hammett
Kirk’s fingerprints are all over the drifting, emotional jam in the middle of this 9-minute masterpiece. Slow, sorrowful, and crushing. 🌌
⚡ 10. “Suicide & Redemption” – Kirk Hammett & Rob Trujillo
One of Metallica’s only recent instrumentals. Kirk and Rob shaped its gnarly grooves and shifting tempo. A worthy successor to the instrumental legacy. 🐊
⚡ 11. “My Friend of Misery” (Intro) – Jason Newsted
Newkid stepped up with this eerie bassline — meant to be part of a solo song. Metallica liked it so much, it became the spine of this Black Album deep cut. 🎸
⚡ 12. “Frantic” (Main riff) – Lars Ulrich
Yep. A drummer wrote a riff. On a guitar. Lars reportedly came up with the scratchy, skittery pattern during pre-production. Mad lad. 😵
⚡ 13. “Dirty Window” – Lars Ulrich & Bob Rock
Two men who rarely touch guitars birthed one of the most jagged, chaotic tracks on St. Anger. Say what you want — this riff has attitude. 🪟🧼
⚡ 14. “The Unforgiven III” (Structure & Theme) – Lars Ulrich
Another rare moment where Lars helped shape the actual music. The piano elements and pacing? That’s our Danish timekeeper thinking with his feelings. 🎹
⚡ 15. “The Judas Kiss” (Bridge Riff) – Kirk Hammett
That chaotic spiral riff mid-song? Kirk’s doing. A tasty little riff beast amidst a chaotic track. 🧨
⚡ 16. “Hardwired” – Lars Ulrich
Apparently banged out in one jam session, Lars is credited with structuring this blazing-fast riff. Not bad for a dude who usually just yells “FASTER!” 🔥
⚡ 17. “Dream No More” – Kirk Hammett
Lovecraftian doom and gloom meets fuzzy sludge. Kirk brought the weight. Het delivered the vocals. An underrated crusher. 💤👁️
⚡ 18. “Halo on Fire” (Outro) – Rob Trujillo
That emotional build-up and soaring outro solo section? Big Rob helped steer the vibe. Groovy and glorious. 🌅
⚡ 19. “All Nightmare Long” (Intro riff) – Kirk Hammett
Pure thrash panic energy. Kirk cooked up this wicked intro that launches one of the band’s most vicious post-2000 tracks. 😈
⚡ 20. “ManUNkind” (Main riff) – Rob Trujillo
One of the rare full-song riff contributions by Rob. Sludgy, greasy, dark — and criminally underrated. 💀
🎤 Final Thoughts from the Riff Pit
So, what have we learned today, butt?
👉 Hetfield is still the Riff Overlord
👉 But Metallica wouldn’t be the monster it is without Cliff’s emotion, Kirk’s weirdness, Lars’ chaotic input, Bob Rock’s production wizardry, and Rob’s groove
Metallica’s not a one-man riff factory — it’s a dysfunctional family of riff chemists, all throwing ideas into the cauldron. And the result? Decades of headbanging mayhem. 🎶💥
So next time you’re yelling DIE! DIE! DIE! at a show, raise a pint to Kirk. Or when that intro to Orion hits, nod to Cliff in the sky.
🗯️ Because Metallica isn’t just about Hetfield —
It’s about the whole damn riff brigade. 🤘
💬 Let us know your favourite non-Hetfield riff in the comments!
Or scream at us on Twitter @theriffreportuk 😅
Diolch for riffing with us, legends. \m/
#TheRiffReport | #Metallica | #RiffLords | #CliffStillRules
