Metallica unveil Orion: A Tribute to Cliff Burton virtual exhibit

Metallica have unveiled the first in a short series of online museums, Orion: A Tribute to Cliff Burton.

The metal legends are paying their respects to the late bassist with a free digital exhibit for their Fifth Member fans, with the first of four available to check out now.

Orion: A Tribute to Cliff Burton includes “pieces from the vault” that ’Tallica say they’ve “hung onto all these years”, as well as recruiting “his friends, peers, and fans” to reveal who he was away from heavy metal.

“This one has been a long time coming, and we know you’ve been eagerly awaiting it,” reads an announcement from the band. “Introducing Orion: A Tribute to Cliff Burton, honoring the life and legacy of the man and the musician.

“Though Cliff’s time with Metallica was brief, his impact and influence remain monumental through his music, our memories, and stories. To celebrate our brother, we’ve dipped into our vault to share pieces of him that we’ve hung onto all these years. And because the ‘Metallica Cliff’ is just one side of him, we’ve recruited his friends, peers, and fans to join us in telling his story. We’d like to extend a massive thank you to the Burton family for sharing memories that go as far back as Cliff’s childhood.”

This initial Orion: A Tribute to Cliff Burton drop “contains everything from old photos and personal letters to new exclusive video interviews”. The next release is scheduled for August 13.

It’s been a good week for Metallica news. The band have also announced details of their annual Helping Hands Concert & Auction for December, and frontman James Hetfield showed up as a sheriff in the trailer for September’s dark western thriller The Thicket!