27 September 2011 marks the 25th anniversary of the death of the Metallica bass guitarist Cliff Burton.
Although not the original bassist, Cliff joined the band in 1982 and performed on its debut studio album Kill 'Em All. He also appeared on two further albums Ride the Lightning and Master of Puppets, the latter being considered one of the most influential metal albums of all time.
Cliff was known for his "lead bass" approach, in which the bass played a melodic and soloist role, in addition to holding down the harmonic and rhythmic foundation of the band.
On September 27, 1986, Cliff died when the band's tour bus over-turned in rural southern Sweden. Cliff was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Metallica on April 4, 2009.
Here is Metallica performing For Whom the Bell Tolls in 1985 with Cliff Burton.
