Watch: Lightning Striking Metallica Concert Is by Far a “Top 5 Coolest Thing to Ever Happen”

Standing alongside bands like Anthrax, Slayer, and Megadeth, Metallica helped thrust thrash metal into the spotlight as they sold 58 million albums in the United States alone. Accumulating several Grammy Awards throughout their time on stage, the band landed a spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Rolling Stone placing them on their list of 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. Performing for over four decades, the band recently visited Munich for their M72 world tour. And although the atmosphere was electrifying, it appears the iconic band received a little help from Mother Nature. 

Posting a video on social media, Metallica performed on stage as a sea of fans enjoyed the display of heavy metal and lights. But what really set the concert over the top was when lightning struck the venue.

Gaining nearly 3 million views, fans shared their excitement of watching the lightning strike. While many referenced their song “Ride The Lightning”, one fan suggested the strike came from late member Cliff Burton. When serving as the bassist for Metallica, in 1986, the musician passed away after a bus crash in Sweden. He was only 24 at the time.

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Metallica Received Some Help From Joe Satriani On ‘Ride The Lightning’

While leaving his mark on the music industry, Burton helped create the 1984 album Ride The Lightning. Discussing the inspiration behind the album, guitarist Kirk Hammett explained to Guitar World in 2014 that he received some help from Joe Satriani. “Around the time we were writing Ride the Lightning, I was taking guitar lessons from Joe Satriani. All the stuff I learned from Joe impacted my playing on Ride the Lightning.”

Sharing some of the tips he learned from Satriani, Hammett added, “He taught me stuff like figuring out what scale was most appropriate for what chord progressions. He taught me how to pick the notes I wanted for guitar solos, as opposed to just going for a scale that covered it all. He also helped me map out the whole chromatic-arpeggio thing, and the importance of positioning and minimizing finger movement. That was a really important lesson.” 

(Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)