After Metallica paid tribute to John Butler at their recent Perth show, the Australian blues star has returned the favour by honouring the metal titans.

Taking to Instagram while on tour across Europe and the UK, Butler shared a snippet of a unique take on the hit Metallica single, Enter Sandman.

Playing a custom Indian slide guitar called a Chaturangui, Butler made the most of the stringed instrument’s fascinating tones – light and dark, airy yet powerful – to put a bluesy, expressive twist on a metal classic.

“@metallica Enter Sandman, but make it John Butlery,” he teased on Instagram.

Butler added, “It’s taken me a minute to pull my shit together after Metallica covered my song Zebra last weekend in Perth/Boorloo… I thought I’d tackle one of their lesser-known tracks. I hope you like it. 🖤⚡️Chaturangui (guitar) custom-made by @timkillcustom.”

You can watch the cover below.

Metallica’s lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Rob Trujillo played a snippet of Zebra during their “doodle” intermission in Perth on Saturday (1 November). On Wednesday (5 November), Metallica continued their tour in Adelaide and played a mash-up of INXS’s Need You Tonight and The Angels’ Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again.

Following Metallica’s rendition of Zebra, Butler wrote, “Metallica are performing in Boorloo/Perth tonight… I’ve just woken up in London to several texts/vids of them performing Zebra wtaf!?? This is a spin out!! RESPECT🙌🤘♥️.”

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Metallica will continue their Australian tour in Melbourne on Saturday (8 November), followed by dates in Brisbane (Wednesday, 12 November) and Sydney (Saturday, 15 November). The tour marks their first shows in Australia since headlining Soundwave Festival in 2013 and sees the American metal icons joined by special guests Evanescence and Suicidal Tendencies.

John Butler recently wrapped a tour of Australia in support of his latest album, PRISM, a record that’s “contemplative and explosive, joyous and free, funk-filled, cinematic and unapologetic.”

PRISM follows the release of Butler’s recent albums, Running River and Still Searching. All three records are part of his “Four Season” roll-out: the latest marking Season Three of the release schedule.

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