James Hetfield Kirk Hammett Lars Ulrich Metallica Metallica bus Metallica Riga Metallica volcano Robert Trujillo

April 21st, 2010

Metallica boarded a bus to overcome both the volcano that’s shut down Europe and a tragic chapter in the band’s own history.

Metal gods James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, Lars Ulrich, and Robert Trujillo embarked on a 28-hour journey over land and sea to get from Oslo, Norway to the Latvian capital of Riga after ash from last week’s Icelandic volcano eruption wreaked havoc on air travel.

It was the first time in more than two decades Metallica traveled by bus.

Bassist Cliff Burton was killed in September 1986 when the band’s bus flipped near Dorarp, Sweden.