Neo-classical metal revolutionizes genre.
Artwork by Anna Becker
Not only is Worlds Collide the title of Apocalyptica’s most recent album, but it is the most apt description of their music. Imagine, if you will, classical music. The violin, the viola, the string bass, and especially the cello are the tools of Mozart, Bach, Handel, and other famous composers of the time. Their music is elegant, refined, and dignified (albeit boring to the vast majority of people). Now imagine the genre of metal: the wildly flailing guitar riffs, the chunky bass, the pounding drums of artists like Metallica, Slayer, Dream Theater, Megadeth, and so many more. Their music is distorted, intense, and adrenaline filled (albeit terrifying to the vast majority of parents). The two genres are essentially polar opposites, but one quartet of Finnish cellist dared to think differently and…
It all began in 1993 when four cellists, Eicca Toppinen, Paavo Lötjönen, Max Lilja, and Antero Manninen decided to play Metallica covers at Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. Don’t ask me to pronounce or spell any of their names, but, the group ended up playing in an after-Christmas party at the Teatro Heavy Metal Club, and in the audience was a man who worked for Zen Garden Records. After listening to their set, he signed the band on the spot.
Their first album, Plays Metallica by Four Cellos, consisted solely of Metallica covers, and is, to say the very least, amazing for anyone who has ever listened to the haunting tones of The Unforgiven or the jaw dropping riffs of Master of Puppets. And the amazing part is that while Kirk Hammet can do it on guitar, Apocalyptica can do it on a cello. Why is this important? A cello has only four strings, usually has to be played sitting down, and requires a coordination of bow movement as well as constantly shifting fingers. Long story short, it’s harder on the cello, and Apocalyptica took on the challenge and succeeded with flying colors.
Their second album, Inquisition Symphony also contained Metallca covers, but reached out towards other bands and contained three original pieces as well. However, just three years after their second album had been released in 1996, Antero Mannnien left the group. Yet it was not a total loss, as cellist Perttu Kivilaakso replaced him (say that five times fast, I dare you).
Their third record, Cult, had even more original songs. However, after Cult was released in 2000, Cellist Max Lilja left the group to pursue other interests, reducing the quartet to a trio. Nevertheless, they kept going, releasing two more recordings, Reflections in 2003 and Apocalyptica in 2005, while also gaining drummer Mikko Sirén. Why a drummer you ask? Simple: every band, whether it be metal, rock, punk, etc., needs something more than a metronome to keep the beat, even a band of cellists. While Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo might have helped on a couple of songs, and a session drummer helped in the studio, Apocalyptica was forced to go drummer shopping. They hired Mikko Sirén, and after playing nearly two hundred shows with the band, he was finally named an official band member. The band currently consists of cellist Eicca Toppinen, cellist Paavo Lötjönen, cellist Perttu Kivilaakso, and drummer Mikko Sirén.
Their sixth and most recent album, Worlds Collide, became a hit when they recorded I Don’t Care with Adam Gontier of Three Days Grace. That single topped the Billboard rock chart, granting Apocalyptica the honor of being the first Finnish band to ever top the US charts. Worlds Collide also features guest appearances from Corey Tylor of Slipknot, Cristina Scabbia of Lacuna Coil, Matt Tuck of the band Bullet for My Valentine, and Till LIndermann of German metal band Rammstein.
For an Orchestral music geek and self-proclaimed “metalhead” like myself, Apocalyptica is a deity. Metallica has always been my favorite metal band, and my love of string orchestral pieces evolved out of seven years of playing the violin. Never before could I have ever imagined the two combining, but it is without a doubt one of the most amazing things I’ve ever heard. I recently took it upon myself to listen to Plays Metallica by Four Cellos. I was flabbergasted, to say the very least. The familiar sounds of Enter Sandman, Master of Puppets, The Unforgiven, and Welcome Home (Sanitarium) all wafted from instruments I had always heard playing Bach and Beethoven. The first time I heard Apocalyptica’s cover of One by Metallica changed my entire outlook on music. As the band has evolved, they have experimented and perfected their style, using electric cellos to obtain the crunchy, distorted sound of the electric guitar. Unless you are paying close attention, you can easily mistake the cellos for an electric guitar.
These guys have turned into one of my new favorite bands, because they are totally unique in everything they do. Even their covers seem like originals. I once uncovered a video where they played an intense version of In the Hall of the Mountain King, a classic orchestral piece composed by Edvard Grieg, that put the original to shame. I highly suggest you check them out, and you can find a sample of their music at http://www.apocalyptica.com/. You too can see exactly how worlds collide.
