Finnish cello metal band Apocalyptica have been on my radar since I worked in a record store in college back in 1996. Their debut, simply titled Plays Metallica by Four Cellos, said exactly what it did on the tin. It might be a bit gimmicky at first; cello players covering Metallica? It didn’t really make sense to me, but then I gave it a listen. These guys weren’t just fucking around—they were legit cellists who loved metal. And why not? Chamber music can be quite dark and heavy, so why not bring in an element of metal, and why not reimagine songs from the biggest metal band on the planet?
What started out as Metallica for cellos would branch out to modern takes on traditional classical pieces, more covers of popular songs, and even originals with guest vocalists. Over the course of nine studio albums (all charting in their home country as well as the US and several others across Europe), their sound would evolve. In fact, they’ve managed to refine these cellos to sound heavier than many of their counterparts in the metal world. Although cellos are the primary instruments, combining this with heavy drumming and rock vocals becomes a remarkable fusion of classical music, metal, and rock that transcends genre boundaries. To the newbies who hear it for the first time, it’s hard to imagine these guys shredding on the violin’s grandfather.
The cellists, Eicca Toppinen, Paavo Lipponen, Perttu Kivilaakso, and drummer Mikko Sirén, flawlessly executed their intricate compositions with both precision and passion. The sound of their cellos was like a rollercoaster ride from the peaks of heaven down to the depths of hell. Add to that the incredibly diverse (and soulful) vocals of Franky Perez, and you truly have something for everyone. “I’m Not Jesus” was a standout as Perez took to the stage for the third song in the set. This guy can fucking sing, and having toured with the band many times before, there was a chemistry between these guys that was more than just a guest vocalist.
The setlist featured a mix of old classics and newer material (but surprisingly missing their latest single, “White Room”), and each song was met with thunderous applause from the capacity crowd literally piled on top of one another. The moment everyone seemed to be waiting for was a stellar performance of “Nothing Else Matters,” the song that put them on the map. I prefer the cello version of the song as I was never a massive fan of the original (don’t get me started). Seeing this one live and the crowd singing along was really something special.
A few other remarkable moments for me started with a blistering version of Metallica’s “Seek and Destroy,” which was heavier than the original. It was a night of genre-defying experiences that was cut a bit short because of the dual-headlining format, but still one of the coolest things I’ve seen in some time. The band wrapped the evening with Edvard Grieg’s epic masterpiece “In the Hall of the Mountain King” (yeah, you know this one). It brought everyone in the room back to that first time they heard this extraordinary band and reminded them of how truly unique they are.
Although I was primarily there to see Apocalyptica, I did arrive early to see Epica. Honestly, I’d never heard their music, but they were epic, pun intended. This is massively heavy symphonic metal on another level. Imagine your favourite Disney fairy tale soundtrack reimagined in the darkest dungeons and dragons, medieval hell-infused landscape you can imagine. Huge chunking riffs, Behemoth style metal growls completely offset yet complimented one of the most remarkable female voices I’ve heard in years. It was like the end of Avengers Infinity War but with heaven fighting hell, light facing dark, and good breaking through evil—a back-and-forth musical theatre that plays incredibly well in the glorious subgenres of under appreciated metal. Check out “The Skeleton Key,” for starters, and tell me this isn’t epic.
EPICA
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