Apocalyptica Cult CD

Principally recorded at Petrax Studios, Hollola, Finland. Includes liner notes by Petri Silas and Eicca Toppinen.

Fans who remember Apocalyptica from its first two albums might have suspected that the four Finnish cellists would fade into obscurity after their stock of Metallica covers ran dry. Sure, the shtick worked well while it lasted, but the irony of classically trained cellists covering heavy metal will only hold listeners' attention for so long. This is why, on their third album, they've taken some risks. The ensemble has grown to feature a double bass, orchestral percussion, and distorted cellos. Plus, they stick strickly to their own songs, and, at a time when heavy metal has gone the way of dodo birds and disco, they've refused to abandon their roots. Cult, Apocalyptica's third album, is a meld of late-'80s melodramatic heavy metal and late-1800s romanticism. When it's all said and done, these Finns can flat out play. "Struggle" opens up with eerie insect noises and then pounces into a section that sounds eerily like Sepultura. Some of the harmonies on "Pray" are so cleverly placed they can be mistaken for a human voice for the first few notes. Every song is an epic, and every song is dark and heavy. It's not old school Metallica, but it is some of the most intelligent, original heavy metal being made today. ~ Kieran McCarthy

Third album from the Finnish cellists with guest Sandra Nasic (Guano Apes ).

Apocalyptica: Paavo Lotjonen, Perttu Kivilaakso, Max Lilja, Eicca Toppinen.

Personnel: Apocalyptica (strings); Eicca Toppinen (double bass, percussion).

Audio Mixer: Mikko Karmila.

Liner Note Author: Eicca Toppinen.

Recording information: Hollola Church (04/28/2000); Petrax Studios, Hollola, Finland (04/28/2000).

Photographer: Vertti Teräsvuori.

Arranger: Eicca Toppinen.

Additional personnel: Sandra Nasic (vocals); Hilli Hiilesmaa (percussion).

This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.