Apocalyptica had to be talked into recording their debut album, . Having formed the band for a bit of fun, they didn’t really think anyone would want to hear four classically trained metalheads recreate their favourite band’s music beyond the odd club show. As it turned out, they would go on to sell six million albums, tour the world, write their own songs and have rock and metal luminaries from Dave Lombardo and to Cristina Scabbia and lining up to guest on tracks.
Now, thought, it all comes full circle. It’s strange to think that the first was released in June 1996, just days after themselves released . It’s an epoch away and, consequently, is a very different beast to its predecessor.
The first album was packed with hits and iconic tracks from Metallica’s ‘classic’ era. They were the obvious choices at the time perhaps, but transposing monsters like and to cello was certainly not an obvious or even a very sensible thing to do. This was, after all, still three years before Metallica teamed up with the San Francisco Symphony for – and who knows how much influence Apocalyptica’s success had on that little diversion? This time out Apocalyptica take a deeper dive into Metallica’s back catalogue, particularly the albums released since .
They also play a little looser with their versions, reinterpreting the musical message where it makes more sense, rather than offering a literal translation. So kicks things off with an eerily extended intro that also brings e.
