Metal Reviews

I bought tickets a few months ago to see these guys out of curiosity as much as anything else.

Then a few days ago I heard that shitty song they've done with Corey Taylor and got to wondering - what do they do about these songs with guest vocalists onstage? Session singers? Backing tracks? Don't play them?

The last one, hopefully, the one they did with Ville Valo and the Rasmus guy was rotten too.

A good question. I saw them once but that was before they started releasing lame original singles with vocals and crap. So the answer is I don't know.

The first half of the gig they did all that Metallica-on-cello stuff which was actually a lot of fun. Then they got a drummer to come out and did some originals for the second. I don't think anyone was really bothered about seeing that, especially. Seems like nowadays they are desperate to distract people from the fact they are cellists by making them sound as much like electric guitars as possible.

That's a good point. After hearing the new single you wouldn't really be aware of the fact they were cellos unless you were told.

Exactly. I suppose they couldn't rely on the "omg cellos!" schtick forever, but something more imaginative than getting in a bunch of popular singers and playing songs that rip off their respective bands would be nice. I guess I'll find out. I've heard they're heavy as fuck live, and the good Metallica covers they do should be cool.

Yeah, the cello novelty was wearing off, so it was certainly a good idea to start producing originals. Two problems:

1) from what I've heard their originals sound sucky

2) a better approach would surely to use the cello's existing sound to produce a new and unique spin on metal. Not just try to sound like guitarists, because then you start to wonder, what do Apocalyptica actually offer that is different? They could have produced originals that would have established the cello as an effective metal instrument. The way they've done it makes it seem like they're admitting that can't be done.

I saw them live, for free, otherwise I would never deign to visit one of their gigs. I think they would only tour with a vocalist in support of an album that featured that same vocalist. Anyway, I feel I must admit they put on a rather good show, though the cello gimmick wears off quickly.

Apocalyptica get boring fast. Shame, I know the main guy's music teacher at the Sibelius Academy, and apparently that guy can play like hell.

The answer is: they play them without vocals. The less homosexual-looking of the two with long hair plays the vocal melodies on his cello.

Overall the gig was pretty good. Only 3 Metallica covers? Ok.

Apocalyptica were at their best when they started writing original material, but before they brought in dumb vocalists and making their cellos sound like guitars.