Finnish classical metallers, Apocalyptica, winded down their North American tour before heading back across the pond for a string of dates that will lead them into the early months of 2017. For this review, I saw them at the historic Worcester Palladium in Massachusetts. With a capacity of over two thousand, the Palladium has played host to metal royalty including Evanescence, Sixx A.M. and Rob Zombie. It’s the perfect place for a show, with an open floor and a tiered set up the further you go back. There isn’t a bad spot in the house. There is also plenty of parking in the area.
For those not familiar with Apocalyptica, they are one of the most unique bands out there, completely original. Formed in the mid-nineties by cellists Eicca Toppinen, Paavo Lotjonen, and Perttu Kivilaakso in Finland, they got their big break when they were unexpectedly offered the opportunity to record an album of Metallica covers. On a shoestring budget they would release their debut, Plays Metallica by Four Cellos, with very modest expectations. Little did they know, this would lead them to international fame. Having released eight studio albums with sales of over 5 million records worldwide, what started with little expectation has taken them on a journey that most bands dream of. Not only that, they have collaborated with some of rocks biggest names including Gavin Rossdale/Bush, Till Lindemann/Rammstein, Dave Lombardo/Slayer, and Corey Taylor/Slipknot. This has provided the world with over two decades of Apocalyptica with no signs of them fading out.
Now for the cool part, Apocalyptica live. This is truly a one of a kind, unique experience. How often do you see a band of cellists banging their heads reminiscent of Cliff Burton’s live performances with Metallica? These Scandinavians give one of the most powerful shows I’ve seen. The energy throughout the entire set is intense. This is an absolutely amazing show and easily one of the coolest things I’ve seen in the world of metal. After a 16-song setlist consisting of a mix of originals with about a half dozen covers, including Metallica and Sepultura, I was blown away. The musicianship of Toppinen, Lotjonen, and Kivilaakso, along with drummer, Mikko Siren, and touring vocalist, Franky Perez, is stunning. This was, by far, one of the best shows to see, and I look forward to their return stateside next year when they will play their first album, Plays Metallica by Four Cellos, in its entirety. Check out their latest video, as they cover Metallica’s “Battery”, which will be included on the remastered release of their debut album due out July 22nd, and be sure to look out for dates next year as you will not want to miss this show.
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Photos and review by RockRevolt photojournalist – Brett Tully
