Article & Photos by Kyle Ostrander
Brooklyn, NY – If you’ve ever wondered if you can headbang to orchestral music, then Apocalyptica has the answer for you. The Finnish powerhouse metal quartet consisting of three cellos and drums performed a truly memorable and dazzling show at the Brooklyn Paramount this week.
The group rose to critical acclaim nearly three decades ago after releasing an album of orchestral Metallica covers. Last year, the band was back at it again releasing Apocalyptica Plays Metallica, Vol 2., which featured nine new renditions of classic Metallica tunes. The setlist for this tour consists of cuts from across the two albums, representing a celebration of both Apocalyptica and Metallica’s legacies in the world of heavy music. Tuesday night’s show began with a flash of energy, as the band marched onto a dark and hazy stage and launched the show with Ride the Lighting. Even though the show was seated, most of the crowd immediately stood up and began throwing up devil horns in respect. Returning the favor, the band members would often run right up to the edge of the stage and interact with the crowd while shredding through heavy riffs and cello solos.
Despite the songs being instrumental versions, Apocalyptica’s fans sang the words to every track, filling the venue with a chorus of lyrics over the cinematic cello tones. “If you know the words to this next song, please do the singing for us!” exclaimed the group during the intro of Enter Sandman. The band would often speak to the audience between songs, jokingly asking “do you like fast songs too?” before playing Battery, and sharing a behind-the-scenes anecdote about composing The Call of Ktulu before dedicating the song to Metallica’s original bassist, the late Cliff Burton. Every moment during the 13 song set displayed precise musicianship from each member, utilizing an array of distortion and wah pedals to perfectly emulate the original songs with a unique and distinct flare all their own. The band is truly a one-of-a-kind act that should not be missed.
Apocalyptica’s North American tour continues through early March before the band heads back overseas for more dates in the summer. You can see the full list of upcoming shows on their website.