Apocalyptica

Apocalyptica
Apocalyptica at the 2009 Ilosaarirock festival.
Background information
Origin	Helsinki, Finland
Genres	Cello metal, symphonic metal, neo-classical, progressive metal
Years active	1993-Present
Labels	MCA Music, Inc., Zen Garden, Mercury, 20-20, Jive Records Jive Label Group Sony Music Entertainment
Associated acts	Hevein, Lahti Symphony Orchestra, Three Days Grace, Amon Amarth, Metallica, Slipknot, Stone Sour, Rammstein, Sonata Arctica , Şebnem Ferah, Oomph!
Website	apocalyptica.com
Members
Eicca Toppinen Paavo Lötjönen Perttu Kivilaakso Mikko Sirén
Past members
Max Lilja Antero Manninen

Apocalyptica is a Finnish cello metal band from Helsinki, Finland, formed in 1993. The band is composed of classically trained cellists and, since 2003, a drummer. Three of the cellists are graduates of the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland. Their music features elements from classical music and neo-classical metal, to symphonic metal and thrash metal. They have sold over three million albums to date.

History

Apocalyptica was formed in 1993^[1] when four cellists, Eicca Toppinen, Paavo Lötjönen, Max Lilja, and Antero Manninen gathered to play Metallica covers at Sibelius Academy. In 1996, Apocalyptica released their debut studio album, Plays Metallica by Four Cellos, which consisted solely of Metallica covers played on cellos. They were later featured on two songs on the Waltari album Space Avenue in 1997.^[2] In 1998, Apocalyptica released their second studio album, Inquisition Symphony, which was produced by Hiili Hiilesmaa. Inquisition Symphony once again contained covers of Metallica, but also contained covers of Faith No More, Sepultura, and Pantera. For this album the band also decided to include three original songs written by Eicca Toppinen.

Apocalyptica at 2005's Wacken Open Air.

In 1999, Antero Manninen left the group, and was replaced by Perttu Kivilaakso who had appeared in the line-up already in 1995. In 2000, Apocalyptica released their third studio album, Cult, which featured 10 original songs, and 3 covers. Soon after the recording of Cult, the first Apocalyptica track featuring vocals was released, "Path Vol. 2". In 2002, Max Lilja left the group and joined Hevein, leaving Apocalyptica with only three members.

In 2003, Apocalyptica released their fourth studio album, Reflections, which consisted for the first time of all original songs. Reflections featured a more experimental sound, instead of the previous acoustic style arrangements found on Inquisition Symphony and Cult. Dave Lombardo from Slayer played drums on five songs from Reflections, with session drummer Sami Kuoppamäki playing on the rest of the songs. As Lombardo was unable to join the band on stage on the following tour, the band hired Mikko Sirén, who would stay with the band for future tours as well as the recording of the next album.

In 2005, Apocalyptica released their fifth studio album, Apocalyptica. This album featured a number of guest musicians including Ville Valo of HIM, Lauri Ylönen of The Rasmus, and once again Dave Lombardo. They also recorded the Intro for Bullet For My Valentine's album The Poison. In December 2005 Mikko Sirén was announced as an official band member after having played around 200 shows with the band.

Apocalyptica released their sixth studio album, Worlds Collide, on 17 September 2007. It was produced by Jacob Hellner. To the surprise of many, the album includes a cover of the German version of David Bowie's song "Heroes". Till Lindemann of Rammstein, for whom they opened on the Reise, Reise tour, was the guest vocalist on the track "Helden". Worlds Collide was released on April 15, 2008 in the United States. The first single "I'm Not Jesus" featuring Corey Taylor of Slipknot and Stone Sour from the "Worlds Collide" album cracked the top 10 of both the Active rock and Alternative rock charts.

To end 2007, the band toured Europe successfully, selling out many of the venues they played. In 2008 the tour continued in US and included numerous festivals in Europe.

The band has played approximately 850-1000 concerts during their career in about 50 countries.

Apocalyptica announced a large world tour for 2008, so far including concerts in Europe and North America (including Mexico).

Perttu Kivilaakso at the 2009 Ilosaarirock festival.

In June 2008, during the Rock in Rio concert in Lisbon, Apocalyptica joined the Greenpeace "energy [r]evolution campaign" and played the Beethoven 5th symphony from the stage.^[3] They have most recently recorded 'I Don't Care' with Three Days Grace lead singer Adam Gontier.

The band also appeared on Last Call with Carson Daly on October 31, 2008. Here they made their American television debut with a performance of "I Don't Care" with Toryn Green.

In November 2008, Apocalyptica featuring Adam Gontier of Three Days Grace hit first at the BDS and Mediabase Active Rock radio charts with the single "I Don't Care". Later that month, the band ranked 3rd at Billboard's Hot Modern Rock Track chart and 2nd at Billboard's Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart just after AC/DC, and just ahead of Metallica, an ironic twist, due to their origins performing Metallica covers. Recently, it reached #1 on the Billboard rock chart, making Apocalyptica the first Finnish band to top the US charts. The song "I Don't Care" was also featured in the 16th episode of season 8 of the TV series Smallville, which aired on March 19, 2009.

The seventh Apocalyptica studio album entitled 7th Symphony, produced by Joe Barresi and Howard Benson (on two tracks), was released on August 23, 2010 in Europe (Germany on August 20, 2010)^[4], and August 24 in the U.S.^[5] The first single will hit the radio on June 29, 2010.^[5]

The album features eight instrumentals plus four tracks with guest vocals.^[5] The first single, "End of Me", features Gavin Rossdale, best known as the vocalist of the British alternative rock band Bush. Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo plays on "2010", "Bring Them to Light" features Joseph Duplantier, singer and guitarist of the French death metal band Gojira, "Broken Pieces" is a cooperation with Flyleaf singer Lacey Mosley, and "Not Strong Enough" is sung by Brent Smith (Shinedown)." ^[4]

Video for the new single "End of Me" with Gavin Rossdale was shot at the end of May 2010 and premiered on July 2, 2010.^[6]

Band members

Current line up

• Eicca Toppinen – cello (1993–present)
• Paavo Lötjönen – cello (1993–present)
• Perttu Kivilaakso – cello (1995,1999–present)
• Mikko Sirén – drums, double bass (2003–present)

Former members

• Antero Manninen – cello (1993–1999)
• Max Lilja – cello (1993–2002)

Sessional members

• Dave Lombardo of Slayer – drums (2003–2007)
• Sami Kuoppamäki – drums (2003–2006)
• Antero Manninen – cello (2002–2009)
• Toryn Green – touring vocals (2008)
• Tony Kakko – guest vocalist (2008) Finland and Japan)
• Johnny Andrews – touring vocalist (April 2008)
• Adam Gontier - vocalist in New York and Toronto (2008)
• Cristina Scabbia - vocalist at Download festival (2008)
• Tipe Johnson of Leningrad Cowboys - touring vocalist in 2009-present

Guest musicians

Vocalists

• Adam Gontier of Three Days Grace (“I Don't Care”)
• Brent Smith of Shinedown ("Not Strong Enough")
• Corey Taylor of Slipknot/Stone Sour (“I'm Not Jesus”)
• Cristina Scabbia of Lacuna Coil (“S.O.S. (Anything But Love)”)^[7]
• Emmanuelle Monet of Dolly (“En Vie”)
• Gavin Rossdale of Bush ("End of Me")
• Joe Duplantier of Gojira ("Bring Them to Light")
• Lacey Mosley of Flyleaf ("Broken Pieces")
• Lauri Ylönen of The Rasmus (“Life Burns!”, “Bittersweet”)
• Linda Sundblad of Lambretta (“Faraway Vol. 2”)
• Marta Jandová of Die Happy (“Wie Weit” / “How Far”)
• Mats Levén of Therion, Krux (“S.O.S.”, “I Don't Care”) (Backing Vocals)
• Matt Tuck of Bullet for My Valentine (“Repressed”)
• Matthias Sayer of Farmer Boys (“Hope Vol. 2”)
• Max Cavalera of Soulfly, Cavalera Conspiracy, Nailbomb, ex-Sepultura (“Repressed”)
• Nina Hagen (“Seemann”)
• Sandra Nasić of Guano Apes (“Path Vol. 2”)
• Till Lindemann of Rammstein (“Helden”)
• Ville Valo of HIM ("Bittersweet")

Instruments

• Tomoyasu Hotei^[7] (“Grace”) (Guitar)
• Dave Lombardo of Slayer ("2010", “Last Hope”, “Betrayal/Forgiveness”, "Reflections" (Album)) (Drums)

Covered artists

Apocalyptica have covered songs by the following artists:

• Black Sabbath
• David Bowie
• Edvard Grieg
• Faith No More
• Metallica
• Pantera
• Rammstein
• Sepultura
• Slayer

Often people mistake the String Quartet Tribute Series for Apocalyptica covering bands other than the ones mentioned above.

Discography

• Plays Metallica by Four Cellos (1996)
• Inquisition Symphony (1998)
• Cult (2000)
• Best of Apocalyptica (2002, Japan only)
• Reflections (2003)
• Apocalyptica (2005)
• Amplified // A Decade of Reinventing the Cello (2006)
• Worlds Collide (2007)
• 7th Symphony (2010)

References

External links

• Official website
• Interview with manager Ulysses Hüppauf, HitQuarters April 2009
• Photos from concert Apocalyptica in Minsk, Belarus
• Photos from Omaha, Nebraska 2008