Apocalyptica recently released singles of Metallica of their new album, Apocalyptica Plays Metallica Vol. 2, scheduled for release on June 7, 2024. This time, it features very special guest appearances from Metallica members themselves: vocalist James Hetfield and bassist Robert Trujillo .
In 1996, the then-Finnish quartet of cellists made an album consisting solely of Metallica covers played on cellos. The project was very successful and highly praised, so the group decided to continue it with other covers of metal songs from various bands around the world, including the Brazilian band Sepultura .
This time, they recreate an exclusive tribute to Metallica, with special appearances by two members of the band. In "One," where James Hetfield recites the song's lyrics, the version has a dark and heavy musical tone that perfectly suits the song's theme. In "The Four Horsemen," Robert Trujillo's participation adds extra weight to the song. The bass line, with its characteristic grooves, blends well with the cellos in the music.
Metallica's participation on the Apocalyptica album
The participation of Hetfield and Trujillo is a source of great pride for the members of Apocalyptica. The group was pleasantly surprised to learn that they were interested in this new project.
Eicca Toppinen, cellist and one of the band's founders, commented: “I think it's incredible that James wanted to do this. We were always thinking, 'It would be great to do something with Metallica someday.' I think his excitement came from the different approach we were taking; sometimes the craziest ideas are what excite people, and that was our challenge.”
Apocalyptica's principal cellist and leader, Perttu Kivilaakso , adds: “We used everything at our disposal to make it as bombastic as possible. It had to be epic. The result was truly cinematic, with James Hetfield narrating the story with those poetic lyrics. It was powerful and moving. As a fan, I must say it was unbelievable to finally hear it. My hands were shaking.”
Kivilaakso told the DJ Force X Podcast about how Trujillo's involvement came about: “This album concept has been, in a way, on our minds throughout our career. We always knew there were still a lot of cool Metallica songs that we wanted to play in our style someday. So now, after the pandemic and everything, it seemed like the right time to go back to our roots.”
He continued: “We’ve always had a wonderful relationship with Metallica, they’ve always been incredibly supportive, but we still approached them to ask if they would agree and if it would be okay with them if we made an album like this, and those conversations actually eventually led to Rob even offering to play something for us. And it’s a huge and incredible thing, of course, to be treated like that. And it really shows respect on their part as well, we’re very grateful for that.”.
The new album is scheduled for release later this year on June 7th by Throwdown Entertainment , continuing the legacy begun in 1996.
Apocalyptica: Apocalyptica Plays Metallica Vol. 2
01. “Ride The Lightning”
02. “St. Anger”
03. “The Unforgiven II”
04. “Blackened”
05. “The Call Of Ktulu” (in memory of Cliff Burton)
06. “The Four Horsemen” (feat. Rob Trujillo)
07. “Holier Than Thou”
08. “To Live Is To Die”
09. “One” (feat. James Hetfield and Rob Trujillo)
10. “One” (instrumental)
Listen and watch the versions available on the band's YouTube channel below:
READ ALSO: Apocalyptica releases music video for cover of Metallica's "The Unforgiven II"
