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- Pridružio: 19 Maj 2005
- Poruke: 333
- Gde živiš: KG
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Biography
IN AN industry well-versed in putting bands into boxes, then nailing down the lid, Apocalyptica have always kept their wings well spread; not just as an international market-leader (though that cap most certainly fits), but as a group who have effecttively created a market of their own - a tight-knit troupe who continue to prove that rock music isn't to do with the instrument you play, but the attitude you keep. Or maybe the one you're born with...
Since 1996 and the release of their debut album ('Plays Metallica By Four Cellos'), Apocalyptica - graduates of the prestigious Sibelius Academy in Finland - have been developing a style that is tough to put a name to... 'Heavy Cello Mayhem'? 'Rock'n' Resin'?!... The possibilities are vast, but whatever the latest tag, the fact remains that never before had a group of classically-trained cellists, metal fans to a man, attempted to fuse together the seemingly disparate worlds of classical music & hard rock...of Prokofiev & Pantera... Shostakovich & Slayer... to seek out the middle ground between the mosh pit & the orchestra pit, the dinner jacket & the denim jacket, whilst being 100 percent respectful to both camps...
But then rock'n'roll at its best has always been about breaking the rules, and the success of the first album (now pushing 800,000 sales worldwide) showed that what had started out as a bit of fun had swiftly found a connection with classical followers and HM fans alike. By adding pre-amps & pick-ups to an instrument dating back to the sixteenth century, and by throwing in extra-tough strings and a healthy dash of elbow grease, mainman Eicca Toppinen & Co. had hit a rich vein of form that saw two of the 'Plays Metallica...' tracks featured in US movie 'Your Friends And Neighbours' (1998-) and a host of headline & festival appearances added Europe-wide.
Three further studio outings and a couple of line-up changes down the line, and Apocalyptica stand (or, more accurately, sit!) as a major force in the world of popular music; a trio - now enhanced by drummer Mikko Siren - who have sold almost two million albums worldwide, played in well over 20 different countries (Mexico, Russia & Japan included), recorded with guest vocalists such as German 'punk godmother' Nina Hagen, picked up high-profile awards for video & export achievements, remixed/reworked tracks for other name artists (Bush - Letting The Cables Sleep), Special Guested with Metallica (twice!) and still found time to record a new album, set for release through Universal Music Germany in late January/early February 2005...
SELF-TITLED, self-produced and featuring 11 new tracks of all original material, 'Apocalyptica' The Album sees these Cello-Rockers From Hel(sinki) taking their exploits of the past 10 years to a whole new level of success. On previous recordings, they had either kept the songs as instrumental pieces, pure an' simple, or else worked in the vocals down the line, with Sandra Nasic (Guano Apes), Linda Sundblad (Lambretta) & the aforementioned Nina H. all stepping up to the mic. at various points; when it came time to compose the latest material, however, Eicca was of the opinion that vocals should be involved - at least in part - from day one. He wanted the fifth album to be as complete a body of work as possible, a new chapter in the Encyclopaedia Apocalyptica; this is why first single 'Bittersweet' (supported by an Antti Jokinen-directed promo) sees two of the rock scene's fastest rising frontmen, Ville Valo from H.I.M & Lauri Ylonen from The Rasmus, sons of Finland both, going head to head and heart to heart while the band hang like bats from the ceiling!
Apart from the obvious geographical connection, all of the musicians are linked through a longstanding friendship, having met on various TV shows in Finland and generally been part of the same scene. Indeed, Ville has already sung live with Apocalyptica back in the mid-'90s, and Lauri was at one point approached about guesting in the studio, but for various reasons the timing hadn't felt right; this time around, though, he was totally up for the challenge, and as soon as Ville heard about his feathered friend's involvement, the 'Bittersweet' duet was born - an emotion-charged outing (already available in Germany, Austria, Switzerland & Scandinavia) that is also the theme song for the brand new videogame 'The Settlers: Heritage Of The Kings'...
"From the moment I heard the vocals being recorded, I knew that with the right mix, it would be great," recalls Eicca. "All of the elements we needed were there, and it was amazing how well the two voices fitted together. I think that's why you don't get more duets with male singers, because they are often too similar in style, but with Ville & Lauri we didn't have that problem - their voices are really complementary, and from that point on, the cello parts flowed easily..."
IN MANY ways, the progression achieved on 'Apocalyptica' has been a logical one; on '... Four Cellos', the band put their efforts into giving a fresh twist to Metalli-classics such as 'Enter Sandman' & 'Sad But True', as it was their handling of such high-profile compositions that had brought them to the attention of Finish independent Zen Garden Records a year or so earlier. Then, for the follow-up, 1998's 'Inquisition Symphony', they cast their collective net over a broader range of covers, including songs by Sepultura, Faith No More & Pantera - although three Eicca originals were also thrown into the pot to liven up the mix... the first time he'd committed his own efforts to tape...
With that bridge having been crossed, it was only to be expected that 2000's 'Cult' release would see the band drawing ever more strongly on their own resources. In fact, of the 13 tracks featured, all produced by Hiili Hiilesmaa, only three did not carry the 'Eicca Toppinen' credit: 'Fight Fire With Fire' & 'Until It Sleeps', Metallica standards both, plus 'In The Hall Of The Mountain King' by Norwegian composer Edward Grieg - the first strictly classical piece to carry the 'Apocalyptica' stamp... It was clear that the guys were keen to stand or fall on their own merits, and with 'Reflections' (2003) they took things further still, not only by producing the record themselves, but - with the exception of Rammstein's 'Seemann' on the 'Revised Version' - penning all of the songs too.
They didn't play the drums, though. Oh, no. For that, they called in a couple of percussive experts, one of whom, the legendary Dave Lombardo, can generally be spotted punishing the kit for Slayer! A mighty fine job he did too, so no great surprise that he can also be found on the new 'Apocalyptica' release; he only wields the sticks on a single track this time ('Betrayal/Forgiveness'), but it's a performance to be polished then placed on a pedestal - an indication of the fact that for album Number Five, p'raps the most painstaking of their career, Eicca, Paavo & Perttu were determined to leave no stone unturned (and no beat out of time) in the single-minded pursuit of quality & control...
Result: the finest record of their career.
AT THE heart of any Apocalyptica release is the pure sound of the cello, and by generally slowing the pace a touch, by being prepared to tug on the reins when needed, the band have been able to achieve a studio sound high on authenticity and colour; of course, it helped quite a bit that the studio in question (Susi) had actually been constructed for this very purpose by Eicca himself - a smart & sensible way of gaining the control mentioned above...
Logistics dictated, however, that not all of the recording could be done 'Chez Toppinen', so a number of other studios were also brought into play: Finnvox in Finland, Planet Roc in Germany and of course Toytown in Stockholm, Sweden, where the 11 tracks were mixed by sought-after engineer Stefan Glaumann, fresh from his work on Rammstein's monumental 'Reise, Reise'. Word is that he gave the guys a hefty pat on the back for the proficiency of their tracking, and there's no question that the production standards are impressive throughout - from rattling opener 'Life Burns!' (featuring Lauri alone on lead vox) right through to the more sombre tones of 'Deathzone', which brings proceedings to a suitably weighty close...
Eicca: "Obviously, it's cool to play fast heavy metal riffs, but for this album we really wanted to emphasise the qualities of the cello, to create the best tones and textures we could, and that meant taking a slightly different approach. On 'Reflections', there were three slower songs and the rest of the tracks were pretty fast, but here the mood of the record is generally more atmospheric... and more groove-based. I would say that the emotional pull is stronger, too..."
Rather than a collection of tracks loosely strung together, 'Apocalyptica' is very much a journey - starting full of vim & vigour and ending on a note that is measured, thoughtful & hugely evocative; listen to the album from start to finish, preferably with an 'air cello' in one hand and a pin to drop in the other, and you'll get the full impact of both the sequencing & the sonics, with instrumental outings such as the locomotive 'Distraction' (Eicca) and the genuinely stirring 'Farewell' (Perttu) really grabbing the lapels and refusing to let go; also, well worth a mention is 'Quutamo' (Eicca), which appears unadorned on all versions of the record bar the one due out in France, where the song carries a performance by chanteuse Manue from local artists Dolly, and of course 'Bittersweet' itself - currently shaping up as a serious chart hit in Germany.
STILL MAINLY instrumental, but with enough vocal presence to turn up the drama when required, 'Apocalyptica' is a major achievement for all concerned; not just a melding of different genres, but the creation of a heavy hybrid style that is sure to stand the guys in good stead when they take to the road in Europe from late January 05 onwards - starting in the UK then heading, bows aloft, through Eastern and Western Europe and Latin-America.
'Heavy Cello Thunder'? 'The Symphony Of Destruction'??
The band seem to favour 'Cello Rock', simple as that, but in truth 'Apocalyptica' pretty much says it all...
Source: Apocalyptica official website [http://www.apocalyptica.com/]
Dopuna: 30 Jul 2005 1:09
Discography
Albums
Apocalyptica 2005
01. Life Burns
02. Quutamo
03. Distraction
04. Bittersweet
05. Misconstruction
06. Fisheye
07. Farewell
08. Fatal Error
09. Betrayal/Forgiveness
10. Ruska
11. Deathzone
12. En Vie
(x) How Far (ltd. edition)
(x) Wie Weit (ltd. edition)
(x) Apocalyptica Player (ROM Part)
Reflections Revised 2003
CD
01. Prologue (Apprehension)
02. No Education
03. Faraway
04. Somewhere Around Nothing
05. Drive
06. Kohhka
07. Conclusion
08. Resurrection
09. Heat
10. Cortège
11. Pandemonium
12. Toreador II
13. Epilogue (Relief)
14. Seemann (album version)
15. Faraway Vol.2 (extended version)
16. Delusion
17. Perdition
18. Leave Me Alone
DVD
01. Faraway Live 2003
02. Enter Sandmann Live 2003
03. Inquisition Symphony Live 2003
04. Nothing Else Matters Live 2003
05. Somewhere Around Nothing Live 2003
06. Somewhere Around Nothing Video
07. Faraway Vol. 2 Video
08. Seemann Video
09. Faraway Vol. 2 EPK
10. Reflections EPK
11. Seemann EPK
Reflections 2003
01. Prologue (Apprehension)
02. No Education
03. Faraway
04. Somewhere Around Nothing
05. Drive
06. Kohhka
07. Conclusion
08. Resurrection
09. Heat
10. Cortège
11. Pandemonium
12. Toreador II
13. Epilogue (Relief)
Cult - Special Edition 2001
CD 1:
01. Path
02. Struggle
03. Romance
04. Pray
05. In Memoriam
06. Hyperventalation
07. Beyond Time
08. Hope
09. Kaamos
10. Coma
11. Hall Of The Mountain King
12. Until It Sleeps
13. Fight Fire With Fire
CD 2:
01. Path Vol.2 feat. Sandra Nasic
02. Hope Vol.2 feat. Matthias Sayer
03. Nothing Else Matters (live in München, Oktober 2000)
04. Harmageddon (live in München, Oktober 2000)
05. Inquisition Symphony (live in München, Oktober 2000)
Cult 2000
01. Path
02. Struggle
03. Romance
04. Pray
05. In Memoriam
06. Hyperventalation
07. Beyond Time
08. Hope
09. Kaamos
10. Coma
11. Hall Of The Mountain King
12. Until It Sleeps
13. Fight Fire With Fire
Inquisition Symphony 1998
01. Harmageddon
02. From Out Of Nowhere
03. For Whom The Bell Tolls
04. Nothing Else Matters
05. Refuse/Resist
06. M.B.
07. Inquisition Symphony
08. Fade To Black
09. Domination
10. Toreador
11. One
Plays Metallica By Four Cellos 1996
01. Enter Sandman
02. Master Of Puppets
03. Harvester Of Sorrow
04. The Unforgiven
05. Sad But True
06. Creeping Death
07. Wherever I May Roam
08. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
Singles
From 'Apocalyptica'
Life Burns
01. Life Burns feat. feat Lauri Ylönen
02. Life Burns - Instrumental
03. Deep Down Ascend - Demo Version
04. Kellot - Demo Version
(x) Apocalyptica Player (ROM Part)
Wie Weit
01. Wie Weit feat. Marta Jandová
02. Quutamo
03. How Far feat. Marta Jandová
04. En Vie feat. Manu
(x) Apocalyptica Player (ROM Part)
Bittersweet
01. Bittersweet
02. Bittersweet (Acoustic Version)
03. Bittersweet (Instrumental Version)
04. Misconstruction
(x) Apocalyptica Monitor (ROM Part)
From 'Reflections'
Seemann feat. Nina Hagen
01. Seemann (radio edit)
02. Seemann (album version)
03. Heat (album version)
Faraway vol. 2 feat. Linda
01. Faraway Vol. 2
02. Faraway Vol. 2 (extended version)
03. Perdition (previously unreleased)
From 'Cult'
Hope vol. 2
01. Hope Vol.2 (radio edit) feat. Matthias Sayer of Farmer Boys
02. My Friend Of Misery
03. South Of Heaven & Mandatory Suicide
04. Hope (Album Version)
Path vol. 2
01. Path Vol.2 feat. Sandra Nasic (Guano Apes)
02. Path - Album Version
03. Pray! - Live
04. Romance -Live
From 'Inquisition Symphony'
Harmageddon
01. Harmageddon
02. From Out Of Nowhere
03. Enter Sandman
04. The Unforgiven
DVD
Live 2001
Live Concert:
01. For Whom The Bell Tolls
02. M.B.
03. Creeping Death
04. Nothing Else Matters
05. Harmagedoon
06. Fight Fire With Fire
07. One
08. Pray
09. Struggle
10. Romance
11. Refuse & Resist
12. The Unforgiven
13. Inquisition Symphony
14. Master of Puppets
15. Path
16. Enter Sandman
17. Hall Of The Mountain King
Videos:
01. Path
02. Path Vol.2
03. Harmageddon
04. Nothing Else Matters
05. Enter Sandman
06. The Unforgiven
Bonus:
01. Little Drummerboy (Video)
website design © 2005 Maksim Kakitsev
webmaster@apocalyptica.org.uk
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