Apocalyptica

Apocalyptica is a Finnish Symphonic metal band from Helsinki, formed in 1993. The band is currently composed of three classically trained Cellists, Eicca Toppinen, Paavo Lötjönen, and Perttu Kivilaakso. Originally a classical-style Metallica tribute band, the band eventually adopted a Neoclassical metal style without the use of conventional guitars and bass. They have sold over four million albums to date. As a band, they have released ten studio albums, that have charted in their native Finland, Austria, France, and in the United States. In addition to their ten studio albums, also released, are two compilation albums, one EP, one live album and three DVD albums.

Apocalyptica have released 24 singles to date, (2025) including two number ones. Their single, "Bittersweet", reached No. 1 in Finland in 2004. Their single "I Don't Care" featuring Adam Gontier on lead vocals, reached No. 1 in 2008 on the US Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

A cello quartet, Eicca Toppinen, Paavo Lötjönen, Max Lilja, and Antero Manninen formed Apocalyptica in 1993 at Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland. The band released their debut studio album, Plays Metallica by Four Cellos, in 1996. The album consisted of only eight Metallica covers (mostly from Master of Puppets and their self-titled The Black Album). The band was featured on two songs on the Waltari album Space Avenue in 1997. Apocalyptica released their second studio album, Inquisition Symphony, produced by Hiili Hiilesmaa in 1998.

Antero Manninen left the group in 1999 and was replaced by Perttu Kivilaakso. Perttu had previously performed with the band in 1995. Apocalyptica released their third studio album, Cult, in 2000. It featured mostly original songs and three cover songs.

The album was Apocalyptica's first release featuring orchestral percussion performed by Eicca Toppinen, as well as the first to feature a track to include vocals, "Path Vol. 2", sung by Sandra Nasic of Guano Apes, was released shortly after Cult.

In 2001 the Concert video Live was recorded. Live is the first official Apocalyptica DVD which consists of a recorded show in Munich, on October 24, 2001. It only includes tracks from the first 3 albums: Plays Metallica by Four Cellos, Inquisition Symphony and Cult. Max Lilja left the group in 2002 and joined Hevein.

Apocalyptica released their fourth studio album, Reflections, in 2003, containing only original songs. Reflections featured an experimental sound different from the acoustic arrangements of Inquisition Symphony and Cult. Dave Lombardo from Slayer played drums on five songs from Reflections.

Session drummer Sami Kuoppamäki covered the rest, when Lombardo declined the following tour.

Reflections Revised released in the later part of 2003 containing a DVD as well as the original album with five bonus tracks. The original slipcase cover is a picture of a burning cello, which is also seen in the inside traycard of all versions. The cover resembles the photograph Le Violon d'Ingres by Man Ray.

It was the first release to have professional percussionists playing the drums. From this album on, the band needed to add a drummer to the band, later being Mikko Sirén, who would stay with the band for future tours as well as the recording of the next album.

Apocalyptica released their self-titled fifth studio album in 2005 which featured Ville Valo of HIM, Lauri Ylönen of The Rasmus, and Dave Lombardo, returning from the previous album.

Apocalyptica was on the track "Intro" from Bullet for My Valentine's album The Poison in 2005. The group performed with Marta Jandová and represented Baden-Württemberg in the Bundesvision Song Contest 2005 with the song "Wie weit", placing 5th with 77 points. Mikko Sirén became an official band member in December 2005 having played around 200 shows with the band.

On June 26, 2006 the band released the third DVD from, The Live Burns Tour. The tour was in promotion of the Untitled Apocalyptica album, named after one of their singles from that album titled Life Burns!

Apocalyptica released their sixth studio album, Worlds Collide, on September 17, 2007. It was produced by Jacob Hellner. To the surprise of many, the album includes a remake of the German version of David Bowie's song "Heroes" (video). 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, cracked the top 10 of both the Active rock and Alternative rock charts.

To end 2007, the band toured Europe, continuing in 2008 in the United States and included numerous festivals in Europe.

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.

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 on Billboard's Hot Modern Rock Track chart and 2nd on Billboard's Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart just after AC/DC and just ahead of Metallica,

On January 26, 2010, the video game MAG was released. Apocalyptica produced the soundtrack for one of the main factions in the game, S.V.E.R. The seventh Apocalyptica studio album entitled 7th Symphony, produced by Joe Barresi and Howard Benson, was released on August 23, 2010 in Europe (Germany on August 20, 2010), and August 24, in the U.S. The first single aired on radio June 29, 2010.

The album features eight instrumentals plus four tracks with guest vocals. The first single, "End of Me", features Gavin Rossdale, vocalist from the British Alternative rock band Bush, who had previously collaborated with the band. Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo played on "2010." "Bring Them to Light" features Joseph Duplantier, singer and guitarist from the French Death metal band Gojira. "Broken Pieces" is a collaboration with Flyleaf singer Lacey Mosley. "Not Strong Enough" (video) was performed by Brent Smith, vocalist from Shinedown.

"Not Strong Enough" was re-recorded with Doug Robb of Hoobastank before being released to US radio on January 18, 2011 due to distribution rights.

On October 7, 2011, RCA Music Group announced it was disbanding Jive Records along with Arista Records and J Records. With the shutdown, the band (and all other artists previously signed to these three labels) will release their future material on the RCA Records brand.

Apocalyptica performed live with Metallica on three songs, "No Leaf Clover", "One" and "Seek & Destroy" in celebration of Metallica's 30th Anniversary on December 5, 2011.

The band released an exclusive pledgers-only song "Solo Tu" featuring Erik Canales of Allison via fan-funding website Pledgemusic, as part of their Apocalyptica photo book project on October 28, 2011.

Apocalyptica took a year off from touring and recording after concluding the 7th Symphony world tour in Beijing September 2012. During the break the band worked on a crossover musical and theatrical project titled Wagner Reloaded, combining Wagner's music with the sound of Apocalyptica, to celebrate German composer Richard Wagner's 200th birthday.

There were two live performances in Wagner's birth town Leipzig, Germany on July 5 and 6, 2013. Eicca Toppinen arranged and composed the music for the production. The band released an album titled Wagner Reloaded-Live in Leipzig, in November 2013.

Apocalyptica released "Psalm" on May 10, 2013. It was performed by Perttu Kivilaakso on their most recent tour. The band also announced a tour with Finnish Avanti! Chamber Orchestra, which premiered in March 2014. The set consisted solely of instrumentally performed Apocalyptica songs, especially arranged for the band and the 25-piece orchestra.

Their eighth studio album, titled Shadowmaker, with Franky Perez singing on all vocal tracks, was released through Better Noise, imprint of Eleven Seven Music on April 17, 2015.

They also released a collaborative single with Vamps titled "Sin in Justice" on November 20.

Apocalyptica made the music for the episode On Finn Ice of Rovio Entertainment's video game Angry Birds Seasons.

Apocalyptica celebrated their 20th anniversary of the first album Plays Metallica by Four Cellos in 2016 and it was re-released with 3 brand new bonus tracks.

In February 2019, the band released their first single with Finnish lyrics, featuring Sanni Kurkisuo and Tippa. They performed the song at the 2019 Emma Gaala in Helsinki.

The band's ninth studio album, an instrumental, Cell-0, was released on January 10, 2020.

Apocalyptica was on the track "Someone To Talk To" from Three Days Grace's album Explosions on May 6, 2022. On September 9 the ep “Metal Classic, Classic Metal” was released.

On December 15, 2023, Apocalyptica released a new song and video called "What We're Up Against", featuring Elize Ryd of Amaranthe.

On June 7, 2024, the band released their tenth studio album, Plays Metallica, Vol. 2, a sequel to Plays Metallica by Four Cellos (1996). The album features new Metallica covers such as The Four Horsemen and The Unforgiven II, (video) as well as a new recording of One (video) with Metallica vocalist James Hetfield reciting the lyrics, and bassist Robert Trujillo.

It also includes a cover of The Call of Ktulu featuring the original bass master track recorded by Cliff Burton in 1984. In 2024 Mikko Sirén left the band.