Music: Apocalyptica

Going back to their origins, Apocalyptica tips their hat to where it all began, and all these years later, they still have that mojo

In the early 2000’s I went down a genre flexing rabbit hole. Cover bands crossing over into Rock’s realm and making great music. Albums like “Black and Bluegrass” is a tribute to Black Sabbath and Ozzy and Strumming with the Devil a similar situation but with Van Halen (and the solo banjo rendition of Eruption is just delightful).

Those albums are talented musicians who came together to pay tribute to iconic rockers, and then went back to their own lanes (mostly).

But the band I am writing about today, Apocalyptica, started as a group of Finnish cellists who specialized on the music of Metallica. And their earliest album was simply titled “Apocalyptica - Plays Metallica by for cellos” with a banger of a setlist:

• Enter Sandman

• Master of Puppets

• Harvester of Sorrow

• The Unforgiven

• Sad But True

• Wherever I May Roam

• Welcome Home (Sanitarium)

Hard to find a quibble with any of this selection of early Metallica (ok, maybe purists would omit Enter Sandman and Harvester, but pshaw)

I own several of their early albums, and I will admit that they don’t get enough playtime - I will fix that - but also they have tons of new albums.

Apocalyptica now bills themselves as a Finnish Melodic Metal band, and their signature use of non-traditional metal instruments (namely fucking CELLOs) is a good hook. But that hook would have long ago disengaged had they not built an edifice of kick-ass music on top of their foundations.

And it all began with their passion to pair their musical talent on the upright cello with a love for Metallica.

To this day, they still have those early covers in their setlists for live performances. In 2025, at a live show, they played Creeping Death, a cover from the Metallica album Ride the Lightning, and Apocalyptica once again paid homage to the greats.

Enjoy this unconventional cover of a song you probably haven’t heard in too long, and do go hunt down more of their music. It is worth it!

Bonus: Denis Caplinger’s Eruption

Since I mentioned it in the main body, here’s Eddie’s signature from VH1, Eruption:

Update: They have merch

How do you know they are a Finnish Melodic Metal band? Their merc store has Apocalyptica skis. How bad-ass is that?