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“And now for something completely different.” So went the famous Monty Python catchphrase and it seems strangely relevant to Apocalyptica. Whilst they may not be quite as mad as The Ministry of Silly Walks, the Finnish metal quartet are without doubt scarier. They’ve been fusing classical chamber music and goth metal for fifteen years now (who hasn’t?) and even carved out their own genre – cello metal – in the process.
The band began when four classically trained cellists from The Sibelius Academy in Helsinki met to play Metallica covers at a local metal club. They were spotted by an indie record label and signed on the spot. After six albums, several line up changes (taking them down to three cellos) and the addition of a drummer, metal’s foremost classical quartet are going stronger than ever.
The latest album builds on a number of recent trends for the band – there are more collaborations, more vocals, more drum tracks and only one cover. Some critics have inevitably accused the band of selling out, but in my opinion these changes only make them more accessible. You don’t need any gothic tendencies to listen to this record and you certainly don’t need to be a connoisseur of classical music.
Whilst the sound remains unmistakably that of Apocalyptica it is true to say that ‘Worlds Collide’ has a more conventional sound than some of their more experimental offerings. This is particularly true of the collaborations. ‘I don’t Care’, featuring Adam Gontier has one of the most catchy choruses of any song I can think of. Equally infectious are ‘I’m not Jesus’ featuring Corey Taylor of Slipknot and ‘SOS (Anything but Love)’ with Lacuna Coil’s Christina Scabbia. Arguably the most memorable collaboration on the album is ‘Helden’ - a much-modified, German language, take on David Bowie’s ‘Heroes’, performed with Til Lindermann of Rammstein.
Fans will be pleased to know that the old Apocalyptica instrumentals still account for a majority of the CD. The basic formula of chunky, heavy metal choruses, intertwined with melodic verses remains. The overall balance has a little more finesse than before, albeit at the cost of some of its edginess. The ‘fingers down a blackboard’ stabs of cello that made parts of the previous albums sound like a night at the Bate’s Motel may have gone, but the instrumental tracks remain powerful and compelling.
So, what’s the verdict? Their trademark sound shines through - the more conventional songs can only serve to broaden their appeal and there are still plenty of tracks to challenge the listener. As long as the band holds on to the individuality that made them unique, they will surely continue to grow. One thing is for sure; this is Apocalyptica’s most complete album to date.
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