Plays Metallica by Four Cellos | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | June 13, 1996 | |||
Genre | Classical, chamber music, cello rock, symphonic metal | |||
Length | 44:31 | |||
Label | Mercury/PolyGram | |||
Apocalyptica chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [1] |
Plays Metallica by Four Cellos is the debut album by Finnish metal band Apocalyptica, released in 1996. It features eight instrumental Metallica covers arranged and played on cellos.
The band was invited to record this album by a label employee after a 1995 show in which they performed some of the songs. The members were initially unsure and thought nobody would listen to such a record, but the employee insisted and they recorded it. [2] On 22 July 2016, a remastered version of the album was released with new bonus tracks. [3] In 2017 to 2019, the band returned as a cello quartet for the first time since 2009 to perform all of the Metallica tracks they have covered at the time to celebrate their 20th anniversary of the debut album and in late 2018, a live recording of the tour was released in CD, vinyl, and a DVD with live footage entitled Plays Metallica by Four Cellos - A Live Performance. A follow-up album entitled Plays Metallica, Vol. 2, was released on June 7, 2024. [4] [5]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original Metallica album | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Enter Sandman" | Kirk Hammett, Lars Ulrich, James Hetfield | from Metallica | 3:41 |
2. | "Master of Puppets" | Cliff Burton, Hammett, Ulrich, Hetfield | from Master of Puppets | 7:17 |
3. | "Harvester of Sorrow" | Ulrich, Hetfield | from ...And Justice for All | 6:15 |
4. | "The Unforgiven" | Hammett, Ulrich, Hetfield | from Metallica | 5:23 |
5. | "Sad but True" | Ulrich, Hetfield | from Metallica | 4:48 |
6. | "Creeping Death" | Burton, Hammett, Ulrich, Hetfield | from Ride the Lightning | 5:08 |
7. | "Wherever I May Roam" | Ulrich, Hetfield | from Metallica | 6:09 |
8. | "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" | Hammett, Ulrich, Hetfield | from Master of Puppets | 5:50 |
All tracks are written by Ulrich, Hetfield
No. | Title | Original Metallica album | Length |
---|---|---|---|
9. | "Battery" | from Master of Puppets | 4:32 |
10. | "Nothing Else Matters" (2016 Version) | from Metallica | 4:49 |
11. | "Seek and Destroy" | from Kill 'Em All | 4:24 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Finland (Musiikkituottajat) [6] | Platinum | 23,303 [6] |
Germany (BVMI) [7] | Gold | 250,000^ |
Poland (ZPAV) [8] | Gold | 50,000* |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Master of Puppets is the third studio album by the American heavy metal band Metallica, released on March 3, 1986, by Elektra Records. Recorded in Copenhagen, Denmark at Sweet Silence Studios with producer Flemming Rasmussen, it was the band's final album to feature bassist Cliff Burton, who died in a bus accident in Sweden during the album's promotional tour.
Ride the Lightning is the second studio album by the American heavy metal band Metallica, released on July 27, 1984, by the independent record label Megaforce Records. The album was recorded in three weeks with producer Flemming Rasmussen at Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen, Denmark. The artwork, based on a concept by the band, depicts an electric chair being struck by lightning flowing from the band logo. The title was taken from a passage in Stephen King's novel The Stand, in which a character uses the phrase to refer to execution by electric chair.
Metallica is the fifth studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on August 12, 1991, by Elektra Records. Recording sessions took place at One on One Recording Studios in Los Angeles over an eight-month span that frequently found Metallica at odds with their new producer Bob Rock. The album marked a change in the band's music from the thrash metal style of their previous four albums to a slower, heavier, and more refined sound.
Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist and guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrumentals and aggressive musicianship made them one of the founding "big four" bands of thrash metal, alongside Megadeth, Anthrax and Slayer. Metallica's current lineup comprises founding members and primary songwriters Hetfield and Ulrich, longtime lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo. Guitarist Dave Mustaine, who formed Megadeth after being fired from Metallica, and bassists Ron McGovney, Cliff Burton and Jason Newsted are former members of the band.
...And Justice for All is the fourth studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica, released on August 25, 1988, by Elektra Records. It was the first Metallica album to feature bassist Jason Newsted, following the death of their previous bassist Cliff Burton in 1986. Burton received posthumous co-writing credit on "To Live Is to Die" as Newsted followed bass lines Burton had recorded prior to his death.
St. Anger is the eighth studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica, released on June 5, 2003. It was the last Metallica album released through Elektra Records and the final collaboration between Metallica and longtime producer Bob Rock, with whom the band had worked since 1990. This is also Metallica's only album as an official trio, as bassist Jason Newsted left the band prior to the recording sessions. Rock played bass in Newsted's place, and Robert Trujillo joined the band following its completion. Although he does not play on the album, Trujillo is credited in the liner notes and appears in photos with the band in the album's booklet.
The $5.98 E.P. – Garage Days Re-Revisited is the first extended play by American heavy metal band Metallica, released on August 21, 1987, by Elektra Records. It consists of covers of late-'70s and early-'80s new wave of British heavy metal bands and punk rock music rehearsed in Lars Ulrich's soundproofed garage and then recorded in Los Angeles over the course of six days. It is the group's first release following the death of bassist Cliff Burton and the first to feature his successor, Jason Newsted.
"Creeping Death" is a song by American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on November 23, 1984, as the lead and only commercial single from their album Ride the Lightning. Written from the perspective of the Angel of Death, "Creeping Death" describes the tenth plague of Egypt. It is often thought of as one of the band’s most popular songs and is currently the second-most-played song live by them.
Eino Matti "Eicca" Toppinen is a Finnish cellist, songwriter, producer, and arranger. In 1993 he formed the quartet Apocalyptica.
Inquisition Symphony is the second studio album by the Finnish metal band Apocalyptica. The album branches from their previous effort, containing only four Metallica covers. The remainder of the compositions are by Faith No More, Pantera, and Sepultura, as well as three originals by Apocalyptica bandleader Eicca Toppinen. In this album, some songs add percussive beats on the cellos. Max Lilja did the arrangements for "One". A sequel to "Toreador" appeared on the album Reflections.
Max Lilja is a Finnish cello player. He is best known as a founding member of the Finnish cello metal band Apocalyptica, a band he left in 2001 to join the Finnish thrash metal band Hevein. Beginning in 2007, Lilja has been a recording and touring member of Tarja Turunen's solo band. Throughout his career, Lilja has continued to play classical music alongside rock, metal, and crossover projects.
Apocalyptica is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Helsinki, formed in 1993. The band is composed of classically trained cellists Eicca Toppinen, Paavo Lötjönen, and Perttu Kivilaakso, and jazz drummer Mikko Sirén. 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.
Franky Perez is an American musician best known as a solo artist, touring vocalist of the Finnish metal band Apocalyptica, and as former guitarist for Scars on Broadway. He has also released three solo albums, Poor Man's Son, My 4th of July, and Addict, and performed with guitarist Slash in his live band before Slash assembled the touring band that backed him during his first full solo tour with Myles Kennedy. Perez has also collaborated with Slash's Velvet Revolver bandmate Dave Kushner, releasing songs under the pseudonym of DKFXP, as well as the virtual band Pusher Jones, contributing the song "Count Me Out" to The Avengers soundtrack.
Off! is an American hardcore punk supergroup, formed in Los Angeles, California in late 2009 by Circle Jerks/Black Flag singer Keith Morris, Burning Brides frontman Dimitri Coats, Redd Kross bassist Steven Shane McDonald, and Rocket From The Crypt/Hot Snakes drummer Mario Rubalcaba. In 2021, it was announced that the line-up changed, with McDonald and Rubalcaba replaced by Autry Fulbright II and Justin Brown, respectively. The band are known for playing short, intense punk songs, with Pitchfork describing the band as "a vital blast of classic hardcore."
"Enter Sandman" is a song by American heavy metal band Metallica. It is the opening track and lead single from their self-titled fifth album, released in 1991. The music was written by Kirk Hammett, James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich. Vocalist and guitarist Hetfield wrote the lyrics, which deal with the concept of a child's nightmares.
7th Symphony is the seventh studio album by the Finnish cello metal band Apocalyptica. It was released on August 20, 2010, in Germany, Switzerland and Austria, August 23, 2010, in the rest of the world, and August 24, 2010, in the U.S. and Canada. Released three years after their previous album Worlds Collide, Apocalyptica continued the practice of having four tracks with featured vocalists, while the remaining tracks are all instrumental. Dave Lombardo of Slayer was once again featured on drums, on the track entitled "2010". The band toured with touring vocalist Tipe Johnson in support of the album in Europe, Mexico, Canada, the US and Venezuela since the summer of 2010.
Primitivity is an American instrumental cello rock band consisting of three cellists and a percussionist. Primitivity began primarily as a cover band playing songs by the thrash metal band Megadeth and the cello rock band Apocalyptica. The band has released one album entirely of Megadeth covers titled Plays Megadeth For Cello. Primitivity has also composed and performed original songs for cello rock ensemble. The group was selected as a 2010 Artist In Residence at Strathmore Hall in Bethesda, Maryland.
Shadowmaker is the eighth studio album by the Finnish cello metal band Apocalyptica. It was released on 17 April 2015 in Europe and Australia, 20 April in the UK, France and Latin America, 21 April in the U.S. and Canada and 22 April in Japan. It is the band's first album with one single vocalist, Franky Perez.
Cell-0 is the ninth studio album by Finnish cello metal band Apocalyptica. It was released on 10 January 2020. It is the band's first fully instrumental album since 2003's Reflections, and their first studio release since Shadowmaker, published 4 years and 9 months earlier, marking their longest gap between studio albums.