Apocalyptica at wROCK for Freedom: Finnish cellos between rock, metal and classical music

Few bands have captured defiant individualism as well as Finland’s Apocalyptica. Four virtuosos from Helsinki’s Sibelius Academy formed the group in 1993, and just three years later the quartet were on everyone’s lips. Their 1996 “Plays Metallica By Four Cellos”, arranging the legendary Metallica’s songs for cellos, was a sensation. They expanded heavy metal’s boundaries with extraordinary ease and have regularly sold out concert halls ever since.

Two years after their debut, the Finns released the excellent “Inquisition Symphony”, which featured the band’s own compositions alongside covers of Sepultura, Faith No More and Pantera. To date, the group have released eight critically acclaimed albums, selling more than 4 million copies worldwide. Apocalyptica have built a reputation as a band who attract both heavy-metal fans and lovers of classical sounds, offering both a euphoric celebration of music.

Metallica covers, musical tributes to Wagner accompanied by an international symphony orchestra, collaborations with members of Slipknot, Soulfly, Slayer, H.I.M. and Bush: these wild Finns can reconcile musical genres like nobody before them.

In 2016, on the twentieth anniversary of recording their debut album, Apocalyptica released a remastered version with three additional tracks, “Battery”, “Nothing Else Matters” and “Seek&Destroy”, and embarked on an extensive tour that will include their Wrocław concert. Fans will therefore have the chance to hear material from this legendary record live!

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