Apocalyptica: Finnish cellos, metal and classical music in a live sound

Legendary Finnish band Apocalyptica will perform at Wrocław’s 3-Majówka festival, which opens Poland’s outdoor music season!

Armed with cellos, the group redrew the boundaries between rock, metal and classical music in an unprecedented way. They debuted in the 1990s with “Plays Metallica by Four Cellos” and now have nine albums laden with gold and platinum awards. The latest, “Cell-0”, recorded after a five-year break and only just released, returns to their roots with their first entirely instrumental material in almost two decades. Their Wrocław performance will span 24 years of musical activity.

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 built on their success with the excellent “Inquisition Symphony”, which featured their own compositions alongside covers of Sepultura, Faith No More and Pantera. With “Cult” in 2000, the band established their complete independence, focusing primarily on original material. Since then, they have released carefully conceived, varied recordings featuring guest stars from very different musical backgrounds.

The band’s albums have sold more than 4 million copies worldwide. Apocalyptica have built a reputation for attracting both heavy-metal fans and lovers of classical sounds, offering both euphoric experiences. 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 reconcile musical genres like no one before them.

Already confirmed for 3-Majówka 2020 are The Sisters Of Mercy, legends of British 1980s new wave; Epica, Dutch stars of symphonic and gothic metal; David Bowie’s guitarist Gerry Leonard, who will present the Bowie Starman project featuring the greatest hits of Bowie, who died 4 years ago; Peter Hook, bassist of the legendary Joy Division; and a whole host of Polish artists.

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