Album review: APOCALYPTICA – Plays Metallica By Four Cellos (20th Anniversary Edition)

APOCALYPTICA - Plays Metallica By Four Cellos (20th Anniversary Edition)

Odyssey Music Network [Release date 22.07.16]

Metallica played by a string quartet?  Keen-eared readers will know that this isn’t such a wayward proposition.  Back in 1999 Hetfield’s Heroes recorded a live album with the San Francisco Symphony demonstrating the tunes benefit from a classically based treatment.

Three years earlier,  the Finnish band Apocalyptica made a significant debut with their own twist on the Metallica canon.  Five of the original eight tracks come from the ‘Black’ album.

Whilst stirring and clever in equal parts this reimagining of Metallica classics made me recall lone violinist Ed Alleyne-Johnson and his similar forays.  But, similarly, whilst technically impressive and musically faultless the novelty can wear a bit thin.

Following that debut Apocalyptica gradually moved away from the inevitable cover versions starting with their self-titled album in 2005.  But for those wanting to return to the band’s roots and to relive some spirited classical renditions ‘Plays Metallica by Four Cellos’ – now expanded with versions of ‘Battery’, ‘Nothing Else Matters’ and ‘Seek And Destroy’ – is  a worthy reissue.   ***1/2

Review by David Randall

David Randall presents ‘Assume The Position’ on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio every Sunday at 22:00 GMT.

Apocalyptica play three dates in the UK in early-2017

27 February – Manchester, Bridgewater Hall
28 February – Edinburgh, Queens Hall
1 March – London, Royal Festival Hall


Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Josh Taerk Sunday Sessions 2024

Latest session: Sunday 14 April

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio



David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 7 April 2024.


UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 2 April 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com


Power Plays w/c 15 April 2024

ENMY The Ledge (FiXT)
KAROBELA Get Hard (indie)
KATH & THE KICKS Neptune (indie)
THE BEE TELLERS River Poem (Black Sand Records)
LAUREN FREEBIRD Like A Bomb (indie)

Featured Albums w/c 15 April 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023
14:00-16:00 KATARINA PEJAK – Pearls On A String (Ruf Records)


To see our Tweets you need to be logged in to a Twitter account



Popular (last 10 days)


This entry was posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues and tagged , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Leave a Reply