APOCALYPTICA releases video for METALLICA cover 'The Unforgiven II'
08-04-2024
APOCALYPTICA has shared the official music video for the band’s cover of METALLICA‘s “The Unforgiven II”. The track is taken from APOCALYPTICA‘s upcoming album, “Apocalyptica Plays Metallica Vol. 2”. Due on June 7 via Throwdown Entertainment, the LP will continue the journey that began in 1996 when cellists from Helsinki’s world-renowned Sibelius Academy played symphonic tribute to the biggest of the big four–heavy metal titans METALLICA.
Watch The Unforgiven II below.
APOCALYPTICA‘s lead cellist Perttu Kivilaakso comments: “We wanted to balance what we were doing between old and new. ‘The Unforgiven II’ has such beautiful melodies and the lyrics are great, too. I loved the fact that we’ve been able to bind this record and our first record together in this way.”
The album’s lead single, “The Four Horsemen”, a song that originally appeared on METALLICA‘s 1983 debut “Kill ‘Em All”, features a guest appearance by METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo.
Watch “The Four Horsemen” below.
Kivilaakso told the DJ Force X Podcast about how Trujillo‘s involvement came about: “This album concept has, in a way, been in our minds for throughout the whole career. We always knew that there are still a lot of cool METALLICA songs that we wanted play our style one day. So, but now after the pandemic and everything, this felt the exact right moment to dive back to the roots.”
He continued: “We have always had a wonderful relation with METALLICA — they have been enormously supportive towards us always — but still we approached them to ask that would they agree, would it be fine for them if we make such an album. And through those conversations, actually, eventually Rob even offered that he could play something for us. And that’s an enormous, amazing feature, of course, to be treated like that. And it really, really shows respect also from their side. And we are very, very thankful for it.”
When “Apocalyptica Plays Metallica Vol. 2” was first announced, APOCALYPTICA said in a statement: “The first single we want to present to you is ‘The Four Horsemen’. And we couldn’t be more excited to have a great feature guest on it: Rob Trujillo himself, who is probably THE greatest bass player in this whole wide world! We’ve always enjoyed sharing our love for METALLICA. Now, this is next level for us as well!”
APOCALYPTICA leader Eicca Toppinen commented: “It’s the coolest thing. We didn’t push; it was offered. We played the first album live and it was so much more fun and exciting than we expected, so we got the idea to do something like the first album, but we couldn’t do it in exactly the same way; we needed to challenge ourselves and bring a totally new perspective to the original energy and emotion of METALLICA.”
Kivilaakso added: “We’ve been talking about making another METALLICA album for around 20 years, as there were still so many great songs we wanted to play! We waited for the perfect moment to do it. Thinking of that teenage me who is now getting to play his favorite tracks gives me goosebumps!”
This album will be the APOCALYPTICA‘s final studio release with the band’s longtime member, drummer Mikko Sirén, who amicably departed after the new LP’s completion. “Plays Metallica Vol. 2” was produced by longtime collaborator and studio supremo Joe Barresi (QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, SOUNDGARDEN, NINE INCH NAILS, TOOL).
Alongside the announcement, APOCALYPTICA will be touring in support of the record, taking them through Europe.
“Plays Metallica Vol. 2” track listing:
01. Ride The Lightning
02. St Anger
03. The Unforgiven II
04. Blackened
05. The Call Of Ktulu (in memory of Cliff Burton)
06. The Four Horsemen (featuring Robert Trujillo)
07. Holier Than Thou
08. To Live Is To Die
09. One
10. One (Instrumental)
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