Author: Urban Bolta
Artist: Apocalyptica
Label: Sony Music
Release: 2010
Running time: 46:17
Rating: 4/5
Remember those Finnish kids who made a name for themselves in the second half of the nineties by playing Metallica songs on cellos, and whose debut, with an initial run of just a few hundred copies (so the anecdote goes), got snapped up in no time? That’s when the neoclassical approach in heavy metal got a whole new dimension, and Apocalyptica were launched into the ranks of the popular, universally known names of our orbit. The kids have grown up since then, started working on original material with “Inquisition Symphony” (1998), word about Apocalyptica spread in every direction, which led to collaborations with many well-known names over the years, and the classically trained Finnish musicians have developed their talent to the point where they simply don’t know how to release a bad album. “7th Symphony” is the latest confirmation of that thesis.
“Sedma simfonija” brings nothing new to Apocalyptica’s sound, so musically it doesn’t offer anything fresh, but the ten tracks still add up to a strong, cohesive whole that will have you hitting replay. The album contains all the recognizable elements of their music: from subtle, more emotional, lighter tracks, through mighty epic poems, all the way to proper heavy metal wreckers, where the production usually tries to bring the sound of the cellos closer to the bristling sound of electric guitars. As always, “Sedma simfonija” is bursting with virtuoso play between the acoustic foundations of the songs and the heavier riffs that fit them, and their rhythm and interplay will keep you glued to the living-room couch from the first minute to the last.
The musicians remain masters of arranging three cellos into intricate compositions, and all three cellos are used brilliantly, each one playing its own clearly defined path in perfect harmony the whole time. It’s interesting to note that on “7th Symphony”, Eicca Toppinen, as the lead voice of the Finnish classical metallers, has let the other band members take part in the songwriting and co-writing more than ever before, which is of course a welcome move, since it gives the album a fresher set of ideas.
The opening track At The Gates Of Manala gets your neck moving right from the intro, and its special feature is the dynamic jumping between differently paced “drives”. The next one, End Of Me, with guest vocalist Gavin Rossdale (Bush), has an interesting bit in the intro where a riff is played in the style of the early-eighties heavy metal school, and it peaks with a chorus that will go down well especially with fans of nineties alternative rock. Much like guitarist Slash with his self-titled debut released this year, the Finns once again prove themselves masters at tailoring a song to the guest musician, as it’s written in a way that suits the guest’s usual musical tendencies to a T. That virtue shows itself once more with the track 2010, featuring Dave Lombardo (Slayer), where a slow intro in the style of the “South Of Heaven” era develops into a real metal explosion and is the album’s strongest heavy rock moment. The in-between Not Strong Enough bets on a convincing chorus and will appeal mostly to fans of newer, MTV-style sounds. A laid-back continuation follows with an ambient stroll through the track Beautiful, which grows into Broken Pieces, a rather average song with nu/alt metal moments and the only female guest on the album, Lacey Mosley (Flyleaf). An energetic burst of unexpected “groove” is captured in the track Bring Them to Light with guest Joe Duplantier (Gojira, Cavalera Conspiracy), but they get burned with the foray into heavy metal vocal lines, or, put differently, Apocalyptica, as avowed lovers of sophistication and melody, don’t feel at home in heavy metal waters. “Sedma simfonija” reaches its peak right at the end, where the song Rage Of Possseidon takes us back to the time of the album “Cult” (2000), when dynamic arrangements of epic proportions ruled. At almost nine minutes long, with every typical element of Apocalyptica’s music woven in and yet a clear central thread, the closing track is definitely one of them.
The Finnish neoclassicists remain relevant and well worth listening to with “7th Symphony” too. The album will more than satisfy old fans, and it’s also recommended for those of you just getting to know the legacy of the “riders of the apocalypse”. In terms of production and arrangements, the album follows its predecessor “Worlds Collide” (2007) in its search for a more modern sound, with which the Finns mainly target a younger generation exposed to the influence of quasi-alternative commercial music TV. That can be a hard thing to swallow for followers of the more traditional rock heritage, but whoever gets past that phase will be richly rewarded.
Lineup
Eicca Toppinen – cello
Perttu Kivilaakso – cello
Paavo Lötjönen – cello
Mikko Sirén – drums, percussion
Guests:
Gavin Rossdale – vocals (2)
Brent Smith – vocals (3)
Dave Lombardo – drums (4)
Lacey Mosley – vocals (7)
Joe Duplantier – vocals (9)
Production
Joe Barresi, Howard Benson (3,6)
Track list
1. At the Gates of Manala
2. End of Me
3. Not Strong Enough
4. 2010
5. Beautiful
6. Broken Pieces
7. On the Rooftop With Quasimodo
8. Bring Them to Light
9. Sacra
10. Rage of Poseidon
