Umvd Import
2006
Amplified // A Decade Of Reinventing The Cello
About This Album
When Finland's Apocalyptica released 1996's self-explanatory Plays Metallica by Four Cellos instrumental album, their convincing classical interpretations of those ubiquitous heavy metal anthems were widely praised for their virtuosic execution and ingenious concept, but similarly dismissed as a one-time curiosity. And cynics were almost proven right when the spread-legged and seated quartet's sophomore outing, Inquisition Symphony (1998), proceeded to repeat the same gimmick, only adding a few instrumental originals and new bands covered (Sepultura, Faith No More, Pantera) amid the expected Metallica tunes, for a significantly less acclaimed and low-selling product. Here's where things got interesting, because the members of Apocalyptica actually realized they were living on borrowed time, accepted the daunting challenge to evolve or perish, and went on to compose most of the material found on subsequent albums Cult (2000), Reflections (2003), and Apocalyptica (2005), while incorporating new elements like drums, bass, amplification for their cellos, and even guest vocalists. All that -- plus embarking on a regular touring regimen that converted enraptured audiences worldwide -- made it possible for that one-time "novelty" band to deserve a two-disc retrospective, like Amplified: A Decade of Reinventing the Cello, which traces the above-described sonic and creative evolution with an imperfect but well-balanced survey of cuts from each of those albums and phases.
Track List

Disc 1 (try tracks 1,2,4,5 and 11)

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Disc 2

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