Hear Metal Cello Quartet Apocalyptica’s Thrashy New Instrumental “En Route to Mayhem”

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Finnish cello-rockers Apocalyptica first made their names with their whiplashing neoclassical covers of Metallica‘s classic songs. They then went on to make original music with big-name guest singers ranging from Slipknot and Stone Sour’s Corey Taylor and Bullet for My Valentine’s Matt Tuck to Lacuna Coil’s Cristina Scabbia and Rammstein‘s Till Lindemann. Indeed, it’s been 17 years since the quartet released an instrumental album. That drought will end with the January 10th release of Cell-0, the group’s ninth LP, via Silver Lining Music. Apocalyptica recorded Cell-0 following a four-year break between albums, which gave the classically trained band members — Eicca Toppinen, Perttu Kivilaakso, Paavo Lötjönen and Mikko Sirén — a fresh perspective on their music. That perspective plays out across the LP, which sees them, exploring sounds both ethereal — see lead single “Ashes of the Modern World” — and thrashy, as on the new song “En Route to Mayhem,” which they unleashed today, December 12th. Check it out below, long with its cinematic music video, which imagines a post-apocalyptic world.

“‘En Route to Mayhem’ is a journey of hedonic needs growing into greed and aggression driving into inner mayhem and ending without satisfaction,” Toppinen commented on the song, adding of its visual: “This video underlines the fact that however we think we are in control by destroying things and life around us, life itself will take over in the end, always.”

“We are not in control of the bigger picture,” he concluded, “and we should be aware of it and raise our respect to life around us.”

Cell-0 is available for pre-order now in a variety of formats and packages. Apocalyptica plan to support the album with majoring touring throughout 2020, including a European stint that kicks off in January and a North American run launching in early May. Tickets and a full list of dates can be found on Apocalyptica’s official website.