PopSyndicate.com

I’m a fan of the eclectic. The first time I heard a group of four cellists playing the best of Metallica, I was intrigued, and rightly so. Apocalyptica is weird in a way that makes weird phenomenal. Their newest CD, Worlds Collide, panders to their metal background and explores the edges of what a rogue cello can do.

In theory, Apocalyptica’s Worlds Collide sounds like something Trans Siberian Orchestra would be proud of. But where the latter appeals to an older, hey-I’m-still-cool crowd, the former actually is cool. The album is a mix of composed, more symphonic pieces and vocal heavy radio ready tracks. Featuring a who’s who list of guest stars, each song is an individual. Some are tailored to fit their vocalists, but all are compelling.

“Helden”, while not musically the best track on the album was far and away my favorite, because it blended all of the absurd differences that went into the album. A German cover David Bowie’s “Heroes”, “Helden” featured Till Lindemann of Rammstein on vocals. The strings give an eerie quality to the main melody of the song, and Lindemann’s rough voice gave way to a surprisingly tender quality, as if he thought of the song sweetly. Where Bowie created pop, Apocalyptica made rock. The transition was amazing, and yet loyal to the original.

“I’m Not Jesus” is one of the more publicized songs on the album, and I was a little surprised by how mediocre I found it. Corey Taylor of Slipknot is the vocalist, and easily identifiable in that role – fans of Slipknot will be pleased to hear it, although he overtakes the music, which to me was the whole reason for listening. It sounds like it was made to be a radio single, and therein lie the problem.

At times reminiscent of Rasputina (high praise in my book) and yet utterly original in its own right, Worlds Collide is a crazy coming together of sounds and styles. It is an excellent album, well worth checking out.

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