An unexpected hit from an unlikely source. Four Helsinki based Sibelius Academy tutored cellists, Max Lilja, Antero Manninen, Paavo Lötjönen and Eicca Toppinen, reinterpretated METALLICA tunes in a sparse classical format. APOCALYPTICA's non-conformist juxtaposition of Classical and Metal inspired many in their wake, opening up the marketplace for a greater range of traditional expression of Heavy Metal such as RONDELLUS, a glut of string instrument tributes and even pre-empting METALLICA's own orchestral experimentation. The 1996 Pekka Ritaluoto produced debut album, 'Apocalyptica Plays Metallica By Four Cellos' originally issued through Zen Garden Records before being picked up on the Polygram Finland Oy label, was such a success APOCALYPTICA undertook live dates. Seasonal non-album tracks, 'Oh Holy Night' and ' 'Little Drummer Boy' placed the group into the Finnish charts that December.

A second album, Inquisition Symphony', emerged in 1998, which alongside more METALLICA renditions included reworks by contemporaries SEPULTURA, FAITH NO MORE and PANTERA. That year the group performed at the Dutch 'Headbanger's Heaven' festival, the show including the 'Mandatory Suicide' / 'South Of Heaven' medley with SLAYER drummer DAVE LOMBARDO guesting.

Perttu Kivilaakso replaced Antero Manninen in 1999 as the latter took up an offer from the Tahu Symphony Orchestra. APOCALYPTICA's third outing, 'Cult' emerging in September 2000, was recorded at Petrax Studios, Hollola in Finland and for the first time saw the inclusion of original material alongside a rendition of Edward Grieg 'Hall Of The Mountain King' and METALLICA's 'Until It Sleeps' and 'Fight Fire With Fire'.

The band issued a single 'Path Vol. 2' in March of 2001 from the 'Cult' record featuring guest vocals from Sandra Nasic of GUANO APES. Other tracks on the album included Matthias Sayer of FARMER BOYS as well as live tracks. The band would also guest on the 2001 SEPULTURA album 'Nation'.

Touring in the UK found the Finns guesting on MEGADETH's summer dates. Max Lilja would decamp in January 2002 to join the ranks of HEVEIN, being substituted by Antero Manninen for live performances as Mikko Sirén took up the percussion role. Recordings taking place in 2002 for a new studio album 'Reflections' would witness the inclusion of the esteemed DAVE LOMBARDO of SLAYER infamy on drums. The band undertook a further interesting collaboration in 2003 when they united with German Punk Rock diva NINA HAGEN to record a cover version of RAMMSTEIN's 'Seemann'.

Eicca Toppinen guests on the track 'Juoksevan Veden Aika' featured on the 2004 TIMO RAUTIAINEN & TRIO NISKALAUKAUS album 'Kylmä Tila'. APOCALYPTICA's 2004 album, seeing SLAYER drummer DAVE LOMBARDO featured on the album track 'Betrayal', would be preceded by the single 'Bittersweet', this featuring guest appearances by H.I.M.'s Ville Valo and THE RASMUS' Lauri Ylönen. Both singers also put in showings in the accompanying Antti Jokinen directed video for 'Bittersweet', the single finding success by entering the national Finnish singles charts at no. 3. The song, featuring both Valo and Ylönen, was premiered live on 17th January at a benefit concert for the victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster at Helsinki's 12,000 seat Hartwall Arena. That week, 'Bittersweet' rose to no.1 on the Finnish charts.

APOCALYPTICA lent support to leading German industrial metallers RAMMSTEIN throughout Europe in February 2005. The band then announced their debut North American shows for March. A second single picked from the album, 'Wie Weit', added three different language versions of Quutamo'. The French version featured Manu of DOLLY whilst both English and German versions included Marta Jandová of Germany's DIE HAPPY. Touring the USA in September saw support from Orange County's EYES OF FIRE.

APOCALYPTICA's career retrospective CD and DVD package for 2006, 'Amplified - A Decade Of Reinventing The Cello', included new tracks recorded with Max Cavalera of SOULFLY and Matt Tuck from BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE. The group also collaborated with German Electro-Metal outfit OOMPH! On their single 'Die Schlinge', inspired by the famous harmonica melody from composer Ennio Morricone's film soundtrack 'Once Upon A Time In The West'.

The album 'Worlds Collide' saw issue in September 2007 for Europe and April 2008 in the USA. This set included guest appearances from Tomoyasu Hotei, on 'Grace', SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR frontman Corey Taylor, on 'I'm Not Jesus', LACUNA COIL singer Cristina Scabbia, on 'S.O.S. (Anything But Love)', drummer Dave Lombardo from SLAYER, on 'Last Hope', Adam Gontier of THREE DAYS GRACE, on 'I Don't Care', and vocalist Till Lindemann of RAMMSTEIN on 'Helden'. Mats Levén provided backing vocals. Japanese variants added a bonus track 'Lies'.

'I'm Not Jesus', co-written by FILTER guitarist Gene Lenardo and Johnny Andrews, was put out as a single in September 2007. iTunes exclusive tracks for the first single release of 'I'm Not Jesus' boasted remixes by PAIN and Albert Vorne. The second 'World's Colide' single, 'S.O.S. (Anything But Love)', was delivered in January 2008 backed by a promotional video shot in Vilnius, Lithuania with director Marko Mäkilaakso. The band contributed a Justin Lassen remix of 'S.O.S. (Anything But Love)' to the original soundtrack for the horror movie 'Midnight Meat Train', a film adapation of a Clive Barker book, starring Bradley Cooper, Vinnie Jones, Brooke Shields and Leslie Bibb.

The third single 'I Don't Care', released in May through Universal, was completely re-recorded by producer Howard Benson for the US version of 'World's Collide'.

APOCALYPTICA recruited FUEL frontman Toryn Green to handle lead vocals on the quartet's North American tour, which began on 11th April and concluded on 19th May. The group had initially enlisted Johnny Andrews to sing on the trek, but he was replaced after just a handful of shows.

LACUNA COIL vocalist Cristina Scabbia performed onstage with APOCALYPTICA at the 2008 UK 'Download' festival on Sunday, June 15th at Donington Park, Leicestershire, singing theballad 'S.O.S. (Anything But Love)'. The pairing also played the same song live at the 'Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards' at Indigo O2 in London on Monday, June 16th. APOCALYPTICA was announced as performing at the 'M'era Luna' festival in Hildesheim, Germany on 9th August but cancelled this show in order to play the OZZY OSBOURNE and METALLICA headlined 'Ozzfest' in Dallas, Texas on the same day.

APOCALYPTICA's performance at the August 'Area4' Festival, which was held in Lüdinghausen, Germany, was broadcast on public television through WDR's series 'Rockpalast' series on Monday 22nd September.

The group utilised Sonic Pump Studios during January 2010 to cut new album tracks.