The Apocalyptica and Lacuna Coil ‘Cell-O’ Tour Electrifies the Sold-Out Orlando Crowd

The pandemic has wreaked havoc globally and the world of music continues to make strides in getting back to some sense of normalcy. Get out that lucky rabbit foot and hope that your tour will happen or that shows aren’t canceled or rescheduled. The third time was the charm for the Apocalyptica and Lacuna Coil ‘Cell-O’ Tour that was initially slated to begin in 2020 but was lost due to the pandemic and then again in 2021. Joining the Finnish cello metal group Apocalyptica on this 25-show run is the Italian gothic metal band, Lacuna Coil. The second show of the tour rolled into Orlando for a sold-out show at The Plaza Live. 

Originally, Lacuna Coil had scheduled this North American tour to promote the band’s then-latest release Black Anima which was released in late 2019. The band has since released a new live album, “Live From The Apocalypse”, via Century Media. The album was recorded during the band’s September 2020 Livestream event where they performed its latest album, Black Anima, in its entirety. 

In 2020, Apocalyptica found itself in a similar position to its tour partners, having released a new album in January 2020 with the expectation they would be touring to promote the band’s latest endeavor, CELL-0, the band’s ninth studio album and the first fully instrumental record in 17 years. Two years later the CELL-0 Tour is finally in full swing and based on what we saw in Orlando it was difficult to tell who was more excited, the fans or the band. 

Apocalyptica has released multiple collaboration singles since the release of CELL-o with the latest being “I’ll Get Through It” which includes Franky Perez and features bass legend Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath. Some of the band’s other recent collaborations include a cover version of the CREAM classic “White Room” with singer Jacoby Shaddix of Papa Roach as well as “Talk To Me”, with Halestorm frontwoman Lzzy Hale. 

Apocalyptica is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Helsinki and is composed of classically trained cellists Eicca Toppinen, Paavo Lötjönen, and Perttu Kivilaakso, and jazz drummer Mikko Sirén. The band was originally formed as a metal tribute band, however, the band would eventually adopt a neoclassical metal style of its own without the use of conventional guitars. These rockers bring the attitude and energy that would rival most metal bands as they continuously move about the stage stopping just long enough to manipulate their instruments with a fiery vengeance. The 17-song set was nothing short of an instrumental assault on the senses that left your inner soul drained from what it had just experienced. Throughout the band’s set, they maneuvered flawlessly from instrumentals only to Franky Perez joining in with his powerful intensely delivered vocals. The evening included two Metallica hits, “Nothing Else Matters” and “Seek & Destroy” which included a “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC interlude. 

Experiencing an Apocalyptica event is simply put a musical journey that will take you only as far as you allow it. Don’t miss this experience.

Apocalyptica Setlist at The Plaza Live, Orlando, FL

1. Ashes of the Modern World
2. Path
3. Grace
4. I’m Not Jesus (with Franky Perez)
5. Not Strong Enough (with Franky Perez)
6. Rise
7. En Route to Mayhem
8. Scream for the Silent
9. I’ll Get Through It (with Franky Perez)
10. Shadowmaker (with Franky Perez)
11. Life Burns! (with Franky Perez)
12. I Don’t Care (with Franky Perez)
13. Nothing Else Matters (Metallica cover)
14. Inquisition Symphony (Sepultura cover)
15. Seek & Destroy (Metallica cover)

Encore:

16. Farewell
17. In the Hall of the Mountain King (Edvard Grieg cover)