HELSINKI – The official announcement for the band’s just launched North American tour refers to them as “cello rockers.” Admittedly, at first the term seems oxymoronic, kind of like sauerkraut ice cream, or a 220-pound jockey! Is it tasteful? Is it even possible?

Of course, only those not yet familiar with the Finnish trio Apocalyptica would ask such questions. The three classically trained musicians from Helsinki’s prestigious Sibelius Academy fuse two different worlds, playing metal rock (often covers of Metallica hits) on their cellos with an unbridled ferocity that ranks with the best bone crushing bands of the genre.

With notes relentlessly jumping off their cello strings, Apocalyptica blows past all comfort zones, which of course, is at the heart of any metal music performance. As they blaze new paths in symphonic metal, the band is attracting a growing legion of fans throughout the world.

Among Apocalyptica’s admirers is renowned lighting designer Mikki Kunttu, who has worked with them on a few occasions since 2007. “I love the band, and it is always so great to work with them,” said Kunttu. “I have the highest appreciation for what they do — and for who they are.”

Kunttu is showing this appreciation in stunning fashion with his lighting design for Apocalyptica’s current APMB4C Vol 2. tour, which began its 24-city North American leg February 6 in Washington DC.

Prior to the North American tour, Apocalyptica did a very successful European run of show. Kunttu also worked on that and he captured the spirit of his client’s music and stage persona by bending light in unimaginable ways in a design that is bold, provocative, at times even menacing — and always compelling. In creating his powerful geometric looks for the EU run, he was aided by an impressive collection of COLORado PXL Curve 12 fixtures from CHAUVET Professional.

Kunttu artfully arranged the motorized RGBW COLORado battens in three identical rows of nine units each. His design called for the downstage row to sit on the deck, while the second row is elevated 30cm, and the third 60cm. Not only did this instantly create a perspective, it also allowed the band to fit nicely between the rows.

“I created the major part of this design back in September 2023,” noted Kunttu. “One of the main ideas was to get the PXL Curves on board and to use them exactly like this – so we could create layers on stage and very effectively manipulates the stage deck appearance.

“This layered concept is at the core our design,” continued Kunttu. “Once we determined that concept, we needed to find a rental company that would be able to deliver 27 units. I actually did a shoot-out with almost every other LED pixel bar available. In the end, there was no chance in hell I would spec anything else for this tour.”

Kunttu discussed how his design with its stark angles and bold contrasts reflects Apocalyptica’s sound. “Light in Apocalyptica takes a very percussive role, a lot of times tumbling hand in hand with the drums and the beats and the fills,” he remarked. “Then, on the other hand, the visual element also needs to have its share of theatrical fairy dust sprinkled on it. This particular design also leans towards some kind of a brokenness — it does not want to be always so symmetrical at all. I think I would actually want to take it even further that way, if I get another chance.

“So, the lighting in this show was very much rhythmic and percussive and its forces are blinding and aggressive,” continued Kunttu. “It was all about piercing beams, blinding strobes, flashing walls of light. The aim was to deliver an energy that feels and looks as if the soul of the song has come alive.”

At points during the EU shows, the sharp black and white patterns in Kunttu’s design were broken up by seamless integrated flows of bold and subtle colors. “I gave our programmer Pekka Martti a lot of freedom with colors,” said Kunttu. “He is more daring in terms of color than me. The only colors I never like are pink/magenta on skin — and also usually, I’m not a big fan of yellow. Pekka did an excellent job on the EU leg of the tour as did our operator Joonas Liesimaa.”

Close collaboration, along with an inspired design produced many memorable moments on the EU leg of the tour, including one of Kunttu’s favorites: a kabuki drop at the start of the show. Like many moments, the kabuki reveal was fresh and original, not surprising qualities in a show supporting a band that, in true oxymoronic fashion, has blended two apparent opposites into one beautiful creation.