Logically, Apocalyptica’s seventh album is called The 7th Symphony. Logical, but still strange for a band that has been trying for years to detach themselves from the “symphonic metal” tag stuck to their name. This easy description, which arises simply from the presence of cellos, would have deeply the band at one time. Speaking of which, these cellos did not get unanimous support when the band released their first albums: people listened more out of curiosity than out of actual musical interest. Then, in 2005, the Finns revised their sound so they could interest people for what they do, and not for what they are. Like the previous one, this new album is full to the brim with guests (Dave Lombardo from Slayer, Joe Duplantier from Gojira…), which, for their fiercest detractors, can be seen as a marketing stunt, or a way to make mediocre songs sound better. For more moderate people, there’s still the question of the writing process. We wanted to know more and opened the debate. Mikko, the band’s drummer, is an honest and very agreeable character, who doesn’t hesitate to become full of praise when it comes to the work he’s proud of. Interview.