Metal/Rock Bands with Cello

[Quinn Roberts]

Not metal or rock per se, but Rushad is pretty rockin'.

 

[MustangWally]

If you've ever heard one of their concerts, but not blazingly loud - a tape played at a reasonable volume, you realize the challenge in having multiple fretless instruments playing on a loud stage together - they tended to be rather out of tune with each other.

Yeah, for sure. I saw the Time Jumpers in Nashville a whiles back, 3 fiddles and they were excellent, never a note sharp or flat, truly stunning musicianship. But hey, super experienced players all.

 

[Wicked G]

Yeah! I saw them live in London back last century and they were a great show. Got pretty wild towards the end with the 3 cellists really tearing it up.

I saw them when I was very young and they put on a hell of show. And yeah it got pretty crazy with Hugh McDowell and Melvyn Gayle tearing it up on Cello. I was amazed at how active they were with those big instruments, especially Hugh who was all over the stage. Not a fan of their 80's stuff, but their 70's stuff is really good.

Edit to add a video.

 

[Rib 13]

Hugh McDowell is possibly the first designated rock cello player......Not sure if there was anybody before him

 

[Pauly 4001]

Cellos in a hard rock situation can sound great.
Obviously Alice only used them sparingly but here's a nice example:

 

[robd]

anything with Tina Guo comes to mind

 

[Bob_Ross]

Watershed 5tet was more jazz/prog-rock than metal, but they definitely had some headbanging moments. Erin Snyder was their 'cellist.

 

[Bob_Ross]

The middle part of this is a fave of mine...

uh... mine too, but that's not a 'cello.

 

[dalahorse]

Pretty much all symphonic metal bands have some sort of choral and/or orchestral integration. When performed live, those parts are almost always backing tracks. It would be so awesome to have a prominent member of an orchestra as part of the band! Check out Nightwish, Kamelot, Epica, and Delain.

 

[Killing Floor]

Not metal. I understand that. But...
Oh, wait, that's a viola maybe. Enjoy.
Yep, definitely a viola. Just pretend with me.

 

[thetragichero]

the ugly organ-era cursive

 

[Leaviathan]

That's pretty cool

 

[Michedelic]

uh... mine too, but that's not a 'cello.

Added to Wetton’s massive distorto bass is some uncredited cello; also some mixed in with the Mellotron and Fripp’s sustained lead guitar in the intro to the next tune, “Fallen Angel.

 

[Leaviathan]

Oroku was pretty cool, crust punk/hardcore with a cello... interesting mood and texture to have in that context, though I doubt it'll appeal to many here:

Sounds pretty good, they sound like one of the bands that came out of Springfield MA

 

[LordRyan]

The first band I know of with a Cello was Sweetwater (no affiliation to a music store that came along years later). They were also one of the first bands to have a Conga player. They played at Woodstock and were the first band to go on but didn't get filmed although a movie Sweetwater: A True Rock Story was released in 1999. The band's record producer was the great Dave Hassinger who engineered most of The Rolling Stones' American recordings at RCA. Among Hassinger's many other credits he engineered Jefferson Airplane's Surrealistic Pillow and produced the first Grateful Dead album.

 

[Seashore]

Not metal. I understand that. But...
Oh, wait, that's a viola maybe. Enjoy.
Yep, definitely a viola. Just pretend with me.

Ah man, this is the best song of his solo career IMO. The whole album is good but this one is just such a standout.

Sounds pretty good, they sound like one of the bands that came out of Springfield MA

Anybody in particular that you'd recommend? I'd be interested to hear some local stuff along these lines, I've been in northeastern MA for a few years but I don't know too many bands from the west of the state. Oroku was apparently originally from Kansas and wound up in Seattle.

 

[Leaviathan]

anything with Tina Guo comes to mind

I follow her a lot, exceptional. She's a big part of Hans Zimmer's touring band

 

[Leaviathan]

Pretty much all symphonic metal bands have some sort of choral and/or orchestral integration. When performed live, those parts are almost always backing tracks. It would be so awesome to have a prominent member of an orchestra as part of the band! Check out Nightwish, Kamelot, Epica, and Delain.

I follow Rob Van Der Loo, Epica's bassist, he gets killer tone with his Darkglass products

 

[TNCreature]

The New Creatures with Julia Kent from Rasputina. 1990's.

 

[LBS-bass]