Metallica Has Never Sounded So Peaceful

Meet Harptallica, a female twosome that replaces James Hetfield’s anger-ridden vocals and Lars Ulrich’s bone-rattling drumming with…harps. Ashley Toman and Patricia Kline, two young harpists from Louisiana, convert Metallica’s head banging classics into angelic and tranquil musical arrangements. The Harp Metal tribute evolved from Toman’s grad school project in which she experimented with new representations of Metallica’s “Fade to Black.”

If a Metallica string tribute sounds familiar, you may be thinking of Apocalyptica, a four piece cello ensemble that recreated eight Metallica songs in 1996.

Below is Harptallica’s performance of “The Unforgiven.”

The Southern duo will be lugging their large harps around America when they kick off their Harptallica tour this fall. Dates are under the cut.

8/30	Baton Rouge, LA	The Northgate Tavern
9/3	Shreveport, LA	Jackrabbit Lounge
9/4	Oklaholma City, OK	The Conservatory
9/5	Lincoln, NE	Knickerbockers
9/6	Omaha, NE	Saddle Creek Bar
9/9	St Louis, MO	Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center
9/10	St Louis, MO	The Underground
9/12	Memphis, TN	The Rally Point
9/15	Virgina Beach, VA	Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
9/17	Allegan, MI	Ground Sphere
9/18	Ypsilanti, MI	Eastern Michigan University
9/19	Cleveland, OH	Case Western Reserve University
9/20	New York, NY	The Knitting Factory
9/23	Trenton, NJ	449 Room
9/24	Arlington, VA	Iota Club and Cafe
9/26	Charlotte, NC	The Milestone
9/27	Chapel Hill, NC	The Blend
9/28	Charleston, SC	Cumberland’s
9/29	Columbia, SC	The Hunter Gatherer
9/30	Atlanta, GA	10 High
10/3	Auburn, AL	Roosters Rhythm and Brews
10/5	Austin, TX	Elysium