Watch Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” Covered Note-for-Note by Violin and Cello Duo

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Metallica’s music has been interpreted by classical composers before—witness the work of Apocalyptica, among others—but a Canadian violin-and-cello duo recently put a new spin on the group’s 1991 hit “Enter Sandman.”

Violinist Terence Tam and cellist Brian Yoon turned a Handel Passacaglia—a musical form that originated in Spain in the early 17th century—into a unique interpretation of Metallica’s track, complete with recreations of Kirk Hammett’s guitar solo.

The performance was the encore to a presentation of Brahms’ Double Concerto with the Victoria Symphony, on February 29, 2016, at the Royal Theatre in Victoria, Canada.

“I’d like to make a disclaimer,” Tam says at the beginning. “This is all his idea,” he notes, pointing at Yoon.

As Tam plays, Yoon puts on a black fright wig, to the amusement of the audience. Tam gets his own back toward the end.

Take a look.

Christopher Scapelliti
Christopher Scapelliti

Christopher Scapelliti is editor-in-chief of Guitar Player magazine, the world’s longest-running guitar magazine, founded in 1967. In his extensive career, he has authored in-depth interviews with such guitarists as Pete Townshend, Slash, Billy Corgan, Jack White, Elvis Costello and Todd Rundgren, and audio professionals including Beatles engineers Geoff Emerick and Ken Scott. He is the co-author of Guitar Aficionado: The Collections: The Most Famous, Rare, and Valuable Guitars in the World, a founding editor of Guitar Aficionado magazine, and a former editor with Guitar World, Guitar for the Practicing Musician and Maximum Guitar. Apart from guitars, he maintains a collection of more than 30 vintage analog synthesizers.