During SLAYER's recent "Unholy Alliance" tour stop in Helsinki, Finland, the group's drummer Dave Lombardo took part in a recording session with Finnish cello-rockers APOCALYPTICA for their upcoming album, tentatively due in early 2007.

Lombardo's appearance on the new APOCALYPTICA CD will mark the third time he has played on an APOCALYPTICA album, having previously performed on 2003's "Reflections" and then again on 2005's "Apocalyptica".

"Many bands have asked me to play on their records but I prefer groups who have some really original and even strange ideas," Lombardo told Finnish journalist Timo Isoaho back in 2004. "APOCALYPTICA's concept is pretty unusual and I was flattered when Eicca (APOCALYPTICA) asked me to guest on [the song 'Betrayal/Forgiveness', which appears on 'Apocalyptica']."

APOCALYPTICA and Lombardo have known each other since 1998 when Lombardo played the "Mandatory Suicide"/"South of Heaven" medley with APOCALYPTICA at Holland's Headbanger's Heaven festival.

"We liked each other from the beginning and Dave told us to call him if we ever needed a drummer [for a recording session]," Eicca explained in 2004.