Electric 5, the all-female electric string quintet from Chicago, has taken Metallica‘s “Enter Sandman” and rebuilt it from the molecular level up, creating something that sounds both familiar and completely alien.

The arrangement itself is a feat of musical engineering. Rather than simply layering strings over the original track, Electric 5 has deconstructed one of metal’s most recognizable anthems and reconstructed it entirely for their unique instrumentation: three electric violins and two electric cellos. Every grinding bass line and every harmonic layer has been meticulously crafted by hand.

At the center of this sonic storm is founder Adia, whose electric violin work transcends traditional boundaries. Armed with a custom 5-string Mark Wood electric violin and Orange Crush amps, she delivers a wah-wah pedal solo that could make any metal guitarist jealous. Her background—winner of both the Jimi Hendrix Experience Tour Judges’ Selection and the Steve Vai Best in Shred competition—shows in every note.

Their accompanying music video reinforces the performance-first philosophy. Rather than crafting an elaborate narrative, they’ve created a statement of intent: five women dressed to kill, delivering a performance that speaks for itself.

Electric 5‘s “Enter Sandman” represents more than just a successful cover; it’s a declaration that musical boundaries exist to be crossed. They’ve proven that classical training and rock sensibility can create something neither genre could achieve alone.