Getšemane – Viimaa

Release date: 2 December 2022   
Label: Svart Records  

Intro

Finnish psychoprog group Getšemane saw their start in Tampere in 2009 as a live orchestra. Originally playing for the Flamma Fire theatre collective, the quartet decided to stay together as a band after their initial shows. Building off the original compositions for the theatre, Getšemane rearranged and recorded their orchestral works into fun and funky original songs. Now a proper band, they did various gigs across Finland while writing and further enhancing their style. Then, in 2015, Getšemane offered their successful and very lively debut, the self-titled Getšemane.

Much of Getšemane‘s songs revolve around the mythos of the Kalevala, a 19th-century poetic epic deeply important to Finnish culture. In addition to being the national epic of Finland and helping to lead to Finland’s independence from Russia, the Kalevala was also the primary inspiration for J.R.R. Tolkien’s Silmarillion. That makes for a lot of historical baggage that Getšemane are more than happy to carry atop fuzzy guitar riffs. Working together equally, everyone gets a say in how each song is crafted for a full-bodied and diverse sound. Now, after a seven-year wait, Getšemane have released the long-anticipated and wildly ambitious Viimaa.

The Album

The album begins as Taustamusiikkia matelijoille breathes out sharply, Sippola’s saxophone howling over stray notes from Pesonen on the Rhodes. This warm-up intro is short-lived and bleeds immediately into Varma kuolema, an almost monotonous beat pushed along by the saxophone. Slowly, the track shifts in a blink-and-miss-it way to create different moods, Pekuri and Koivisto supplying sparse vocals. Most impressive here is Koivisto’s guitar work shifting erratically throughout, always leading the song forward.

Next up, the titular Viimaa starts with a bouncy bass beat supplied by Pekuri and warbling notes of Vuorinen on the Hammond. Every moment in this track is accounted for and filled with each person’s own flair. From Pekuri’s belted out vocals, to Koivisto’s brief and unexpected solos, to Vuorinen’s jam session in the middle, this track is a delight. After this, Raskaan sarjan viheltäjä explodes onto the scene, grabbing you and inviting you to dance hard as you can. This track is loud, fun, and incredibly well-composed, almost outdoing the excellence of Viimaa. The middle here shines when Sippola’s saxophone and Pesonen’s Rhodes paint a gentle picture before bringing the action back.

The previous two are hard to follow, but Kuilun partaalla accepts the challenge with a heavy lean on the prog angle. While a bit slow and rambling, there are some poignant moments throughout, aided by Sippola. The last track on the album, Lemminkäisen temppeli, is by far the longest at nearly 14 minutes. Very slow to start, this track heaves itself forward through a variety of styles and rhythms. Someone who leaves the room and comes back will be greeted by a completely different song practically every minute that goes by. Though not the titular track, this feels like the magnum opus of Getšemane and is a brilliant conclusion to a terrific album.

A Final Word

Fans of Gösta Berlings Saga, Papir, and SEATBELTS will find a real treat with Viimaa, from top to bottom. Getšemane are not quite jazz, a little more earthy than rock, and more casual than prog. Their music not only sounds good, but feels good, too, and should be shared with others. Whether that be through the speakers at a bar or spinning on vinyl at a party, their music all but demands as many people as possible to listen. Viimaa is a must for anyone who craves something folksy, proggy, and jazzy, and the self-titled Getšemane makes a terrific companion album.

Line up:

• Juha Pekuri (he/him) – Vocals, bass
• Sami Koivisto (he/him) – Guitars, backing vocals
• Markus Nokelainen (he/him) – Drums
• Sami Sippola (he/him) – Saxophone

Guest artists:

• Anna Pesonen (she/her) – Fender Rhodes (Taustamusiikkia matelijoille, Varma Kuolema, Raskaan sarjan viheltäjä, Lemminkäisen temppeli)
• Kusti Vuorinen (he/him) – Hammond (Viimaa, Lemminkäisen temppeli), Bells and chimes (Lemminkäisen temppeli)
• Timi Härkönen (he/him) – Congas (Viimaa)

Links:

Bandcamp
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