One of the hottest new acts in the Finnish scene that popped up during the pandemic is MERTA. Fronted by Juhis Kauppinen, they’ve proven a solid ability to write heartfelt, meaningful lyrics that are backed by a really magnificent rock/metal/pop soundscape and put on incredible, energetic shows. With two albums already under their belt from 2020 and 2021, in more recent years they’ve teased their third release with four singles. Now, on April 5th, 2024, “Virta” will be out at last via Playground Music.
So far, as mentioned, “Virta” has been teased by four singles, “Tiimalasi,” “Kaamos,” “Katso mua silmiin,” and the more recent “Harha,” which have been interesting tracks to promote the release to say the least. “Tiimalasi,” being the leading single already back in 2022, is perhaps oddest among them, as it is the album closer, being a more mellow and contemplative track with a big emotional push—generally the first single is usually a lot more energetic. That said, it’s a very interesting song, so I applaud the choice to stray from the norm. “Kaamos” [darkness, in the context of long dark winters without any sunlight] is a bit of a grungy track that leads into a softer chorus. Their use of backing music to drive the dynamics forward is always very impressive. The way Juhis dances between regular and high notes does really adds a lot of variety to their sound. Certainly, the dark parts of the song reflect its name in atmosphere. “Katso mua silmiin,” by contrast, is a somewhat brighter track with a lighter tone and sound and a very forceful, impassioned chorus, whose poppiness is dressed up wonderfully by some growls. “Harha,” the most recent, is a very melodic, soft, yet fierce and beautiful song, meaning that these singles span a good range of what MERTA have on offer on this release.
In “Mielivalta,” the second track, they do hit a bit of a heavier note than in any of the singles. Never to be predictable, the dynamic ebb and flow is one of their strong suits, going from an energetic chorus that’s flavored by some backing growls, to some strong instrumental lines, into softer verses. This is definitely an album highlight that gets me dancing around in my seat. The album’s title track, “Virta,” is a driven, forceful song—I really appreciate their use of electronic elements, which is always extremely tastefully done and is becoming a key part of what they’re known for.
“Ethän yksin jätä” is the album’s ballad, taking a nice deep breath and softening up completely, standing out for its inclusion of gentle strings in the backing music, which makes for great contrast to “Kaamos,” which follows. I’m not generally a fan of ballads, though this one works quite well, in part due to the lyrics (the title translates to “don’t leave me alone,” loosely) and feeling. Keeping their listeners on their toes, they slow things down again after “Kaamos” with a near-ballad, “Tahdon samaa,” which has a nice push and pull in its speed, toeing the line between a heavy pop song or a poppy heavy song.
“Tahto” has a rockin’, lively guitar sound and boasts excellent vocal layering, with a lot of texture added throughout (do I detect some stadium cheers scattered in there?), paired with nice guitar lines and a solid little solo. Also, shout-out to the modern lyrics for men! “Irti vihasta” is a really punchy track that kicks the energy up again a bit to suck the listeners back in, in case the tender atmosphere has lulled them too much. The lyrics are, unsurprisingly, about letting go of anger, lest one lose themself to its lethal poisons.
If the “Minä” album was a little heavier, “Virta” is a little bit less so, with the aforementioned “Tiimalasi” wrapping up the album as an excellent example of how you can have a lot of power while still keeping a gentle tone. This atmospheric track has a calm, almost ethereal feel before it clears up, yet its echoey-ness remains, alluring and ever-present. It feels like it’s winding down the album but has that fierceness that makes for a memorable conclusion.
Overall, this is an extremely solid album from start to finish, with a great deal of unique style and well-adapted flavor from the band’s influences. If you like melodic metal or heavier pop music, MERTA‘s “Virta” is a don’t-miss album for 2024!
Written by Bear Wiseman
Tracklist
- Harha
- Mielivalta
- Katso mua silmiin
- Virta
- Ethän yksin jätä
- Kaamos
- Tahdon samaa
- Tahto
- Irti vihasta
- Tiimalasi
Lineup
Juhis Kauppinen – vocals, songwriting
Kalle Niskanen – bass
Henri Nordman – drums
Tommi Helkalahti – guitars
Label
Playground Music
