Getsemani comes across as being both familiar and fresh. At once you’ll recognize elements that are becoming more and more familiar in Underground Metal: soprano vocals, flutes, classical guitar, cello, piano, keyboards, etc. The electric guitars are very heavy and play a clear-cut Black Metal style very reminiscent of Old Man’s Child or Dimmu Borgir, and Roby Sora’s vocals are definitely a Black Metal screech. However, there is so much finesse and style in this music that it deserves a closer look. For one thing, the keyboard style is very baroque and reminds one often of Bach. This is further served by the lively flute—as opposed to Paramaecium’s dirge-like flute. Many musical comparisons suggest themselves: Schaliach, Amorphis, Old Man’s Child, etc. There is also a very clear structure to the songs that display an understanding of musical composition, not riff-splicing. All in all, the 9 songs represented on these two discs are an incredible display of musical finesse and raw power tastefully done. It should be noted that “Dreaming to Fly” is a re-issue and has an added 5th track, “In Chains” not available on the original. I should also say that the only real weakness with this first CD-R is that the drums are programmed and in the first song sound a little awkward. On the second album, “Under the Light”, the drum machines are very good and the music excels the first release. I think an apt title for this style of music should either be Baroque Metal or Renaissance Metal. Leonardo Da Vinci would be proud.
