Sielun Veljet

Sielun Veljet, whose name translates to "Brothers of Soul," ranked among the most impactful post-punk acts of the 1980s. Singer and guitarist Ismo Alanko teamed with lead guitarist Jukka Orma in 1983 to launch the group from the ashes of the prominent new wave ensemble Hassisen Kone, rendered in English as "Hassinen's Machine." Between 1979 and 1983 the latter unit had advanced rapidly from melodic three-chord punk toward rock marked by progressive leanings. When concert crowds began insisting solely on the early hits, however, Hassisen Kone chose to dissolve, allowing Sielun Veljet to emerge soon after.

Alanko and Orma assembled a rhythm section so the new songs could be performed live. Percussionist Alf Forsman had already backed numerous superstars of Finnish music throughout the 1970s, whereas bassist Jouko Hohko arrived as a relative newcomer. Lighting technician Hannu Viholainen also joined the lineup. The resulting sound proved intense, propulsive, and funky, rendering the live shows legendary. Although the musicians initially had no plans to record, that stance soon changed.

Hassisen Kone devotees reacted with shock and dismay to the more aggressive style of SV. Whereas the prior material had remained radio-friendly even amid Alanko’s sarcastic and vivid language, the fresh compositions evoked war chants and incantations far more than standard pop structures. An early single, “Emil Zatopek” (1983), appeared during this period. Alanko had described Czech long-distance runner Zatopek as a group idol whose running the band sought to mirror musically, and despite SV’s reputation for audience pranks the account carries genuine weight: the songs’ pace, concentrated intensity, and repetitive frameworks parallel the exertions of athletes striving for victory.

Within its debut year Sielun Veljet issued a self-titled three-sided live album featuring keyboardist Jouni Mömmö, who would later front the cult band Mana Mana. The record earned some critical praise yet moved few copies. Follow-up EP Lapset (“Children,” 1983) likewise failed to lift sales. Hei Soturit (“Hey Warriors,” 1984) proved more accessible and drew stronger notices, though commercial results remained modest.

Breakthrough arrived with the fourth album, L’Amourha (“L’Amourder,” 1985). Retaining the stark, aggressive approach of earlier work, the release benefited from relentless touring, mounting media exposure, and radio play to become a major success that placed SV firmly in the public eye. The next effort, Kuka Teki Huorin (“Who Whored Himself,” 1986), matched that popularity while sustaining artistic quality; its tracks balanced melody with muscular drive, and Alanko’s lyrics combined insight with poetic force. At this stage the band operated with the tightness of the early Red Hot Chili Peppers, while its signature haunting—often acoustic—ballads summoned the finest qualities of Nick Cave.

Having secured Finland, Sielun Veljet looked abroad. Adopting the more export-friendly moniker L’Amourder, the group recorded English-language versions for the album Shit-Hot (1987), its sole release under that name. The record stands as a strong artistic achievement, and the band toured Europe in support. Russia, then emerging from Cold War isolation, permitted L’Amourder/Sielun Veljet to perform inside its borders; those concerts met with enormous enthusiasm, highlighted by an explosive reading of Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind.”

The subsequent, more acoustic Finnish-language album Suomi-Finland (1988) preceded the unexpected Softwood Music Under Slow Pillars (1989), issued for a German label. Acoustic and laced with humorous mysticism, the set marked an artistic peak yet sold poorly. The band soon disbanded, issuing the three-CD rarities collection Musta laatikko (“The Black Box”) and the documentary film Veljet in 1991. Its vitality, lyrical and musical range, and steadfast commitment to its own vision regardless of public response have shaped and inspired countless Finnish musicians and artists.

Ismo Alanko launched a thriving solo career after the breakup. Jukka Orma has since recorded with Blues Section and Wigwam founding member Jim Pembroke as well as many other notable figures, while continuing as a producer and session musician.

In 2007 the collection Otteita Tuomari Nurmion Laulukirjasta (“Outtakes from the Song Book of Tuomari Nurmio”), consisting largely of previously unreleased covers of Tuomari Nurmio songs, surfaced and was issued. Following the path of “Emil Zatopek,” Sielun Veljet finally reached first place—albeit on the album charts—some fifteen years after disbanding.