Finnish psychedelic black metal masters ORANSSI PAZUZU return with maybe their most ambitious and grandest release to date. Following their cataclysmic 2016 album, “Värähtelijä,” the great wind demon spreads its wings with a brand new album full of sonic terror and cosmic horror.
“Mestarin Kynsi” sees the band doing what they have been known to do from one album to the other – the careful creation of scary and hypnotizing soundscapes. Unlike your typical post-metal acts or psychedelic rock bands of the 70s, ORANSSI PAZUZU creates soundscapes out of pure cosmic horror in the style of H.P. Lovecraft. You can practically see the ancient classics while you listen to the record.
Album opener “Ilmestys” [“Revelation”] is based on a repeating and dissonant acoustic guitar riff, which is overlayed with different synthesizers, skeletal drums, and creepy voice ostinatos. Jun-His bursts out his gnarly and visceral gutturals that almost resemble Tuvan throat singing, with the exception that he sounds like he is literally being possessed by the demon from “The Exorcist.” Finally, the band explodes in a whirlwind of distorted guitars and synthesizers while the drums slash and beat vigorously.
Songs like “Tyhjyyden Sakramentti,” “Oikeamielisten Sali,” and “Kuulen ääniä maan altar” see the band combining the krautrock of CAN with the harsh black metal of DARKTHRONE and a dash of TANGERINE DREAM. One of the absolute standalone tracks is definitely the single release, “Uusi teknokratia,” where the band fuses their mix of dusty psychedelic rock and black metal with influences from 20th century experimental and minimalist composers such as Steve Reich and Olivier Messiaen. What an absolutely intriguing, mesmerizing, and horrifying piece.
“Mestarin Kynsi” is a feat that not many metal bands can achieve. ORANSSI PAZUZU manages to blend some of the most terrifying soundscapes that metal music – or music in general – has ever seen. The album is like a black hole from another dimension that sucks you in. It’s like the Black Lodge from “Twin Peaks” mixed with the eeriness of the “Twilight Zone.” “Mestarin Kynsi” is one of the best Finnish metal albums ever recorded and truly a masterpiece worthy of praise.
Tracklist
- Ilmestys
- Tyhjyyden sakramentti
- Uusi teknokratia
- Oikeamielisten sali
- Kuulen ääniä maan alta
- Taivaan portti
Lineup
Jun-His – Vocals, guitar
Ikon – Guitar
Ontto – Bass
Korjak – Drums
EviL – Synthesizer
Label
Nuclear Blast
Links
www.oranssipazuzu.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/oranssipazuzu
www.instagram.com/oranssipazuzu
www.nuclearblast.de/oranssipazuzu
