Review ORANSSI PAZUZU “Muuntautuj”

Not only because of their band name Oranssi Pazuzu are one of the more unconventional representatives of contemporary metal. Founded in 2007, the Finns released their debut album “Muukalainen puhuu” in 2009 and have released four more longplayers since then.

With “Muuntautuja” a new album of the Finnish extreme metal force will hit the shelves in a few days and what the latest effort offers is another wild mix of blackened music that doesn’t unfold easily.

The five-piece from the northern parts of Europe have created a seven-song tracklist with music that takes a while to show its inner strength. Upon first listening, songs like the nine-minute epic “Ikikäärme” create a feeling of unease and disquiet. The song begins with a dystopian intro, and the moment the vocals come in, things get even more intense. It feels like being caught in a fever dream with no chance of waking up soon. It’s an oppressive trip with a hypnotic vibe. Despite the uncomfortable feeling, the song, being a showcase for the album, makes you curious about what comes next. “Ikikäärme” builds slowly and develops into a raging metal track with black metal references. The latter is mainly due to the hoarse vocals that help the music to spread the evil atmosphere of “Muuntautuj”.

“Muuntautuja” strengthens Oranssi Pazuzu’s postions in a self-created niche where blackened metal and a psychedelic expression collide, leading to music that is far away from the musical mainstream. The latest effort from the band is more of an ear and mind challenging kaleidoscope which will find its friends in the diverse metal universe.