Review
Oranssi Pazuzu
Valonielu

Oranssi Pazuzu are claiming to be coming from Finland… truth is that a more likely point of origin for this band is outer space. Even their name has an intriguing story behind it, with the band taking the word “Oranssi”, which means orange, as a reference to the first light rays in the big bang, and following with the name “Pazuzu,” coming straight from the Assyrian and Babylonian mythology in which it is the name of the king of the demons of the wind. Even though it might appear to some as a stretch to come up with a name like that, the band sends a clear message as to what their musical identity is. Part psychedelic and space rock (Oranssi) and part extreme and black metal (Pazuzu.)

The band has previously released two full-length, their debut album, Muukalainen Puhuu, and their sophomore record,Kosmonument. As excellent as these two albums might have been, it is within Valonielu where Oranssi Pazuzu truly show all of their potential. The band’s vision might be remaining the same, but they explore even further, conjuring sounds beyond the dark corners of space and mind. The music is intoxicating, not letting you go until Valonielu has reached its bitter end. From the very beginning, Oranssi Pazuzu are constructing their intriguing soundscapes, as if they were constructing immense red towers of sound.

The opening track of the album, “Vino Verso” is immediately transporting you into the band’s unreal world. With Oranssi Pazuzu utilizing their repetitive structures as a solid sonic background on top of which they are allowed to experiment without any limitations. Their abstract sonic themes are unfolding, distorting reality into an unearthly altered dimension, aided by the brilliant use of synths and effects. A dystopian setting where time seems to be melting while the human memory is trying to endure. The disorientation hits hard when “Tyhja Tempelli” and its unreal bass lines come through. The melodic leads from the guitars and the effects pop out of the structure of the song, and as if as they had a will of their own are trying to suffocate the life out of you and crush your very essence. The way that Oranssi Pazuzu can stretch the song in order to create an astonishing level of tension upon the listener is awe-inspiring.

But it is not until when “Uraanisula” comes along, spanning over twelve minutes, where you see the full extent that this band can actually go to. The peaceful melodies at the beginning of the song give a few precious moments of serenity, which of course are then crushed like insects when the heavy riffs come in. The contrast that the band can create between their melodic side and their heavy self is disturbing. And that is when you start to realize that this album has stretched past its dystopian nature. Oranssi Pazuzu have gone beyond the realms of psychedelia and into the domain of surrealism. The metamorphosis of the song itself is beyond the edges of logic, with the track going into a state of pandemonium as the swirling vortex of chaos is brought into view to test your own sanity near the end.

The journey through the abstract, surrealistic dominion of the Finns continues with “Reika Maisemassa” with the percussion setting the tone while the synths and effects are painting the background in psychedelic colors. Even though the track acts more as an interlude, it offers some of the most sonically interesting moments of the album and it ties in perfectly with the waves of destruction that soon come, in the form of “Olen Aukaissut Uuden Silman.” That is also when Oranssi Pazuzu come in touch with their innermost black metal nature, picking up the pace and unleashing a true storm of sickening riffs and devastating drumming, bombarding you, while the keyboards are adding extra sonic textures to the song, shaping additional soundscapes of surrealism.

And when you think that they are done, finished, that they have showed you all they got, Oranssi Pazuzu are giving you their finest moment. “Ympyra On Viiva Tomussa” is the fifteen minute long opus of Valonielu. Being build up slowly for the first six minutes, the song is suddenly taking off in an absolute eruption of energy that is terraforming the whole musical spectrum of the track. The dreamlike setting that the band has crafted is still present accompanying you constantly, while the sound is steadily becoming more and more aggressive, promising a forthcoming moment of shattering fate. And all that while the effects are creating a warp that seems to be sucking up the very essence of existence. The track keeps evolving, switching from soothing parts to heavy moments and reaches its true majestic form in the few last minutes. 

Oranssi Pazuzu, with their third album, basically show what a unique band they are. Just when you think that you get what they are doing and how they are bending sounds to their will, they transcend your expectations, revealing that it is actually your consciousness and logic that is bending. Psychedelic music, black metal, space rock and experimental music, all are put through the sonic kaleidoscope that is Valonielu. The effect is imminent and this album is inescapable.