Oranssi Pazuzu - Kosmonument review
| Band: | Oranssi Pazuzu |
| Album: | Kosmonument |
| Style: | Psychedelic black metal |
| Release date: | October 26, 2011 |
| A review by: | KwonVerge |
01. Sienipilvi [feat. Marko Neuman]
02. Komeetta
03. Uusi Olento Nousee [feat. Marko Neuman]
04. Luhistuva Aikahäkki
05. Maavaltimo
06. Siirtorata 100 10100
07. Andromeda
08. Loputon Tuntematon
09. Kaaos Hallitsee
10. ∞
Oranssi Pazuzu's debut work - Muukalainen Puhuu - appeared like a vibrating constellation of paranormal activities in the northern sky. All of a sudden a cosmic assault of psychedelic and obscure black metal soundscapes started flickering and dispersing their otherworldly essence all over the place. It's nothing new anymore that the demons have invaded space and conquered it. That's what Oranssi Pazuzu's first attempt was; what their second album - Kosmonument - pushes for has to be the establishment and colonization of the previous effort's legacy.
If you're familiar with Muukalainen Puhuu then you know what to expect, although in the case of such weird bands sometimes you really don't know what will follow. In their case though they start from where their 2009 album ended, with one difference: they expand their personal experimentation territory even more by taking their sound to a new level. On one hand the post-ritual aesthetic ("Sienipilvi"), the mechanical repetitive undertones, the emerging psychedelic pulses ("Andromeda" - isn't it like a space trip in the aforementioned valley of stars?) through the effects, the echo, the keyboards ("Siirtorata 100 10100", "∞"), the guitar injections or even the hypnotizing bass lines ("Luhistuva Aikahäkki") deliver a comatose psychosis vibe. On the other hand, the aforementioned core of hypnotizing madness bursts into a gentle yet nauseating whirlwind of intensity ("Komeetta") either with a more massive sound perspective and an ominous vibe ("Uusi Olento Nousse", "Loputon Tuntematon") or with a more distracting psychedelic aspect ("Maavaltimo", "Kaaos Hallitsee"). It's not that instrumental though, whenever required Juho's rasping boiling edge gets infused in the overall outcome as if he was transmitting unintelligible threatening messages from a long lost lunar station.
Something I deeply enjoyed has to be the repetition of musical meters and ideas. It's like a sound warren into the continuum. Not only do you dive deeper into the band's visions, but you also encounter a tricky sound version of a labyrinth. Although it might seem as if you've been doing circles around the same corner for some time now, there's this kind of magic that won't let your interest fade. On the contrary, you're being entangled into the cosmic web of interstellar waves that after a few spins in a row seems like Kosmonument has anchored somehow into your subconscious world. It truly is background music; and at the same time it isn't.
If you find comfort into non-compromising black metal soundscapes and Muukalainen Puhuu hasn't crossed your way so far, then Kosmonument will oddly invade your privacy. Hallucinating and nightmarish at the same time, it intends to lull you in an unfriendly environment without fear, but with passion.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 9 |
| Songwriting: | 8 |
| Originality: | 9 |
| Production: | 9 |
 | Written on 30.11.2011 by "It is myself I have never met, whose face is pasted on the underside of my mind." |
Rating:
9.5
9.5
|
Rating: 9.5 |
Ya know how sometimes people jokingly refer to Enslaved as "the Pink Floyd of black metal?" Well if Enslaved are the godfathers of this modern fusion of black metal with progressive underpinnings, then Oranssi Pazuzu took the whole idea and completely threw it out the window. In 2009, this little-known Finnish band appeared like a Close Encounter Of The Third Kind with their debut Muukalainen Puhuu, an album praised for its unique sound and originality. And here they are again, returning from the outer regions of the Andromeda Galaxy with 2011's follow-up, Kosmonument. But what exactly is Kosmonument, anyway? Is it psychedelic music? Is it black metal? Is it both? Or is it neither? The truth is, endeavoring an answer to any of these questions is pretty useless, because, quite simply, there aren't any. But then, that's part of the beauty that is Oranssi Pazuzu: the more you try to understand their music, the less you do, and vice versa. It's best to just surrender to the ethereal nature of this album, and let it take you over. Read more ›› |
Comments
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Comments: 44
Visited by: 240 users
| malaikat Posts: 405  |
I'm so glad this got a high rating. Definitely an out-of-the-box band if I ever heard one. And what's more, I still can not comprehand that they are from Finnland! Finnish metal was always too melodic for my tastes (even blac/death, to my ears at least), so at first I figured these guys were from Norway. Or that hellish dimension from "Event Horizon", that sounds about right.
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306  |
Written by malaikat on 30.11.2011 at 17:16 You should go listen to Horna.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| malaikat Posts: 405 |
Written by Troy Killjoy on 30.11.2011 at 17:23 Never heard of them, to be honest. Will check them out, sir 
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071  |
Written by Troy Killjoy on 30.11.2011 at 17:23 I would suggest Clandestine Blaze and Satanic Warmaster which are both superior to Horna.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996 
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306 |
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 30.11.2011 at 18:59 They work just as well (especially SW), I just wanted to point out not all Finnish metal is watered down melodic stuff. 
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| BitterCOld The Ancient One Admin Posts: 15303  |
I can't wait to hear this. it's been out a month... and it is still another 3 weeks or so before it lands in the New World...
---- get the fuck off my lawn. Beer Bug Virus Spotify Playlist crafted by Nikarg and I. Feel free to tune in and add some pertinent metal tunes!
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071 |
Written by Troy Killjoy on 30.11.2011 at 19:07 ha okay, sorry for misunderstanding
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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| Unhealer Eclecticist Posts: 2311  |
I've listening to this since it came out, excellent album. I love all the groove & psycho holding hands with black metal, it's so damn fun. And thank god they sing in their native language, I like that. This also led me to check their previous effort, I liked that one even better.
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| Slayer666 Posts: 2466  |
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 30.11.2011 at 18:59 Beherit, much? Specially the early stuff, which bears some slight resemblance to this album.
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| !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted |
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071 |
Written by [user id=4365] on 01.12.2011 at 03:02 Yes, they are generic, but so are Horna. But at least Satanic Warhamster and Clandestine Blaze are better and far superior in what they do than Horna.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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| !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted |
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071 |
Written by [user id=4365] on 01.12.2011 at 03:32 coming from someone who immensely enjoyed Clandestine Blaze not too long ago 
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071 |
Written by [user id=4365] on 01.12.2011 at 03:36 I remember talking to you about them and you liking Church Of Atrocity and Deliverers Of Faith although you fiound those generic you did enjoy them.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306 |
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 01.12.2011 at 03:39 On topic! ]<
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted |
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071 |
Written by Troy Killjoy on 01.12.2011 at 03:40 Saw that one coming from miles away  Okay Oranssi Pazuzu a fun band but that's it.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071 |
Written by [user id=4365] on 01.12.2011 at 03:42 Okay, DSO is not his project but he is part of it. Don't you like Stabat Mater and Fleshpress? But of course supposed to talk about the okay OP
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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| !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted |
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 01.12.2011 at 03:44 Haha, you remember imaginary conversations we had but you don't remember real ones we did have. Go check the Stabat Mater album thread for how I feel about Aspa and his bands ;] and yeah DsO would be just as great if he wasn't part of the band.
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| Slinky666 Account deleted |
Slinky666
Account deleted
In my opinion, this album sounds like a try-out but some like it so I won't say more. 
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306 |
Written by [user id=123761] on 01.12.2011 at 06:17 What do you mean by that? You think it sounds like a demo?
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| Mikyz Posts: 711  |
In the same vein as their last album but somewhat less accessible. I prefer their last album but this one is great as well, it has some kind of a drone feel, there's a lot of repetition of the same guitar lines. Good review, describes the album very well.
---- Laugh and the world laughs with you. Weep and you weep alone.
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Staff Posts: 18439  |
Written by Mikyz on 01.12.2011 at 15:12 Lol que? Anyway: I really liked this album... Less accesible but at it's also because they dared to do other things which resulted in some very interesting moments.. Just as good as the first album imo. it's just kind of sad that the last track is just one long ambient track.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| IronAngel Posts: 4888  |
I didn't think this was less accessible than the debut. The production was more pleasant, and this had a certain laid-back, hypnotic groove that appealed to me. Repetition is my thing, and Kosmonument is somehow warm and comforting. Like a black metal lullaby, to be honest!
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306 |
Written by IronAngel on 02.12.2011 at 02:52 Agreed. I actually found its hypnotic psychedelic funk factor much more inviting. It's almost got a warm/fuzzy feel to it.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Staff Posts: 18439 |
Written by IronAngel on 02.12.2011 at 02:52 My comments goes to the fact that this album features far more ambient influences (there's two track of just ambient stuff... either you like them or you don't) and the moments of full black metal tracks are definitely more intense than the debut which was clearly a more "fun" record. Repetition is also a factor that some people don't appreciate that much, I myself love it but it's obvious that this album is more repetitive than the debut, therefore harder to get into for someone new to it. There are far more people not into repetition in music than those who are into it.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306 |
Written by X-Ray Rod on 02.12.2011 at 03:17 Disagree. I actually think the opposite, with this album being the "fun" album and the debut being more abstract and challenging. Both of them have their pros and cons and are obviously similar, but the subtle differences make for pleasant disagreements such as this. I'd say that's the mark of a band doing a good job of keeping it fresh and interesting.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Staff Posts: 18439 |
Written by Troy Killjoy on 02.12.2011 at 03:20 It goes under the definition of fun obviously but it goes without saying that a track like Uusi Olento Nousee is FAR more agressive than any track from the debut.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306 |
Written by X-Ray Rod on 02.12.2011 at 03:22 Aggressive, sure. But that doesn't immediately equate to a decrease in the accessibility department. At least not for me. I mean, I consider a lot of raw black metal easy to get into and that is usually far more aggressive stuff than say, melodic atmospheric stuff like Sun of the Blind or Darkspace.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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