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Oranssi Pazuzu - Kosmonument review




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Reviewer:
8.6

137 users:
7.74
Band: Oranssi Pazuzu
Album: Kosmonument
Release date: October 2011


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."

Guest review by
Auntie Sahar
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 ››
published 24.01.2012 | Comments (3)


Comments page 2 / 2

Comments: 44   Visited by: 237 users
02.12.2011 - 03:27
Rating: 8
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Written by Troy Killjoy on 02.12.2011 at 03:25
But that doesn't immediately equate to a decrease in the accessibility department.


*sigh' Of course not Troy... I'm just talking about people who aren't really into black. If I had to present both albums to someone who isn't too keen on black metal I'll bet my house they'll find the debut easier to digest as I already tried with some folks.

There's nothing challenging about the debut to me, this one with far more ambient and therefore more abstract sounds just check the last song, not many will care about it if they aren't already into ambient... Still not really challenging but like I said before (maybe I should have said that earlier), on a n00b-level, this is less accessible than the debut.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass
Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.
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02.12.2011 - 03:30
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Written by X-Ray Rod on 02.12.2011 at 03:27
Still not really challenging but like I said before (maybe I should have said that earlier), on a n00b-level, this is less accessible than the debut.

Nope, I totally get what you're saying. I think I see this as easier to get into because personally I find ambient black metal easy to get into.

On the whole, ya I'd probably agree that the debut probably has more "mass appeal" than this one.
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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02.12.2011 - 03:32
Rating: 8
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Written by Troy Killjoy on 02.12.2011 at 03:30
"mass appeal"


Yeah, that was the word I should have used in the beginning. Fucking languages how do they work?!
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass
Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.
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02.12.2011 - 12:01
Merchant of Doom

I loved their debut... I will give this one a go too!
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02.12.2011 - 20:28
Rating: 7
Czerny Reiter

I found the debut superior but have come to warm up to this release since I first got it. This one has a slightly more opressive atmosphere whereas the previous one was light and flightier (or "fun", if you will). Will have to continue listening to better form an opinion, but I encourage you all to check their half of the 2010 split, I love the guitar-heavy theme of those tracks.
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02.12.2011 - 21:21
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Written by Czerny Reiter on 02.12.2011 at 20:28
I encourage you all to check their half of the 2010 split...

With Candy Cane? That's a total mindfuck of a split.
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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03.12.2011 - 15:36
Rating: 9
R'Vannith
ghedengi
Written by X-Ray Rod on 02.12.2011 at 03:27

Written by Troy Killjoy on 02.12.2011 at 03:25
But that doesn't immediately equate to a decrease in the accessibility department.


*sigh' Of course not Troy... I'm just talking about people who aren't really into black. If I had to present both albums to someone who isn't too keen on black metal I'll bet my house they'll find the debut easier to digest as I already tried with some folks.


I actually found this one more accessible (save for the first half of that 'Uusi olento nousee' track) but that might be because I've heard their debut. I suppose if you're at least slightly familiar with some form of psychedelic music you might find this more 'easy going' than other Black metal.
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03.12.2011 - 15:40
Rating: 8
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Written by R'Vannith on 03.12.2011 at 15:36
I actually found this one more accessible (save for the first half of that 'Uusi olento nousee' track) but that might be because I've heard their debut.


I own their debut.
I'm comparing albums on a more massive scale. This album has a harsher sound and more emphasis on ambient which a lot of people would find hard to digest specially comparing it to the debut which is a more "chill-out" record. I'm not talking about personal experience as I love both cds. Just commenting of how I've seen people not much into BM commenting on both albums where the debut got better comments.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass
Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.
Loading...
03.12.2011 - 15:45
Rating: 9
R'Vannith
ghedengi
Written by X-Ray Rod on 03.12.2011 at 15:40

Written by R'Vannith on 03.12.2011 at 15:36
I actually found this one more accessible (save for the first half of that 'Uusi olento nousee' track) but that might be because I've heard their debut.


I own their debut.
I'm comparing albums on a more massive scale. This album has a harsher sound and more emphasis on ambient which a lot of people would find hard to digest specially comparing it to the debut which is a more "chill-out" record. I'm not talking about personal experience as I love both cds. Just commenting of how I've seen people not much into BM commenting on both albums where the debut got better comments.


Ah I see what you mean, I agree about the description of their first album as 'chill-out'. There is a bit of that here too but this one's definitely more demanding on the old attention span. Not sure I'd say it's harsher though.
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03.12.2011 - 16:25
Rating: 8
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Written by R'Vannith on 03.12.2011 at 15:45
Not sure I'd say it's harsher though.


Yeah, you're right on that. I'm using the term "harsh" in the most mainstream meaning possible which shouldn't really apply with you discuss black metal I guess I talked just about ONE song (Uusi Olento Nousee, which I find it hard to get into for some reason) on the whole album so the arguments gets lost there.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass
Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.
Loading...
03.12.2011 - 17:00
Rating: 9
R'Vannith
ghedengi
Written by X-Ray Rod on 03.12.2011 at 16:25

Written by R'Vannith on 03.12.2011 at 15:45
Not sure I'd say it's harsher though.


Yeah, you're right on that. I'm using the term "harsh" in the most mainstream meaning possible which shouldn't really apply with you discuss black metal I guess I talked just about ONE song (Uusi Olento Nousee, which I find it hard to get into for some reason) on the whole album so the arguments gets lost there.


Same here with that track, although it's the first 2 minutes or so I find difficult to digest. It's got that sound I've encountered elsewhere from Black metal that I just can't enjoy, kind of just leaves me blank.
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04.12.2011 - 04:40
Frank Sinistra

This is good but i prefer muukulainen puhuu (is it correct?) than this
my personal opinion is this record is easier to digest than their previous effort, but it didn't manage to impress me the way their last effort did
but still a good enough album to listen to
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04.12.2011 - 18:15
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Nice review, these guys have definitely become one of the newer bands I've been keeping a close eye on. Very unique and distinct sound, me likey
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I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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18.07.2012 - 19:10
Boxcar Willy
yr a kook
Cool stuff, Need to finish the whole thing though.
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14:22 - Marcel Hubregtse
I do your mum

DESTROY DRUM TRIGGERS
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