MUUNTAUTUJA

Confirming a personal observation that the progressive aura thrives among the heavier ends of the musical spectrum in the decade of the 2020s, one could hardly remain unintrigued by the excellent sixth studio album of Finnish black metal band Oranssi Pazuzu. 'Muuntautaja' (or 'Shapeshifter') is a daringly haunting musical odyssey that can only be seen as genre-defying as the band utilizes a variety of sound manipulation techniques and effects that cover the music with a thick, dense layer of claustrophobic darkness, imbued within the cold, industrial sounds, massive washes of heavy guitars, and vibrant electronic influences among which you may also hear some trip hop-inspired parts, topped by the traditional black metal vocals, which for Oranssi Pazuzu come off as quite befitting the eclectic sound of their music.

It is worth mentioning how psychedelic the band's music can get, and this very album is a great example of this tendency, especially the second half. Opening track 'Bioalkemisti' is a powerful composition that builds up gradually as the main riff is surrounded by a rich and textured frame of sound, within which one can catch glimpses of a mellotron as well as various synth effects. This is followed by the otherworldly title track and its dramatic stylistic shift as we see the introduction of industrial sounds that could have fitted some of the best Nine Inch Nails recordings. The processing of vocals and several sound effects add a gritty sense of horror to the music, a dimension that was definitely sought after and has been realized flawlessly. The psychedelic and distorted exercises continue on 'Voitelu', while 'Hautatuuli' bring back the cold industrial flair. 'Valotus' reminisces the soundtrack of a horror movie quite solemnly, followed by the 10-minute "slow storm build-up" track 'Ikikäärme', quite a dark excursion into the musical world of Oranssi Pazuzu, this piece definitely acts as an amalgamation of all previous influences heard on the album. The closing track is an ambient-adjacent instrumental.

'Muuntautaja' is definitely a record unlike any other one released by a contemporary metal band, a fantastic trip into a dark world of distorted and unusual sounds that eventually attempt to replicate the hidden corners of our world - imagine a psychedelic-industrial version of Ihsahn.

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