MUUNTAUTUJA

Black metal is one of relatively few styles of metal that seems to mesh well with psychedelia. (Or maybe only black metal acts are disproportionately willing to dabble in it.) It makes sense how one can make that leap, since classic psych often was categorized as such primarily on its instrumental tones, and black metal often focuses on having an atmosphere that ebbs and flows fluidly with searing tremolo picking and expansive walls of guitar. Just take a look at Sigh, Hail Spirit Noir, or these guys, Finnish five-piece Oranssi Pazuzu.

Their last release, 2020's Mestarin kynsi, was a really solid release that I enjoyed a lot. Its hazy, swirling atmosphere made it a prime candidate for repeated listens, as something new always emerges from the sonic slurry. Muuntautuja sees Oranssi Pazuzu push some new boundaries, incorporating synthesizers and electronic elements to a significant degree.

Plinking synthesizers open up "Bioalkemisti", which almost feels like icy new wave and black metal had some kind of crazy love child. The rhythm is taut and straightforward, and a big synth line is the focus here, at least during the verses. The vocals are practically gurgled, and they lend the whole affair a nearly ritualistic feel.

The title track comes next, and looping synths bring some industrial flavors to the table. The vocals are processed and synthesized, and the band does an amazing job of keeping things unsettling and making the listener feel on-edge. In contrast, "Voitelu" is a raucous, pounding cut. It utilizes the preceding songs' heavy synth tones, but this clearly has much more metal DNA. Piano does a wonderful job at cutting through the thick and mucky distortion with a sharp and glimmering sound. By this song's conclusion, it's a nearly-overwhelming wall of distortion and noise that swallows up everything else.

"Hautatuuli" almost sounds like a trip-hop cut in its opening moments. A laid-back drumbeat and lightly-detuned guitars make for a low-key, if slightly anxiety-inducing, atmosphere. Things grow more oppressive across this song's runtime as more synths swell up. This piece, like many others on the album, is focused on finding a core groove and then building off of that foundation.

Following the sub-one-minute interlude "●" (I honestly don't know why it's a separate song and not just part of the intro of what follows), "Valotus" is a lurching, sludgy maelstrom. The rhythms are swirling and disorienting, and the harsher, industrial-style synths integrate into Oranssi Pazuzu's sound perfectly. Embellishments of piano help to break things up, alleviating any potential fatigue from the nonstop auditory onslaught. This song's climax, though, is the noisiest, most cacophonous passage yet on the album.

"Ikikäärme" gives us something of a reprieve, with delicate piano and a froggy, throbbing synthesizer in its opening. The drumming again lends this something of a trip-hop feel. This song's uneasy mood makes it sound like the soundtrack to a tense, artsy film. As this piece progresses, though, more metal sneaks its way in until it finally erupts into a crashing tsunami of distorted bass, screeched vocals, and thumping percussion.

Muuntautuja closes on "Vierivä usva". The focus here is once more on atmosphere, with distorted bass echoing and fluid synthesizer tones sliding around. It's a fitting conclusion.

Oranssi Pazuzu have knocked it out of the park again on their new album. In addition to their usual base (insofar as they even have a "usual") of psychedelic black metal, they blended in elements of industrial and trip-hop. It makes for an intoxicating blend of blistering aggression and subdued anxiety. If you're looking for something moody, exciting, and unique, this is an excellent choice.

Review originally published here: theeliteextremophile.com/2024/11/11/album-review-oranssi-pazuzu-muuntautuja/