October 11, 2013

Oranssi Pazuzu - Valonielu

By Ulla Roschat. Oranssi is the Finnish word for ‘orange’, Pazuzu is an Assyrian/Babylonian evil demon who personifies the chilling winds bringing fever and disease…., or the colorful psychedelic space rock and
By Ulla Roschat.

Cover art by Costin Chioreanu

Oranssi is the Finnish word for ‘orange’, Pazuzu is an Assyrian/Babylonian evil demon who personifies the chilling winds bringing fever and disease…., or the colorful psychedelic space rock and the cold, dark, bleak black metal which are the main and most dominant musical styles Oranssi Pazuzu use in their music to create an atmospheric soundscape that is pretty unique…, no not pretty..., it is unique!

Two mood settings that are millions of miles apart from one another, one should think, but once again and more convincing than ever the five Finns show us that they not only get on well together, but that they can create completely new atmospheres and pictures. Already their first two albums Muukalainen Puhuu (2009) and Kosmonument (2011) had been intriguing and well done attempts. Valonielu now appears like a huge step the band made in their development, but also sheds a different light upon both earlier releases.

Photo by Jo T.

Like two (or more) diafilm photographs, one in a broad range of colors, the other one in black, white and gray, laid on top of each other in varying extent and positions can show us different pictures and pieces of reality that would remain hidden, when we looked at each photo separately, Valonielu seems to work with different styles and elements. Laid upon each other in varying manners, intertwining and merging, every space that’s left free by one is conquered and filled by another, thus creating depth, density, dimensions and motion.

Driving repetitive krautrock rhythms with floating, wafting melodies get pierced by harsh, bleak black metal vocals, industrial, dark wave, doom sounds and noise rock… all melt into a spacey, eerie atmosphere that feels strange and disturbing, but is amazingly organic and natural at the same time.

Once the opener “Vino Verso” has entranced and sucked you in (and this will inevitably happen), it spits you out again into a foreign universe to begin an exciting trip.


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