Metal Wani Review – MESTARIN KYNSI
Experimental and avant-garde metal; people either seem to love it or to hate it. Personally I love it. Along with (and combined) with the progressive metal, it’s my favorite of the myriad of metal subgenres out there. And one of the best bands doing it is Finland’s Oranssi Pazuzu, who are set to release their deliciously chaotic ‘Mestarin Kynsi’ (The Masters Claw) in mid-April. As a relatively new fan of the band, this was the first of their releases I could look forward to, and it does not disappoint.
The album starts off with “Ilmestys” and slow acoustic guitars, and electric keyboards. The heavy key use throughout this album is made clear from the very beginning, and electronic music is a clear influence on the album as a whole, at times reminding me of some of the classic electronic soundtracks in Italian horror films. Vocalist and guitarist Jun-His screams and roars his way through the track as it picks up heaviness, and the band’s full metal assault begins in a swirling cacophony of sounds. I, of course, don’t speak Finnish, but the image of a futuristic dystopian nightmare jumps into mind hearing it. As the band describes the album: “A new totalitarian order is established and the heretics are silenced violently,” so even without understanding the lyrics, they’re succeeding in getting their point across.