I’m not really a metalhead—black, death, thrash, or otherwise, although I do like my doom and drone. However, I am a sucker for a band with an odd name. So back in 2009, when music from Finland’s Oranssi Pazuzu started invading my inbox, I dutifully clicked on the download button. It helped that the publicist dropped the word “psychedelic” into the hype sheet. So often, though, PR flacks who use “psychedelic” have a different idea of what that descriptor means than I do, and it can result in underwhelming listening experiences.
Blessedly (or cursedly, because this is metal we’re discussing), Oranssi Pazuzu delivered the goods on the psych front. (FYI: “Oranssi” translates into “Orange” and “Pazuzu” is a wind demon found in ancient Mesopotamian mythology; it’s also what possesses young Regan MacNeil in The Exorcist.)
