Oranssi Pazuzu – “Vino Verso (Askew Sprout)” (stream)

Finnish band Oranssi Pazuzu isn’t the first black metal group to reconnoiter the celestial realms, but it is one of the most fascinating contemporary astronavigators. The band’s fusion of ill-tempered metal with Krautrock, psychedelia and propulsive Hawkwindian space rock has already made for two enthralling and idiosyncratic albums, 2009’s Muukalainen Puhuu and 2011’s Kosmonument. Now, PopMatters is proud to host “Vino Verso (Askew Sprout)”, the opening track from the band’s upcoming album, Valonielu.

“Vino Verso (Askew Sprout)” tears black metal down to its bare ’90s bones, and then layers on the cosmological muscle. It sets the aberrant tone for the rest of Valonielu, which is an ice-cold and hot-blooded, ethereal yet crushing, and regressive and forward-thinking voyage. It’s another altogether mad, murderous and magnificently bizarre album from Oranssi Pazuzu, sure to be one of 2013’s most engrossing and eccentric metal journeys.

Valonielu is set for launch on 11 October in Europe (on Svart Records), and 15 October in North America (on 20 Buck Spin). Fans of unorthodox and ingenious trajectories would be well advised to seek it out.