UMUR "Celestial Mechanics" is the debut full-length studio album by Finnish goregrind/death´n´roll act Pakeni. The album was released through Napalm Records America in 1999. It´s the successor to the 1996 "Detergent Bubble Bath" EP. Unfortunately "Celestial Mechanics" would be the band´s sole full-length album in their original run. Pakeni formed in 1992 and released two demos, an EP, and this album before disbanding.

Stylistically the material on "Celestial Mechanics" is a dark and energetic death´n´roll style. Pakeni included Carcass influenced goregrind elements on their early releases, but those influences are more or less gone on "Celestial Mechanics" and only the band´s death´n´roll influences remain. Pakeni are an incredibly well playing, tight, organic, and groove oriented band, and they deliver their death´n´roll with a great charm and gleam in the eye, but personally I miss the unique combination of Carcass influenced goregrind and stoner metal/death´n´roll, which was featured on the two preceding releases. That combination and the odd sonic experiments that the band also incorporated on those releases, are what made Pakeni unique, and it´s hard not to feel that "Celestial Mechanics" in comparison is a slightly more generic release (sounding a little like a more adventurous Furbowl).

"Celestial Mechanics" is well produced feauturing a warm, heavy, and organic sounding production, which suits the organic nature of the material well. Upon conclusion "Celestial Mechanics" is a good quality death´n´roll album by Pakeni, but it´s not at all what I had hoped for coming to the album after listening to "Virgin's Delirium" (1993) and "Detergent Bubble Bath" (1996), which are both very unique and unusual releases. Still a 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating is warranted.

UMUR "Detergent Bubble Bath" is an EP release by Finnish goregrind/death´n´roll act Pakeni. The EP was released through Morbid Records in 1996. It´s the follow-up release to the band´s two 1993 demos "The Silent Majority" and "Virgin's Delirium".

Stylistically the material on "Detergent Bubble Bath" continue the odd and unique combination of Carcass influenced goregrind and stoner metal/death´n´roll, but this time around with even more experiments that go beyond those music styles (female backing vocals and saxophone parts occur). Pakeni are definitely one of the more unusual acts out there, but despite combining elements which really shouldn´t work together, that´s exactly what Pakeni make them do. Heavy stoner metal/death´n´roll riffs, heavy grooves (and the occasional blast beat), the occasional use of organ/piano, and goregrind/death metal vocals performed by an energetic and well playing band. That´s the unique sound of Pakeni. The only other band from those days I can come up with at the top of my head, which was as crazy and unconventional as Pakeni is Disharmonic Orchestra.

"Detergent Bubble Bath" features a well sounding production job, which provides the perfect platform for the material to shine. Upon conclusion "Detergent Bubble Bath" is a great first label release by Pakeni and great follow-up to the promising "Virgin's Delirium (1993)" demo. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "Virgin's Delirium" is the 2nd demo by Finnish goregrind/death´n´roll act Pakeni. The demo was independently released in 1993. It´s the successor to "The Silent Majority" demo released earlier the same year. Pakeni formed in 1992 and released two demos, an EP, and an album before disbanding.

Stylistically this is one of the more unusual extreme metal demos I´ve come across, as Pakeni combine Carcass goregrind influences with stoner metal/death´n´roll elements (strongly influenced by their fellow countrymen in Xysma), and as if it´s a perfectly natural thing to do, they also on occasion add melodic and epic keyboard sections. I don´t think I´ve ever heard anything quite like this before. Needless to say this is a pretty unique sounding recording, and featuring a well sounding and detailed demo quality sound production, you get to hear all the details of this bizarre glory of a demo.

What this demo does so well, is that it not only combines musical elements which shouldn´t go well together and make them gel, but also manages to disply the strong musical performances as a result of the well sounding production job. The deep growling vocals has the right morbid and juicy tone to them, the drumming is busy and groovy, and the many heavy and groove laden stoner metal riffs combined with the goregrind lyrics and fast-paced death metal/grindcore parts, create an odd overall sound, but it works. A high quality release this one fully deserving a 3.5 star (70%) rating.