Rating: 3/5
Distributor/label [URL] http://www.czarofcrickets.com/
Released: 2019
Buy Album [URL] https://orsoband.bandcamp.com/album/paninoteca
Band Website: https://www.facebook.com/orsoband/

Band line-up:

Raul – Guitar
Bruno – Guitar
Blaise – Guitar
Etienne – Bass
Thomas – Drums

Tracklisting:

1. Sloppy Joe
2. Jambon-Buerre
3. Choripan
4. Horseshoe
5. Mitraillette
6. Flutternutter
7. Jucy Lucy
8. Monte Cristo
9. Dagobert
10. Smorgastarta

Review

If you were to think of typical themes for a Post-Metal band, what would they be? It would most likely be something along the lines of personal thoughts or feelings, or something a little more out-there like the occult or the esoteric, but you wouldn’t think of sandwiches, would you?

That is definitely what had me baffled when I was sent the new record from Swiss Instrumental Post-Metal group: Orso, a band who have been around for several years and have aided in bringing the instrumental side of music into the metal canon.

Instrumental music is something to put on when you want to relax or enjoy the alternatives without the need for vocals, which is a good move but at times it can make you lose your focus, as was the case with this record. ‘Paninoteca’ is not for the easily distracted so you’ll want to pay full attention to get the best outcome, or if you just want to veg out with some decent music, I would recommend it for that too.

If Orso had the idea of making music for people who enjoy the likes of Cult of Luna or Kruger when they take a lunch break, then this is definitely what they’ve come back with. It is certainly not a bad album, I was quite impressed at the lengths the guitars and drums went to on each track, but having a low attention span I did get lost more than once.

Paninoteca is something to add to your collection if you love to experiment with your musical palate and enjoy hypnotic strings and tribal rhythms without vocals, whilst you relax or even enjoy a good sandwich with one out-of-the-ordinary soundtrack.

Review by Demitri Levantis