BATUSHKA - Litourgiya [2015 Blindspot]

Batushka – Litourgiya (2015, Witching Hour Productions)

When December 2015 ended we were all listing our favorite albums of the year, revisiting the best moments of it and trying to be original and true to ourselves and our precedent reviews. However, the flow of releases kept coming and the debut album of Polish black metal band Batushka, Litourgiya, was one of the sadly overlooked albums of the end of the year.

So, with an uncommon desire to paliate this miss we at Le Mot du Melomaniaque are reviewing Litourgiya. Better late than never I guess. The line-up of Batushka is kept secret and they are keeping a mystery around their identity. However, some have remarked some similarities with Nergal of Behemoth or members of Mgla. Even if it was anyone who made the record, it is probably one of the best black metal albums that was released in 2015.

Structured with melodic moments and droning chants, Batushka’s debut album reminds us how black metal once was produced by a small number of bands that were satanists or anti-christians.  They brought profanity and danger to the table. Every instrument respects the essence of the genre but I admire the drum parts with the succulent blast beats and a perpetuate mastery.

It’s melodic elements and Byzantine insertions makes it a dense record with depth. Having listened to this record more than a dozen times I can safely say that it doesn’t have a weak moment and that I hope this band will last for a long time. This take on black metal is refreshing and dangerous. Highly addictive.

8.8