Batushka, the Polish band have harnessed the fire and fury of arcane black metal with their new video for “Wieczernia” which features a middle aged, bearded carpenter shaving a large wood piece. The song starts out in a gloomy setting in a remote area as the man works hard to shave a large piece of wood which is later revealed to be a religious cross. The man looks like your normal, everyday guy who has long hair and remains focused and content on his craft. Eventually, we realize he is a ‘man of the cloth’ so to speak as we see him in his catholic garb including rosary beads and black robe.

The band’s debut album Litourgiya is described as having a depth and dark mysticism that swiftly cast its spell over the metal underground. The band will release their new album, Hospodi through Metal Blade Records on July 12. The album is available for pre-order HERE. Batushka’s deft conjuring of shock ‘n’ awe produces a chilly feeling in those who may not be familiar with dark metal.

Their website describes new album, Hospodi, “The whole album is a concept based on the Liturgy of Death, the prayers for the dead, and Orthodox funeral rites and dirges. It’s all about a ritual that involves the dead and the mourners. We also used a lot of old folk songs and elegies from our homeland. These are sung during the wake, around the casket, in the deceased person’s home. Nowadays only few older people know them and still sing them accordingly in our region. We decided to cherish that tradition and I’m glad that with our album these songs and rites will survive.”

The name Hospodi comes from an old Slavonic word for God, which is fitting for the album’s heavy themes of religion, prayer, and rituals for the dead. Batushka discusses the decision to include those themes in their press release sent to mxdwn, stating that “We decided to cherish that tradition and I’m glad that with our album these songs and rites will survive.”

The band said, “Our new live shows will be based on the concept of the new album. You will experience the Liturgy of Death, a funeral rite, crude, sad and bitter! Beyond that, our great hope is to do what we love doing and to continue to share this with the people we can rely on.”

Hospodi Track Listing
1. Wozglas
2. Dziewiatyj Czas
3. Wieczernia
4. Powieczerje
5. Polunosznica
6. Utrenia
7. Pierwyj Czas
8. Tretij Czas
9. Szestoj Czas
10. Liturgiya

Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat