ALBUM REVIEW: Batushka – Hospodi

Time to review the new album of the infamous Batushka. Following the split into 2 acts, this is going to be an objective review regardless of drama which I do not care about. Out now via Metal Blade Records.

The album opens with some nice chanting, slightly out of key before chiming into ceremonial sounds, certainly conjuring up an eerie atmosphere before bleak guitars drop in. The simplistic soundscape is pretty stripped back but the bass guitar ambience that drives through really improves the doomy melancholy. Pummelling upbeat drums and searing guitar riffs build into a sombre drive through waves of bitter Black Metal with a thunderous low-end that makes it even more cutting. The presence of religious chanting was inevitable and comes in with strength, working well with the primitively concise instrumental work, hitting pretty hard. The album has some nice traditional Black Metal riffing that meets the unsubtle religious sounds very nicely, there is a profound tension and sanguine tranquility that lasts in the interval sections before we are driven back to fantastically mournful guitars amidst hammering drums, which are somewhat juxtaposing but in a way that has a real bite and feels intentional. The piercing ferocity within some of the guitars has this really well used wall of sound on sounds like “Wieczernia” along with some wonderful stomping grooves. The album is remarkably well balanced with plentiful aggression despite an overall melancholia that lasts throughout and more reserved use of the chants. I have to admit the production and execution on this record does sound huge, a really overbearing and monolithic presence from Batushka that certainly had me gripped. The progression of the record is impeccable too with the transitions between tracks having a lifelike growth to them, true excellence there. “Powieczerje” is an example of the more rounded experience with the opening ambience and sombre atmospherics that build up rather quickly into tense punchy musicianship, giving a complete package within that of the album rather beautifully. My verdict is that drama aside, there is 2 decent Batushka’s, I do not care who did what, that is nobodies business beside the band and people involved. They are not a band I have ever been smitten by like so many, but I do think this (much like their debut and the other new album) is a cool release, some marvellous elements that hit hard with gorgeous atmospherics but also some utterly bland and generic parts too. Overall, this is definitely an interesting listen and one that I have to say I quite liked. I do feel they could cut back on some of the filler, shorten the album to about 40 minutes that would grip listeners from start to end, but all the components are here and many of them were very well used and interesting. “Utrenia” is a fantastic example of a more compact experience with blackened assaults, an onslaught of thrashing grooves and plenty of ritualistic flare, this song was captivating throughout. Imperfect but still a pretty glorious album when it’s hitting you with the more piercingly melancholic yet aggressive extremities or religious ambience, which in fairness it does do for a good majority of the release especially in the gorgeously impactful closing track “Liturgiya”. A phenomenal ending to the release. Sadly I think that there was an overall lack of imagination and originality to the core songwriting that drags the release down below its potential, possibly due to the race to release material. -6/10