EP REVIEW: Batushka – Heavenly King

Polish Orthodox Black Metal cult BATUSHKA return with a new EP, out via Witching Hour Productions on March 15th.

Dreary guitars begin the release with melancholic notes as chiming ritual cymbals can be heard in the distance. Walls of bleak riffs and cascading cymbals soon drive forth a monstrously doomy assault alongside the usual haunting chants before Black Metal artillery pummels into action. As we saw on the last EP, the glorious sounds of “Litourgiya” seem to be back with carefully layered, dense and ritualistic music that has a massive production to fully deliver the potential of the brilliant spectacle. Spectrally icy guitars deliver a venomously aggressive style of Black Metal that is rich in melody and certainly accentuates the powerful vocals, as does the relentless drumming which is intricate yet crushing in delivery. On this EP, there seems to be both more aggression and yet also sombre undertone that adds an emotional angle to the incantations on offer, this perhaps is more in keeping with Scandinavian Black Metal’s mood while the main focus is that Eastern European religious influence. Certainly an interesting new addition to the bands rapidly growing discography.

In terms of tonality, that thick thundering bass is still cutting the mix powerfully while the seething melodious guitars offer just as much musical prowess. Ferociously tight drumming punctuates all of this allowing for the blend of maniacal screams and hallowed chanting to fall upon a dense and wonderfully atmospheric backdrop with more harmony and yet also more dissonance than before. The hopeful and enjoyable release of “Raskol” which signified a return to the bands earlier days (before the split, which I will not get into as a reviewer rather than a spectator who prefers to leave these matters to those involved), this release builds upon that excellent return with far more creativity that harnesses this potent sound in a more unique direction. The Black Metal side of the music is far more driven and furious than ever before while never overshadowing the eeriness added by the traditional orthodox sounds. As far as I am concerned, this is a superb Batushka release that perhaps falls more in keeping with more typical Black Metal though definitely retains that religious overtone.

A magnificent EP of ritualistic, savage and tastefully chilling Black Metal that marks some of the stronger work under the Batushka name to date. Blistering riffs, monolithic drums, chunky bass lines and eccentrically varied vocal approaches, this EP has everything a fan of Batushka should expect and develops into some newer territories too which may win over previous naysayers of the band. Either way, definitely a worthwhile release.