Batushka (Cyrillic spelling: Батюшка) is a Polish black metal band based in Białystok founded by Krzysztof Drabikowski in 2015. Their music and lyrics, which are written exclusively in Church Slavonic language, are inspired by the Eastern Orthodox Church. The band members wear religious habits and Eastern Orthodox schemas during live performances to conceal their identities. In contrast with many other black metal bands, they use eight-string guitars.
The word Batushka (Cyrillic: Батюшка), meaning "Father", is the titular equivalent of a hieromonk in Eastern Orthodoxy or, broadly, of any Orthodox priest.
Batushka was founded in Białystok in the spring of 2015 by multi instrumentalist Krzysztof "Derph" Drabikowski at his studio Sphieratz in Sobolewo; he came up with the idea of combining black metal and traditional liturgical songs of the Orthodox Church after reading comments on YouTube videos of Orthodox music, saying how "God's hymns are more metal than any satanic black metal music out there". Throughout the first quarter of 2015, Drabikowski proceeded to compose and record the music, write the lyrics, and paint the artwork for the album until deciding to bring Marcin Bielemuk to record the drum parts in acoustic percussion. Drabikowski originally invited his friend and former Heuresis bandmate, Lech, to do the vocal parts. Lech dropped out of the project because he did not know how to speak or write old Church Slavonic.
In July 2015, Drabikowski ran into Bartłomiej Krysiuk in a club in Białystok. Krysiuk was the vocalist for a band called 'Hermh", and was the owner of a Polish record label, "Witching Hour Productions". He and Drabikowski already knew each other, but it had been many years since either had seen the other. Krzysztof told Bart about his idea for Batushka, and eventually hired him to record the vocals. Krzysztof also hired Patrick Zimeer to record the choir vocals, along with himself. The album was completed in the following months and Drabikowski convinced Krysiuk, Zimeer, and Bielemuk to keep Batushka an anonymous project. According to Drabikowski, this was decided in order for the listeners to focus on the musical experience itself, as such and for the next year the band's line up remained unknown to the public and started using monikers in Cyrillic to further conceal their identities.
The group released the single "Yekteníya VII" in November 2015, through Krysiuk's label, Witching Hour Productions, prior to their debut album Литоургиіа ("Litourgiya"), which would also be released through Witching Hour in December. The album was critically acclaimed, with various sites naming Litourgiya one of the best metal albums of 2015, it also became a commercial hit in the Polish metal scene. The album's overwhelming success prompted the band to start touring due to massive demand from various European festivals. Because of the anonymity of the band, the only way anyone could reach out to the band was through Witching Hour Productions. Krzysztof hired Bart to be the manager, handling much of the bookings and would also deal with commissioning stage props, matching 8-string guitars for Krzysztof and another guitarist, costumes and scenography.
Tracklist:
- Ектения I: Очищение 05:45
- Ектения II: Благословение 04:22
- Ектения III: Премудрость 04:51
- Ектения IV: Милость 05:19
- Ектения V: Святый вход 06:00
- Ектения VI: Упование 04:13
- Ектения VII: Истина 05:34
- Ектения VIII: Спасение 05:09
Time: 41:13
The image on the cover is a blurred image of "Our Lady of Perpetual Succour" (Catholic Church name), also known as "Theotokos of the Passion" (Orthodox Church name).
English translation:
- Litany I: Cleansing
- Litany II: Blessing
- Litany III: Wisdom
- Litany IV: Grace
- Litany V: Holy Entrance
- Litany VI: Hope
- Litany VII: Truth
- Litany VIII: Salvation
Official music video:
— "Ектения IV: Милость"
The album title Литоургиіа on the cover apparently intends to be the Church Slavonic word Литꙋргіѧ. When transcribed into modern Cyrillic, it should be "Литургия" (Liturgiya).
Track 6 title "Уповане" from the booklet is a typo; the correct spelling is "Упование".
Comes in cardboard ecopak with cover slipcase (o-card).
Recording information:
Recorded at Sphieratz Studio.
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