Black metal has been twisted into some weird and wonderful shapes over the decades. That feral aggression at the core of the genre has been whipped up to dramatic symphonic highs by the likes of Dimmu Borgir, and taken down to melancholy ambient lows by mysterious solo artists like Xasthur, while Norwegian legends Ulver have found themselves in the world of trippy electronica and beat-driven synth-pop. Now we have Batushka. This mysterious Polish act have their own take on black metal, combining religious mysticism and Eastern Orthodox liturgical music, along with some more familiar elements. The result is a band with a grand vision, a stunning sound and a unique identity. Imagine if Ghost were more of a serious philosophical treatise and you’ll be in the right aesthetic, if not music...
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