Sunday is a holy day for many. At the República da Música in Lisbon, a true black liturgy was celebrated with the Poles Batushka, on a night where there was no shortage of weight, imaginary incense and transcendental moments. On arrival, it was impossible not to notice the long queue for the official merchandise, which at times even seemed to extend beyond the audience in front of the stage, a clear sign of worship.
GNOSIS
Opening the ritual, Gnosis, a recent band from Setúbal, gave us half an hour of melodic black metal, with ritualistic intensity for such a recent band. Anyone who enjoys the more atmospheric side of Gaerea or UADA will have found familiar echoes here. The last track, "Noite" (Night), with its breathing in Portuguese, brought a chilling and well-realized close.
Okkultist
The veterans Okkultist followed, led by the magnetic Beatriz Mariano, with their blackened, raging death metal. Although the audience didn't burst into moshpits, there were plenty of moments when the stage seemed to be begging for it. The band knew how to keep the energy up, especially the cover of Children of Bodom ("Sixpounder") where guitarist Leandro Sandmeier shone like a true virtuoso.
Batushka
But the real mass began when Krzysztof Drabikowski and his Batushka took to the altar. On stage, a coffin, paintings from the albums Litourgiya and Panihida, and lit candles created a solemn, almost sacral setting. To see Batushka live is to enter a space between the profane and the divine, where dissonant riffs, sacred choirs, blast beats and tortured vocals create an almost extracorporeal experience.
The band played Panihida (2019) in its entirety, including four tracks from the seminal Litourgiya (2015). The first chords of these classics were enough to send the room into a trance, hands raised, heads bobbing in reverence. The visual component, with lights and shadows accompanying the crescendo of the music, reinforced the feeling of being in a ritual.
For a Sunday night, it was anything but a spiritual respite. It was a somber communion, a balm for tormented souls, and an affirmation that black metal still knows how to stand on ceremony. The desire for more remains: more material, more liturgical visits, more black faith.
Until the next Mass.
Acknowledgements: FreeMusic
Artists: Batushka
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