Reborn PATRIARKH (former Batushka) returns with a masterpiece of arcane black metal!

Five years after the release of their critically acclaimed album, Hospodi, Polish black metal icons PATRIARKH (former Batushka) return with new concept album ПРОРОК ИЛИЯ (Engl. Prophet Elijah). Their label debut will be released on January 03, 2025 via Napalm Records. Without a shadow of a doubt, PATRIARKH stand as one of the most exciting acts in today’s black metal scene and are now more than ready to bring their bone-shaking essence of arcane black metal to the next level!

On eight completely new compositions, ПРОРОК ИЛИЯ details a true story that happened in the band’s home area of Podlasie, in the village of Grzybowszczyzna, in the 1930s and 40s. The album takes the listener into the world of Eliasz Klimowicz, the titular Prophet Ilja, an illiterate peasant who was the leader of the Orthodox Grzybowska Sect, active until the 1960s, cultivating and transmitting the history of the self-proclaimed prophet. PATRIARKH are spreading their gospel by using an arsenal of folk instruments, such as tagelharpa, mandolin, mandocello, hurdy gurdy and stringed dulcimer, and worked with a symphony orchestra and choirs to give their new creations the most organic and vivid feeling possible. As is trademark with PATRIARKH’s music, Orthodox sacredness is mixed with black and doom metal, now largely enriched with folk music, neo dark folk, and even film music. The band uses the entire palette of Orthodox music, venturing into the areas of Byzantine monody, liturgical chant and Russian polyphony, neatly adapting folk and liturgical melodies to their own style.

CD/ LP:

1. WIERSZALIN I / ВЕРШАЛИН I
2. WIERSZALIN II / ВЕРШАЛИН II
3. WIERSZALIN III / ВЕРШАЛИН III
4. WIERSZALIN IV / ВЕРШАЛИН VI
5. WIERSZALIN V / ВЕРШАЛИН V

6. WIERSZALIN VI / ВЕРШАЛИН VI
7. WIERSZALIN VII / ВЕРШАЛИН VII
8. WIERSZALIN VIII / ВЕРШАЛИН VIII

LINE-UP:

ЛЕХ - drums
МОНАХ ТАРЛАХАН - guitars
МОНАХ БОРУТА - guitars
АРХАНГЕЛ МИХАИЛ - guitars
ХИАЦЫНТОС ЯЦА - choir
ЯЗЫЧНИК - choir
ВАРФОЛОМИЕЙ - vocals