Greetings, you grim wanderers of the Black Metal Archives—Sean here, clawing my way out of Batushka’s Hospodi after a spin that hit me like a cathedral bell at midnight. Fired this up today, and it’s a Polish Orthodox storm that’s as divisive as it is dark. Released July 12, 2019, via Metal Blade Records, this beast—crafted by Bartłomiej “Варфоломей” Krysiuk (vocals) with a crew of hired guns—lands with six tracks that twist liturgy into blackened chaos. Let’s peel back the shroud and dive in!
This Batushka splintered from Krzysztof “Derph” Drabikowski’s original vision after a 2018 fallout. Krysiuk, the live vocalist for Litourgiya, took the name and ran with it, dropping Hospodi as his faction’s debut. Lineup’s murky—Варфоломей on vocals, with session players filling guitars, bass, drums, and choirs—but it’s all under his command, rooted in Białystok, Poland.
“Wieczernia” kicks off with a choral swell, guitars grinding like a hymn gone rogue, Krysiuk’s voice a jagged prayer—I’m nodding, caught in its ritual sway.
“Powieczerje” follows, riffs churning slow and thick, the Orthodox chants clashing with a doom-laden pulse—my skin prickles, hooked on its weight.
“Polunoszcznica” drags me deeper, a hypnotic dirge where vocals snarl over a bed of eerie keys—damn, it’s a slow burn that sticks.
Hospodi’s sound is a cathedral of shadows—Krysiuk’s vocals rasp and soar, guitars weave a dense, mournful tapestry, and the choirs bring that Eastern sacred sting. It’s got Burzum’s cold isolation and a theatrical heft akin to early Behemoth, but the production’s polished sheen splits fans down the middle. Some call it a betrayal of Litourgiya’s raw soul; others dig the grandiosity. Me? I’m torn—it’s got power, but it lacks the primal bite of Derph’s work.
Krysiuk’s Batushka sparked a legal war with Drabikowski, who founded the band in 2015 and wrote Litourgiya. After the split, Krysiuk trademarked the name, dropped Hospodi with Metal Blade, and toured it—while Derph cried foul, claiming it was a hijack. Fans split too: Krysiuk’s camp got flak for “selling out” with a slicker sound, and Metal Blade disabled YouTube comments to dodge the hate storm. Courts ruled for Derph in 2024, forcing Krysiuk to rebrand as PATRIARKH—Hospodi’s legacy is as much about the fight as the music.
You fractured faithful, spill your venom below—how did this album split your soul? Listen to it now over on Bandcamp! We here at the Black Metal Archives aren’t here to choose sides, and cause further division, thus why we will be reviewing both sides of this wicked story, be sure to checkout our review of Patriarkh!
Stay wicked, you contentious wraiths, and keep the chaos loud!
RATING: 4 OUT OF 5
