Gig Review: Hate & Batushka
Venue: The Dome
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Date: Feb 19, 2023
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Location: London, UK
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Venue: The Dome - Date: Feb 19, 2023 - Location: London, UK -
The Dome in London recently hosted a show from two of the spookiest Polish bands around: Hate and Batushka. Your virulent hosts, Chernoglav (myself) and my putrid pal Chort, were front and center. It was an incredible night, with both bands delivering exceptionally powerful performances.
Hate kicked off to an electric atmosphere with ‘The Wolf Queen’, playing a few songs from their recent album Rugia as well as some classics like 'Erebos' and 'Threnody'. Despite having several band members switching instruments between each song, the set ran smoothly with no interruptions or hiccups. The stage show was great, skulls everywhere! Each musician moved seamlessly between their various roles while frontman Adam Buszko commanded attention throughout every moment of it. The sound was stunning as well, especially in the low-end, rippling my guts with double bass and chunky bass. By the time 'Hex' was done, I was converted.
Batushka followed up with a mesmerising performance that- AHEM this is me, Chort, writing this now. Ah yes, they blended traditional metal elements together perfectly - sweeping guitar riffs backed by pounding drums were met by choral chants that echoed through The Dome's walls for minutes afterwards (even after they left the stage). Now between us we've seen quite a few version of the 'Tushka, from the original flavour to the spinoffs. In the end, however the results are more or less the same in a live setting, regardless of what you feel about the tunes. The ritual was meticulously designed, with candles, book readings, and (more!) skulls. Bart was flanked by several masked gentleman including two choirboys at pulpits. What a set up! The best part of the stage show is definitely the churchy scents, not only because it throws off the metalhead stink around you, but because it really sets the atmosphere and brings you into the mood. Tracks such as 'Polunosznica', taken from Hospodi, had everyone singing along in awe at how beautiful yet brutal it sounded all at once - truly a work of art! Only two from the debut album so it was slightly ignored. One other bit that irked me was the vocals were quite low in the mix at least for the first half, and that's some of the best parts of the music. I think after the pummelling by Hate, our body was too weak anyway to handle more. Really solid show overall!
This gig was one to remember for many years to come; despite being quite different, both acts complemented one another’s styles brilliantly and brought out something new in every fan who attended that evening - whether longtime listeners or newcomers (of which there seemed to be a lot of) alike!
Written by: Chernoglav The Hero With The Silver Moustache
Sporting more than just a moustache under his hood, Chernoglav loves underground Metal, but also listens to a dynamic range of other sub-genres like Power. He’s also never had a moustache.
