Who Are Batushka? Black Metal in Church Slavonic

Hooded figures in long black robes, candles, incense and chant. If you have seen Batushka on stage, you don't forget it. Here is a short guide to the band behind our designs.

Where does the name come from?

Batushka means "father", the title used for an Orthodox priest. It fits: the band's lyrics are sung only in Church Slavonic, the old language of the Orthodox liturgy, and their sound, built on eight-string guitars, mixes black metal with Orthodox chant.

How did it start?

Krzysztof Drabikowski started Batushka in 2015 at his studio near Białystok, in north-eastern Poland. He wrote and recorded the music, wrote the lyrics and painted the cover of the debut album, Litourgiya, released in December 2015 with Bartłomiej Krysiuk on vocals. The musicians stayed anonymous so listeners would focus on the music, and the album was widely praised.

Why are there two Batushkas?

In December 2018 Drabikowski and Krysiuk parted ways, and from 2019 to 2024 two line-ups performed as Batushka. Drabikowski's released Panihida in May 2019. Krysiuk's released Hospodi in July 2019, which reached No. 1 in Poland, followed by the Raskol and Carju Niebiesnyj EPs and the live album Black Rituals. In May 2024 a Polish court ruled for Drabikowski on the name, and since December 2024 Krysiuk's line-up has performed as Patriarkh.

What does that mean for the merch?

Most of our designs come from releases by the line-up fronted by Krysiuk, and two carry the Patriarkh name. Each product page says which release a design belongs to, so you always know what you're wearing.

Ready to find yours?

See every design in the Batushka shop.