Polish black metal icons PATRIARKH (before Batushka) embark on a dark and ominous pilgrimage as they unveil the next single from the upcoming concept album, «ПРОРОК ИЛИЯ» (Lat. PROROK ILJA), which will be released on January 3 through Napalm Records. Accompanied by an official video, the new song, titled «ВЕРШАЛИН IV» (Lat. WIERSZALIN IV), weaves the voices of sacred inspiration from Eliza Sacharczuk with liturgical melodies, building a storm of dark choruses and unforgettably intense harsh vocals.
Taking advantage of the critical success of «Hospodi» (2019) and the incessant tours around the world, PATRIARKHbrings a renewed vision and a deep narrative to his debut in Napalm Records. This eight-track journey immerses listeners in the true story of Eliasz Klimowiczthe enigmatic Prophet Iljaset against the dramatic historical backdrop of the 1930s and 1940s. PATRIARKHdeeply rooted in Eastern Orthodox traditions, masterfully fuses black and doom metal with disturbing religious themes, conjuring an atmosphere as dark as it is hypnotizing.
PATRIARKH about the new single «ВЕРШАЛИН IV«:
«This is the most oriental sounding song on our new album. The beautiful monody that runs through the entire piece is deeply influenced by Greek and Romanian traditions, which are an integral part of Orthodoxy. In our new music, we aim to show different aspects of Orthodoxy. Like the prophet Ilja traveled to Kronsztadt, we traveled far in search of musical inspiration to create a psalm in honor of the New Jerusalem that our prophet was building.
Our singing teacher has participated in this song for a long time, Eliza Sacharczuk. We have been collaborating with her since 2016, continually improving our singing skills through lessons and consultations. Our choice was intentional; Eliza He has a truly unique voice. Listen to it and see for yourself!
Check out the official music video for «ВЕРШАЛИН IV» (Lat. WIERSZALIN IV) next:
«ПРОРОК ИЛИЯ» details a true story that occurred in the band’s home area, Podlasie, in the village of Grzybowszczyzna, in the 1930s and 1940s. The album takes the listener into the world of Eliasz Klimowiczhe Prophet Ilja titular, an illiterate peasant who was the leader of the Grzybowska Orthodox sect, active until the 1960s, cultivating and transmitting the story of the self-proclaimed prophet. PATRIARKH He spread his gospel using an arsenal of folk instruments, such as tagelharpa, mandolin, mandocello, hurdy-gurdy, and string dulcimer, and worked with a symphony orchestra and choirs to give his new creations the most organic and vivid feel possible. As it is a trademark in the music of PATRIARKHorthodox sacredness mixes with black and doom metal, now greatly enriched with folk music, neo dark folk and even film music. The band uses the full palette of Orthodox music, venturing into the areas of Byzantine monody, liturgical chant and Russian polyphony, carefully adapting folk and liturgical melodies to their own style.
PATRIARKH about the new album:
«With this new release, we begin a new chapter in our history: not only does our name change, but our music also undergoes a natural evolution. The story of the album encouraged us to get out of our comfort zone, we looked for mediums that we had not used before in our music. Many of you will wonder if this is still black metal. Or is it even metal? Radio play, audiobook, theater, film soundtrack, folk music, performance… All these terms will have a place here. Some will hate, others will love…”
The lyrical side of «ПРОРОК ИЛИЯ» is an interesting mix of theater and pastoralism. PATRIARKH uses fragments of texts from the play «Prorok Ilja» and is nourished by the messages contained in the works of Włodzimierz Pawluczukcombining it with folkloric and liturgical texts. In “ПРОРОК ИЛИЯ«, listeners can hear multiple languages – and Polish for the first time! The album was recorded in January and May 2024 in Tall Pine Records (Behemoth, Zalewski, Afromental), Henry House (Behemoth, Vesania, Hate), Wem Studio (Kasa Chorych, Lukasyno, Cira) and the study Radio Białystok. Mixing and mastering was carried out by Wojciech Wiesławski in Hertz Studio (Vader, Behemoth, Decapitated), and the production was led by the band’s mastermind and lead vocalist Bartłomiej ‘Варфоломей’ Krysiuk. «’ПРОРОК ИЛИЯ‘is an album full of emotions, sentimentality and folklore. “It is pastoral, lyrical, epic, multidimensional and multicolored, as my Podlasie is multicolored,” he says. Варфоломей. Dive into the deepest of all shadows with this black metal masterpiece and join PATRIARKH on this intriguing journey!
Tracklisting:
«WIERSZALIN I (Lat.) – ВЕРШАЛИН I (Cyrillic)»
«WIERSZALIN II (Lat.) – ВЕРШАЛИН II (Cyrillic)»
«WIERSZALIN III (Lat.) – ВЕРШАЛИН III (Cyrillic)»
«WIERSZALIN IV (Lat.) – ВЕРШАЛИН IV (Cyrillic)»
«WIERSZALIN V (Lat.) – ВЕРШАЛИН V (Cyrillic)»
«WIERSZALIN VI (Lat.) – ВЕРШАЛИН VI (Cyrillic)»
«WIERSZALIN VII (Lat.) – ВЕРШАЛИН VII (Cyrillic)»
«WIERSZALIN VIII (Lat.) – ВЕРШАЛИН VIII (Cyrillic)»
«ПРОРОК ИЛИЯ» will be available in the following formats:
- Wooden box (Digipak, extra CD, pendant, flag and patch) – 300 copies (Napalm Records Mailorder and Patriarkh Shop exclusively).
- Deluxe Vinyl 2LP GATEFOLD GOLD (alternate album cover, bonus vinyl and 24-page vinyl booklet) – 300 copies (exclusive to Napalm Records Mailorder and Patriarkh Shop)
- 1LP GATEFOLD SILVER Vinyl – 300 copies (Napalm Records Mailorder exclusive)
- 1LP GATEFOLD MARBLED ORANGE RED BLACK Vinyl – 300 copies (Napalm Records Mailorder exclusive)
- 1LP Gatefold on Black Vinyl
- 6-page Digipak
- digital album
Place your order here.
PATRIARKH are:
ВАРФОЛОМИЕЙ – Voice
ЛЕХ – Battery
МОНАХ ТАРЛАХАН – Guitars
МОНАХ БОРУТА – Guitars
АРХАНГЕЛ МИХАИЛ – Guitars
ХИАЦЫНТОС ЯЦА – Chorus
ЯЗЫЧНИК – Chorus
(Photo – Jacek Jaca Wisniewsky)
