Batushka (by Drabikowski), Kanonenfieber, Uburen -The Bread Shed, Manchester
Batushka (by Drabikowski), Kanonenfieber, Uburen
The Bread Shed, Manchester
17/11/2023
Live Review by Oli Gonzalez
It’s November. We can hear the sounds of jingle bells in the faint distance as Christmas is approaching and 2023 is rapidly coming to an end. It’s been a phenomenal year for me in terms of ticking bands off my bucket list and discovering new acts. My night in Manchester encapsulates both, as I had been eager to see Drabikowski’s version of Black Metal phenomenon Batuskha, who many consider to be the ‘real’ Batushka (this is a debate for another time, however). Having seen the other version on the other side of the city centre 9 months earlier, this was going to make for a fun comparison. This night was also very much an international affair, with the Polish behemoths being supported by Germany’s Kanonenfieber, as well as Norwegian act Uburen (good job this is a written review as I’m 100% confident I’d butcher the pronunciation of all bands). We were in store for a Black Metal themed evening, all offering a slightly different flavour of the sub-genre.
Uburen
Bringing a more traditional take on Black Metal, the Norwegian trio were up first. It was encouraging to see the venue already packed so early on, and the band thoroughly deserved it with their performance. Whilst I’m not the biggest fan of old school Black Metal, I’ve got to give credit where credit is due. They did a phenomenal job of getting everybody warmed up for the oncoming onslaught, with the band not only looking the part, but sounding absolutely fierce up there. It’s not easy being only a 3 piece, as everything has to be watertight and leaving no room for error. They confidently filled the stage and set the tone for the evening though. A dual vocal attack, tasty blackened riffs, and some thunderous drumming made for an entertaining set.
https://www.facebook.com/uburen
Kanonenfieber
Have you ever watched a band and thought “wow this could be the start of something truly immense?”. That’s exactly what I was thinking during the band’s set. A new band for me, I did actually have some reservations at first, especially with the war theme Kanonenfieber were going for. It’s almost becoming a little cliché within metal, in my eyes, and you really do need to offer something different. Well, the German act had originality and authenticity in spades! Whether it’s the uniforms of soldiers from World War 1, the lyrics being taken from primary sources from this conflict, or the general theatrics of the performance, this was something unique and thoroughly entertaining. I’ve never before seen a snow machine at a metal show either! On this occasion it was used to depict a story from the trenches in winter. Even if it was all in German, it crossed the language barrier in the most subtle and clever manner.
I noticed plenty of the band’s merch in the crowd before their set had begun, which suggested they had a bigger following than I had anticipated too. Thirty minutes had passed and I was sad when they made their way off stage…only for two of them to return with an acoustic guitar and to play a short mid-set acoustic track. Nice! That fooled me. It was a lovely way to end the set too…
…actually no, the whole band returned for more shortly after! This time, in fresh new uniforms to continue the story. There was mild carnage in front of me with the pits well and truly open. At this stage, the band’s frontman, in full officer uniform, issued an order. For the crowd to part. A wall of death! The crowd obeyed. Bodies flew into each other. It was carnage. It was beautiful.
In case you couldn’t tell, this was a phenomenal set and one I enjoyed greatly. I’d love to see them again with greater emphasis on the theatrics and on a bigger stage. If they focused on this, then with the phenomenal sound they already have, they could be a big deal in the industry…
https://www.facebook.com/Kanonenfieber
Batuskha
Time for the main event, and the juggernauts Batuskha. The lights went down, and the crowd roared. “BATUSKHA! BATUSKHA! BATUSKHA!”.
The ominous chanting of monks began, as the robed priests entered the stage. The incense sticks were lit and their fragrances filled the room. Very few bands think of the olfactory side of things so this was a nice touch. The rest of the priests entered the stage, their identities hidden under their cloaks. The bells rang and we knew what was coming; the opening track to the album “Panihida”. They were to play this in its entirety, and it was beautiful! Well, my definition of beautiful may be very different to the conventional meaning. It was dark, heavy, atmospheric, and immersive. Honestly, if you’ve never seen a Batuskha concert, you must! It’s something else! Almost as if you’re at a church service being hijacked by a Black Metal band. I wanted to sing along, having been familiar with the vocal patterns, though I don’t speak a word of Old Slavonic. Another aspect of authenticity that makes this band a gem in the industry by utilising the extinct language. Rumour has it that band founder ‘Derph’ spent some time living in a monastery to learn this language. I hope that’s true. The contrast of ominous plain chanting from the ‘monks’ and the traditional KVLT Black Metal shrieks makes for delightful listen, with the former adding to that church-like feel.
The band ended the set with a few tracks from debut album “Litourgiya”, which led to more carnage in the pit, and more bodies being tossed around the venue with reckless abandon. We even saw a few crowd surfers, which I hadn’t predicted.
75 minutes has never passed so quickly and that was that. I found myself in a huge queue at the merch stand, a few patches purchased, and then I was on my way. What’s next for the band? A new album? It’s been over four years since Brabikowski released “Panihida”. It’s well documented that he would rather take his time and give each album the attention and time it fully deserves. I’m sure the next album will be a masterpiece.
https://www.facebook.com/truebatushka/
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