Their concerts were banned in Serbia recently and were apparently also banned before in Moscow, Leningrad and Minsk because of pressure from church because their music is ''satanic''.
Since I read this reason why they were banned, I immediately knew it's the the usual bullshit, church call everything it doesn't like ''satanic'', they ban it etc.
So what are your thoughts on them?
absolutely love batushka. their sound is super unique within black metal and honestly i think works super well in the genre (with the orthodox style church singing and all that). just be mindful of the two batushkas, there was some conflict between some of the members and one member took over the band or something and pushed the singer out. this was after liturgiya, their first album. he does his own thing, a different batushka with an album called panihida, which i think is much better than the other batushka's stuff.
Product of the split becoming a meme there are some other Batyushka bands that claim to be the "true" one, funnily enough including one supposedly from Russia that is extremely pro SMO in their albums, portraying Putin as some medieval orthodox prince/hero.
don't particularly like them but I've got a peculiar taste when it comes to metal
they're a curious band to bring out in a leftist forum, seeing as the OG lineup had some sort of falling out and the two remaining parties formed they're own Batushka (so I'm not even sure which one is the one that you mention)
they also walk a fine contradiction of being, as you say, "satanic"-associated but using liturgical music/chants and imagery in their albums (it's part of the gimmick anyway and probably the reason they got somewhat popular)