PATRIARKH - THE PROPHET'S SOURCE 2026 TOUR

 

To my great heartbreak, I only managed to attend one date of the entire The Prophet’s Source tour — the Barcelona show. That hurt even more considering that three of my all-time favorite bands were performing on the same night. Still, at least this much worked out. I’m not particularly fond of Mediterranean cities, but I chose Barcelona because it meant I could escape minus 10 degrees and suddenly find myself in plus 10.

Five bands performed that evening. The only one unfamiliar to me was Sanity; I believe I’ve already seen Halls of Oblivion, probably in Budapest. Sanity caught my attention during soundcheck — they were good. As a symphonic metal band, they stood out from the rest of the lineup in my opinion. It’s not really my genre, but despite that, they weren’t bad at all.

Doors opened at 17:30 and Sanity started at 17:50. Unfortunately, very few people arrived that early. That didn’t bother them in the slightest — the drummer sat down and cheerfully greeted everyone. He did it with such warmth, as if there were at least 700 people standing there. Their energy and enthusiasm never dropped. The atmosphere felt very intimate and family-like. I can’t say there was anything revolutionary within the symphonic/power metal framework, but the sound was excellent. The vocalists had beautiful voices. For me, this genre dies the moment the singer lacks either character or vocal ability — thankfully, these guys had both. It was clear throughout their set that they were genuinely happy to be there, and the small audience tried to return that energy. The handful of Catalans who arrived early were enthusiastic.

Honestly, I don’t go to concerts for spectacle or perfection. Those things matter, of course, but they mean nothing if I feel the musicians just want to get it over with. I’m there for the musicians as people.

The second band was Halls of Oblivion, also from Germany, just like Sanity. They play melodic blackened death metal rooted deep in darkness. The transition was a bit sharp for me — going from Sanity’s symphonic power metal straight into a concept built from pain and melancholy required some quick acclimatization. The crowd didn’t grow much, but people were slowly trickling in. The band delivered exactly what I expected — except this time I could actually hear them properly, which was a welcome change compared to the Budapest show. The colorful lights turned somber, and the band themselves stood on stage wearing hoods until halfway through the set, only removing them later. If you’re into this style, they’re definitely worth checking out.

Then came Hate — fire in the darkness, straight from Poland. With them, the coldness of black metal meets the brutality of death metal. The stage becomes their altar. No unnecessary decorations, no pointless talking — just the occasional “Thank you, Catalonia!” and encouragement for the audience to move and interact. I don’t know whether the Spanish crowd is generally like this or if it was just that particular night, but there wasn’t much movement. A few people stirred occasionally, briefly, but there was no real chaos. What I really appreciated was that there was no beer-throwing and we weren’t standing in trash by the end of the show.

Hate delivered their usual high standard, although the setlist felt rather short. Adam’s cold, deep vocals summon hell itself, occasionally counterbalanced by Eliza Sacharczuk’s otherworldly, almost heavenly voice. For me, this is a perfect concept. Eliza’s presence adds an atmosphere to Hate’s world that gives me goosebumps every single time I hear her.

It was obvious that They arrived mainly for the headlining bands, because by the time Hate played, the venue was nicely filled. What felt like punishment to me was the fact that the stage was very high and there was no barrier — my neck was close to breaking the entire time, especially since I was standing in the front.

The penultimate band was the pagan force from Russian lands: Arkona. With them, Slavic folk traditions merge with metal intensity. The Barcelona date was special for Arkona — those who followed the story might know that SAS Airlines lost their luggage and didn’t return it until they reached Barcelona. You could see how relieved they were when it finally arrived. That meant they could perform in their usual outfits.

I recognize Masha’s voice even when she’s just speaking. Before the concert, I was sitting inside scrolling on my phone when Masha walked in and started talking — I instantly looked up thinking, “Wait… that’s Masha.” To me, she’s the timeless woman of the Slavic lands. I’ve seen them many times, most recently in Milan, and she never seems to change.

Their performance isn’t just a metal concert — it’s a Slavic ritual. They summon ancient myths from the depths of a forgotten Russian forest. I love Masha’s voice, and judging by the crowd, I’m not alone. Maybe it was during Goi, Rode, Goi! that the audience truly let go for the first time. The closing song was Zimushka, my favorite Arkona track. Zimushka is a diminutive, affectionate form of “winter” — “little winter,” or “dear winter.” This word isn’t really used in modern Russian; it’s a poetic, personified version of winter. A perfect choice to close their set. Thankfully, the crowd loves this song as well. I laughed a few times because people were shouting things at the band mid-concert — in Polish. Cute attempts from the Spaniards.

Finally, it was time for the headliner to summon their orthodox liturgy onto the stage: Patriarkh. This is not a concert — it’s a ritual, an orthodox liturgy in black metal form. I’ll say upfront that I’m incapable of saying anything bad about any of their shows. Yes, I’m biased. I honestly don’t know what would have to happen for me not to love one of their concerts or feel something missing. Maybe the Birmingham show two years ago, where the smoke alarm went off every five minutes, came close — but that’s another story.

Back to Barcelona. I’ve written about them many times already, and they still continue to amaze me. This new album is a massive step forward compared to their previous work. They didn’t just change their name — their stage outfits evolved along with the entire stage design. But the biggest transformation happened in the music itself. Patriarkh opened an entirely new chapter. This new album, which the concert is built around, cannot be compared to any previous Batushka release. This is no longer just orthodox black metal. It’s no longer only about riffs and rasped vocals. Choirs, symphonic elements, and folk motifs have all joined the fusion of this new era.

The introduction of the new character, Matushka, is a perfect choice. Her angelic voice is joined by Eliza’s mesmerizing, otherworldly vocals, along with Bartek’s powerful screams and clean singing. Heavy guitar riffs and forceful drum patterns elevate this inverted orthodox ritual even further. Everything is perfectly constructed.

I always get goosebumps when Matushka steps onto the stage during Pismo V. Silence falls over the audience — but it’s a heavy silence. The lyrics are an ancient version of the Lord’s Prayer, one of the oldest Christian prayers.

Of course, fans of their earlier material aren’t left disappointed either, as older songs appear in the second half of the set.

Their show truly pulls you into another world, and if you have even the slightest interest in the background of their music, you can gain a lot of insight into orthodox liturgy through their performance and lyrics.

I’ve seen them countless times — truly countless — yet it still hurt deeply knowing that when three of my favorites share the stage on a single night, I only get to experience it once. And still, I await the next Patriarkh concert with the same anticipation as the very first one. I don’t know if there will ever be a moment when I say, “Alright, I’m over it,” but I honestly don’t think that moment will ever come.

The next Patriarkh tour will take place on Polish soil, organized by Gryf Events, across three weekends in March, covering nine locations. If you can — don’t miss it.