Premiere: Smash Institutions with Hostia
What if Batushka, but grind?
Okay, that’s actually a pretty cheap comparison, for after the intro to Hostia‘s self-titled debut, all thoughts of atmospheric black metal are likely to vanish as the band launches into their grind onslaught. Hailing from Poland, the trio relentlessly spew vitriol in the direction of the church. All without invoking the horned one, mind you; their defiance is fed by the rot that permeates the institution and therefore doesn’t need metaphysical backing. No edginess, just matter-of-fact rage, and we’re happy to premiere the whole thing here today.
If some of the song titles aren’t enough, Hostia’s sound will do the rest in evoking pictures of bulldozers tearing down steeples. With a guitar tone favouring the low end of the spectrum and a vocal approach that frequently drops to a growl, it really feels like music from the gut. Mixed in with the bile are some delightfully tongue-in-cheek moments, however. “War Puppets” references a certain Black Sabbath song in more than its name, while “Not Really A Christian Song” gets straight up silly, mixing ZZ Top and Elvis with blastbeats. I would also be amiss not to mention the cowbell in “Killed By Life.”
Hostia will drop tomorrow, May 31st. Get it here and check out what else the band is up to over on Facebook.
