[Dajana] HEILUNG is another band from my concert wish list. They are not legends, they are not around for decades but they became quite a sensation during the last two, three years and I was eager to finally experience them live myself and to witness what I have heard and read. There is no other band in recent years that gained cult status in such a short time. Their music as well as their live performances resound throughout the lands.
[BRT] The hype around HEILUNG passed me totally unnoted. In spring, I heard of them the first time and put them into the Black Metal drawer because of their logo. Well, I guess I was wrong, wasn’t I?
[Dajana] Founded back in 2012, HEILUNG have released their debut album Ofnir in 2015. But it was their live rituals at Castlefest and Midgardsblot in 2017 that left a huge impact. Since then, HEILUNG have been taking the attention of people globally. The band’s Nordic ritual Folk music, which, as the band states, is based on texts from artifacts of the Iron Age originated by the Northern European peoples of the Celtic and Viking Age, seems to be the perfect music at the right time in this troubled and fast speeding world to do, what the band’s name intends: to heal. In June, HEILUNG released their sophomore, Futha, which, unsurprisingly, was frenetically received by both fans and media alike.
[Dajana] And finally, HEILUNG tour Europe aside the festivals with four headlining shows in Germany. One of those brought us to the wonderful :: Colosseum Theater :: in Essen. As it already happened during the Archive show one month ago, this venue is stunning but seated, which does not really fit the music. Proven once again a little later. About the arrival proceedings, I better remain silent… Grrrr. I was happy that there was an unexpected support band to be used as time buffer.
[BRT] I heard about HEILUNG shows too, also the nagging from self-proclaimed Metal and Gothic guardians of the scene(s). All in all I went to this show without higher expectations and preconception but found the ticket prizing extraordinary high for such a “young” band, no matter what stuff they had on stage…
[Dajana] I agree, the ticket prizing was crazy but if you count in the venue itself, the size of the ensemble and the stage setting the ticket prizing is comprehensible. And, nevertheless, the show was sold out.
[BRT] The audience anyway was motley. From the elder gentleman, who probably read about HEILUNG in a feuilleton, to the LARP/Middle Age-robed fans that probably came directly from the game convention in Essen up to the usual suspects from the Metal and Gothic scene. Unfortunately, there were also a lot of Wacken-party-people there, who strongly went on my nerves with their raucous bawling and antisocial behavior.
:: pics :: SANGRE DE MUERDAGO ::
[Dajana] Luckily there was a support band… not announced anywhere. Never heard of them either :: SANGRE DE MUERDAGO ::. Since there was no staff or security, I stumbled into the hall, took a few pictures and then fell onto my seat exhausted and short of breath. I used the rest of their 30 minutes performance to calm down and to get my stuff sorted for the Heilung show. Nice music, nice ambience but anything but spectacular.
[BRT] I already had the pleasure to see SANGRE DE MUERDAGO live in spring at Culthe Fest in Muenster. Their mystical and meditative Galician Forest-Neofolk is most of all quiet. The music is mesmerizing and just beautiful. Versatile orchestrated, interpreted by four voices – absolutely a highlight to me, less appreciated by others. Talking people here and there were like pain in the neck. The 30 minutes show was way too short too. I anyway needed to grab me some good music at the merch.
Band: Pablo C. Ursusson, Georg "Xurxo" Börner, Asia Kindred Moore, Erik Heimansberg
:: pics :: HEILUNG ::
“Remember, that we all are brothers
All people, beasts, trees and stone and wind
We all descend from the one great being
That was always there
Before people lived and named it
Before the first seed sprouted.”
[Dajana] Now it became truly spectacular. There was already much to read/hear/see about a :: HEILUNG :: show but to experience their show yourself, to feel it will all senses… is something completely different!
Expectations and thrill was meanwhile palpable within the crowd when a hooded man prowled on stage to clean it with incense. Right after, the light was dimmed and the ensemble walked slowly on stage, moved in a circle and then began with their opening ceremony. For a moment is was as quiet as a mouse.
Shamanic drums and gnarling throat singing set in for In Maidjan and put the audience under the spell. The crowd was thrilled to the bone, mesmerized and followed the scene totally captivated.
Step by step light came up and revealed the wonderful stage setting that was dominated by birch trunks to display the deep connection to nature. Musicians and warriors moved in between with many ancient instruments. Dressed in a white robe (like a birch too), Maria Franz walked grand and gracefully among the ensemble like a guiding light. Her versatile voice echoed through the venue and enchanted even more.
The whole ensemble acted grand and dignified, even sublime; there movements followed patterns in order to tell a story yet never appeared to be choreographed. I rather had the feeling of accidentally bursting into a pagan ritual that was not meant for me, where I did not want to disturb but could not turn away anymore. It was too fascinating, too magical.
I felt like being placed in a Northern legend, a myth with trolls, dwarves, ghosts and fairies. If you are ever been in the troll forest on the Fløyen (Bergen, Norway) you will understand.
As already mentioned, the songs actually tell a story. There have been interludes between the tracks, like the dialogue from Galgaldr between Maria and Kai Uwe, which is actually the opening track on Futha, and a bondage and a fire performance.
During the first half of the live set HEILUNG played songs from the debut Ofnir and then went on with Futha. Anyway, the whole performance was just magical, somehow otherworldly. And awe-inspiring. It was something unique and special, a feast for all senses.
[BRT] I’m rather in two minds. Some aspects I really liked others I did not. Perhaps I was not able to get into it this music and performance the way I needed to, to enjoy the show fully.
I loved most the atmospheric tracks with the ethereal voice of Maria that reminded me a bit of Dead Can Dance. The stage setting was awesome too and the spectacle much entertaining. At some point I even liked the techno drumming. On the other hand, I did not get why there were African warriors moving over the stage. And I absolutely hated those bawling stupid Wacken dumbasses behind me. The gnarling Laibach-like lead vocals I found average. And no, that was no overtone or throat singing! (If you want to hear that to perfection, please listen to Huun-Huur-Tu for example).
[Dajana] If African warriors (I don’t think if were African warriors) or not, if throat singing or not, it perfectly suited the tracks and the atmosphere, musically as well as visually. I also think that especially the modern tunes add something unique to the music of HEILUNG. Pure Nordic (ritual) Folk music we already had in the past (just remember Hagalaz Runedance for example). Besides, Maria Franz and Christopher Juul come from the (dark) electro/avant-garde scene (Euzen).
The light show was stunning, the sound a bit of hit and miss. Not every instrument could be heard; especially the bone instruments were too quiet. As for that the show itself was much more powerful and dynamic as the music on CD alone.
The 90 minutes performance reached its peak with Hamrer Hippyer, a 15 minutes monolith, where the horde required participation. The audience jumped up from the seats and started to dance and to move in the flashes of stroboscope lights. What a grand final! Did I already mention how fucking mind-blowing the show was? Yes? No? It was! ;) It was an honor and a privilege to witness this ceremony and I hopefully will do again in the future.
[BRT] All in all it surely was an entertaining show. But I rather won’t become a fan of this band. Sure, I will take the time and give the HEILUNG records a chance back home and will listen to them carefully and untroubled.
Band: Kai Uwe Faust, Maria Franz, Christopher Juul
Setlist: Opening Ceremony, In Maidjan, Alfadhirhaiti, Krigsgaldr, Hakkerskaldyr, Othan, Norupo, Traust, Elddansurin, Galgaldr, Hamrer Hippyer
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