Tag Archives: nordic folk

(review) Heilung – Drif (Season of Mist)

New opus by Heilung is here. Heilung is international band project with members from Denmark, Germany, Norway…and they are something special and different from other similar acts. For starters, Heilung means healing and their music is just that. They heal with their mixture of darkened shamanic Nordic folk, Carpathian ethno music, world darkened folk music, warrior shamanic ritualistic chanting topped with Maria Franz’s almost ethereal beautiful voice. Also, their songs are in ancient languages and the instruments they play on, besides some electronics are done by themselves from bones, wood and all their atmosphere and melodies take you as a listener to some other world. Their opuses are getting better and more powerful as time passes. If you did not go, I strongly recommend their live rituals, because only if you open your mind and get into it, like phenomenal Lifa ritual which you can see on Youtube in full, will bring relief, tears, anger, warrior pride, and above all connection with spiritual in yourself. My personal favorites on this opus are: Tenet, Keltentrauer and Marduk. Excellent.

9/10

(review) Heilung – Lifa (DVD)

Heilung is healing. This collective from various countries is set to bring back some old scrolls and poems to the world of today and bring back some inner spiritual values to us who crave for release and inspirational energy that this modern sped up world lacks so much.

Heilung started playing mostly Nordic folk, or darkened folk of Nordic countries, but later evolved into more world darkened folk, with songs about Carpathi and endless sea of forests, sounds, spirits and energy. Lyrics are taken from elder scrolls, dead languages and poems, with some songs in English here and there. Also, Heilung play on custom hand made instruments of bones, stone, skin and some electronica effects without classic band instruments like guitars, bass, drums and keyboards. But, it sounds stronger and mightier than most bands that play so called folk metal nowadays.

This dvd was recorded at Castle Festival and this is not merely a gig, this is a ritual, this is so much more than everything musical gig can give. From chanting in multiple voices, clean singing by charismatic Maria Franz, group berserker tribal singing, wind, birds, spirits that are here with us, this gig is about spiritual cleansing and healing wounds that come from being part of this spiritual world not caring about nature and old ways. Nature is warning us nowadays that it is wounded and suffering due to man´s influence and evil doing, but music of Heilung somehow sooths the bleeding hearts and brings back good feeling in you. I know this is hard to get only in words, but this is a must see and must feel gig. Hope I am going to witness Heilung ritual live somehow somewhere.