Heilung

Lore & Background

Heilung was founded in 2014 in Copenhagen by German vocalist Kai Uwe Faust, a tattoo artist specializing in Old Norse tattoos, and Danish producer Christopher Juul. Juul, who had operated Lava recording studio since 2003, admired Faust's visual work, leading to a trade: Faust offered free tattoos in exchange for help recording poems. This collaboration initiated the band. In 2015, Maria Franz, Juul's longtime girlfriend and singer in the band Euzen, joined as a session vocalist, later becoming the third official member. That year, the band self-released their debut album, Ofnir.

The band's first performances in 2017 were at Castlefest and the Midgardsblot Metalfestival. The Castlefest performance was recorded and released as the live album Lifa on YouTube and in physical format. Their Midgardsblot performance was listed by Metal Hammer as one of the ten best of 2017. Later that year, Heilung signed with the label Season of Mist. On 20 April 2018, Ofnir and Lifa were reissued on vinyl and CD. The band composed the soundtrack for Senua's Saga: Hellblade II, and fragments of their music were used in season six of the television series Vikings. Their third studio album, Drif, was released on 19 August 2022, peaking at No. 9 in the German and No. 25 in the Austrian album charts. Heilung performed at Glastonbury Festival 2024 and contributed as guest musicians on Kati Rán's SÁLA album. In November 2024, they announced a European tour for 2025, with a final show on 17 August, after which they planned a hiatus.

Reader's Guide

Heilung's significance lies in their unique approach to historical music, blending experimental folk with authentic texts and runic inscriptions from the Iron Age and Viking Age. Their use of period-appropriate instruments—such as drums with horse skin painted with human blood, bones, spears, and a reconstructed Viking-age silver cup—creates a visceral, immersive experience intended to leave listeners in a relaxed state after a turbulent musical journey. The band's recordings include poems and spoken word, and they employ a variety of languages including Gothic, Old High German, Icelandic, Latin, Old English, Proto-Norse, Proto-Germanic, and Viking age Old Norse. Their elaborate costumes, based on spiritual traditions of Eurasian circumpolar peoples and Nordic Bronze Age reproductions, enhance their performances. Heilung's legacy includes a nomination for a Metal Hammer Golden Gods Award in 2018 and a tie for the World Traditional Award at the 18th Independent Music Awards for the song Norupo. Their work has reached wider audiences through television and video game soundtracks, cementing their role as interpreters of early medieval northern European culture.

Did You Know?

• The band's name 'Heilung' is a German noun meaning 'healing'.
• Heilung's instruments include a human forearm bone, a clay rattle with human ashes, and a reconstructed silver cup from the Viking age.
• The band composed the soundtrack for the video game Senua's Saga: Hellblade II.
• Heilung tied for the World Traditional Award at the 18th Independent Music Awards with the song Norupo.