Heilung “Drif” Review

Heilung
Drif
Season Of Mist
Released: August 19, 2022

Danish neo-folk artists Heilung, return with their fourth record, Drif, coming soon through Season Of Mist records.

Heilung translates as “Healing” in German; the band’s goal is to disconnect from the artificial barriers of modern life and tap into a more universal tribal spirit. With three main members that hail from Denmark, Germany and Norway, which others that join them on stage when on tour.

Although there are but three main members of Heilung,  as many as eighteen individuals have appeared onstage at their height, each either contributing musically of as part of what can only be described as ritual proceedings. Earlier in the year, Heilung were recruiting members to join them on tour, as Viking warriors that appeared on stage on several occasions, topless men and women, carrying shields and spears – adding to the already strong visual aesthetic of the show.

On Drif, the fourth album from Heilung, we find a strong continuation of where the band left off on 2019’s Futha, itself a brilliant piece of work. Why fix a working formula, especially when very few others walk a similar path as yours?

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Among the instruments used, are drums, including one with horse skin painted with human blood, two drums with deerskin and a drum with goatskin. A buffalo horn, various rattles – one of which contains human ashes, bells, whistles and even a human forearm bone. Vocalist Kai Uwe Faust’s throat singing recalls the Tibetan or Mongolian style, while Christopher Juul uses a chirping whisper as vocals. The more traditional used vocals come from Maria Franz – formerly of progressive rock  band Euzen.

At the heart of Drif, as is the case with the previous releases from Heilung, is an encompassing surrounding of ambiance, a soundscape that is multi-dimensional and smothering – divine and truly unique.

 

The drumming drives the soundscapes on Drif, creating a pulsating rhythm that is at the heart of the trance brewing resonance. Various vocal styles are used, including throat singing, all of which bring a moody atmosphere and ambiance to the works. But it is in the intricacies, the trinkets and more hidden bits where Drif really takes shape. A shake of a rattle, the droning of a bell’s chime, or the mood that comes from a horn – the lesser accentuated instruments really bring something special to the recording. The drumming and vocals may be the driving force of Heilung’s music, but these deep-set sounds are what gives it flesh.

“With singing these primordial songs we want to give tribute to these cultures,” says Faust. “To reconnect to the beginnings and remember that we all, from East to West, from past to present, are connected through the exchange of ideas and inspiring each other.”

Having grown up listening to the likes of Dead Can Dance and Clannad, to the dark ambient sounds of artists such as Raison D’Etre and Aghast, I have vast experience with adventures in soundscapes and lush audial exploration, but what Heilung create, is on another astral plain – both gloomy and ethereal, deep and broad. With each listening, more and more is revealed or picked up upon. Like peeling the skin off of a piece of fruit, it grows sweater the more time you allow it. Drif is truly incredible in every conceivable way.

Like Dead Can Dance, Heilung have amassed a wide selection of elements taking from various ancient cultures and bridged them to create a sort of multi-cultural blend that still remains true to their own ancestry, despite bringing elements from far and wide. Albeit primarily Scandinavian at its root, the usage of Mongolian throat singing – as well as some of the costumes they adorn themselves in, show a more global picture.

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The final piece on Drif, named Marduk, see’s Heilung performing a chanted vocalization over music that could have easily appeared on any number of recordings released by the famed Cold Meat Industry label that focused on dark ambient material. It is a gorgeous peace ripe with drone work and chiming bells. Although a lot of the music on Drif offer a chance to draft off in a trance-like journey, it is on Marduk that these levels find their peek.

This, the fourth release from Heilung, will see the light of day on August 19th, and can be pre-ordered through Season Of Mist of directly through the artists bandcamp page.

For Fans Of: Wardruna, Dead Can Dance, Danheim
Track Listing:

01. Asja
02. Anoana
03. Tenet
04. Urbani
05. Keltentrauner
06. Nesso
07. Buslas Bann
08. Nikkal
09. Marduk

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