Biography
Combining ancient melodies, otherworldly vocals, field recordings, dark ambient soundscapes, and shamanic rhythms, the German-Norwegian-Danish pagan folk ensemble Heilung produces a trance-inducing sound that conjures the dawn of civilization itself. The trio has issued a succession of widely praised studio albums including Ofnir, Futha, and Drif, while its music has also surfaced in video games, television, and film.
The name Heilung, German for “healing,” was adopted in 2014 when German vocalist Kai Uwe Faust and Danish multi-instrumentalist and studio engineer Christopher Juul launched the project; Norwegian singer Maria Franz later completed the lineup.
Faust, raised in a strict Christian household in rural Germany where television was prohibited yet reading was encouraged, developed an early fascination with pre-Christian traditions; after rebelling against his upbringing and briefly exploring Satanism, he turned to shamanism and Viking culture, studied Tibetan throat singing, and established himself as both a poet and tattoo artist. Franz discovered a profound sense of belonging at age eleven upon encountering a local Viking re-enactment society, while Juul grew up immersed in similar customs as the son of a pagan priest in Copenhagen. The group originated when Faust visited Juul’s Copenhagen studio, Lava, to record poems and offered a tattoo in lieu of payment; the two bonded instantly and resolved to craft a musical endeavor that would transport listeners to the Bronze Age through ancient instruments and objects, Faust’s distinctive throat singing, and lyrics drawn directly from Viking rune inscriptions. Franz’s addition of ethereal vocals finalized the configuration.
Describing their approach as “amplified history,” they self-released their debut album Ofnir in 2015, which garnered modest notice until their second-ever live appearance at Castlefest in Lisse, the Netherlands, in 2017. There they delivered an immersive ritual before a crowd of ten thousand, populating the stage with guest performers dressed in ancient furs, bones, and antlers after only three days of preparation; the filmed performance circulated online and accumulated a million streams. The band subsequently signed with Season of Mist, which issued the recording as the live album Lifa, re-released Ofnir in 2018, and put out the second studio album Futha the following year. Also in 2019, Heilung’s music featured in the television series Vikings. Their 2022 release Drif broadened the sonic palette by incorporating ancient civilizations beyond Northern Europe, while the 2024 album Lifa Iotungard captured their acclaimed 2021 ritual at Red Rocks Amphitheatre near Denver, Colorado.
The name Heilung, German for “healing,” was adopted in 2014 when German vocalist Kai Uwe Faust and Danish multi-instrumentalist and studio engineer Christopher Juul launched the project; Norwegian singer Maria Franz later completed the lineup.
Faust, raised in a strict Christian household in rural Germany where television was prohibited yet reading was encouraged, developed an early fascination with pre-Christian traditions; after rebelling against his upbringing and briefly exploring Satanism, he turned to shamanism and Viking culture, studied Tibetan throat singing, and established himself as both a poet and tattoo artist. Franz discovered a profound sense of belonging at age eleven upon encountering a local Viking re-enactment society, while Juul grew up immersed in similar customs as the son of a pagan priest in Copenhagen. The group originated when Faust visited Juul’s Copenhagen studio, Lava, to record poems and offered a tattoo in lieu of payment; the two bonded instantly and resolved to craft a musical endeavor that would transport listeners to the Bronze Age through ancient instruments and objects, Faust’s distinctive throat singing, and lyrics drawn directly from Viking rune inscriptions. Franz’s addition of ethereal vocals finalized the configuration.
Describing their approach as “amplified history,” they self-released their debut album Ofnir in 2015, which garnered modest notice until their second-ever live appearance at Castlefest in Lisse, the Netherlands, in 2017. There they delivered an immersive ritual before a crowd of ten thousand, populating the stage with guest performers dressed in ancient furs, bones, and antlers after only three days of preparation; the filmed performance circulated online and accumulated a million streams. The band subsequently signed with Season of Mist, which issued the recording as the live album Lifa, re-released Ofnir in 2018, and put out the second studio album Futha the following year. Also in 2019, Heilung’s music featured in the television series Vikings. Their 2022 release Drif broadened the sonic palette by incorporating ancient civilizations beyond Northern Europe, while the 2024 album Lifa Iotungard captured their acclaimed 2021 ritual at Red Rocks Amphitheatre near Denver, Colorado.
Albums
Singles
Live
