Heilung are now streaming the very first track taken from their upcoming album ‘Futha’, which will be released on June 28, 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PBo83bPyOE&feature=youtu.be&utm_source=Season+of+Mist+Press&utm_campaign=9b443edd13-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2016_12_09_COPY_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_571727d087-9b443edd13-205668333
The band comments: “‘Norupo’ is based on the poem known as ‘the Norwegian rune poem’. The poem was preserved in a 17th-century copy of a now lost 13th-century manuscript. The Norwegian rune poem gives a complete description of all sixteen runes of the younger Futhark, also commonly known as the ‘Viking runes’. These runes are also the foundation for the artwork of ‘Futha’.”
On the meaning of the album title, Heilung comment: “The majority of full rune set inscriptions start with ‘Futha’, and is known to us as the first four letters in all runic alphabets. It is considered that our forefathers saw magic potential in engraving the full rune line, but there is also great significance in the beginnings. Science has no key for the meaning of only engraving the first couple of letters yet, but there is, of course, a surplus of theories. One of the theories we found inspiration in, is that ‘Futha’ holds the meaning of fertility and female gender. As ‘Ofnir’ focused on war and masculine notions, the great healing power of female wild strength is evoked in Futha. Those who have been present at a birth or have seen lionesses hunting know the spirit, and we welcome and embrace it in the sounds that were born during the creation of ‘Futha’.”
Tracklist: Galgaldr (10:22) / Norupo (4:18) / Othan (10:19) / Traust (9:49) / Vapnatak (4:03) / Svanrand (3:36) / Elivagar (8:45) / Elddansurin (8:05) / Hamrer Hippyer (14:17) / Total playing time: 1:13:34
“Ofnir” was a very masculine album. To create it, Heilung took a big part of the lyrics from preserved rune inscriptions on weapons and armour. “Futha” is the counterpart, the balance point, the feminine side. Here, the lyrics originate from old Icelandic poetry, in which the holy women chant magic spells and offer their blessings. Hence, female voices are more prominent on “Futha”.
Heilung means “healing” in the German language and this also describes the core of the band’s sound. The listener is supposed to be left at ease and in a relaxed state after a magical musical journey that is at times turbulent.
Heilung reach far back in time to the Northern European iron age and Viking period to create their sound experience. The band utilises many means in their songs: from running water via human bones, reconstructed swords and shields up to ancient frame drums as well as bronze rings.
When Heilung self-released ‘Ofnir’ in 2015, the Danish band could hardly have anticipated the breakthrough success of their debut album. Spectacular live shows, strong critical acclaim, and a massive underground buzz added to the constantly high demand for this full-length are the reason why their new label Season of Mist did not hesitate to re-issue ‘Ofnir’ in several collector’s edition formats. Heilung‘s live album, ‘LIFA’ (2017) was released in parallel.
The word “Futha” is taken from an artefact, that is still controversially discussed. Big names in runology like Düwel and Heizmann can agree neither on the deciphering nor the meaning of the description.…The word is engraved in a gold bracteate from Skåne (SE), which was produced around 500-530 AD. It was discovered in 1831 and these medals or coins were divided into different categories by the Swedish archaeologist Oscar Montelius. The bracteate in question is a so-called C-bracteate named Schonen II-C (Schonen is the German Name of Skåne) with a horse and a face. The rune inscription is between the hind-legs of the horse. Interesting to mention here is the fact that the majority of full rune set inscriptions start with “futh”, which also is the first three letters in all runic alphabets. It is considered that our forefathers saw magic potential in engraving the full rune line, but there is also great significance in the beginnings. Science has no key for the meaning of only engraving the first couple of letters yet, but there is a surplus of theories. This brings us to a runic staff found in Bergen, which was given the rather unpoetic archaeological classification B011. It carries the inscription: “felleg er fuþ sin bylli Fuþorglbasm”, which means: “Lovely is the cunt, may the cock fill it up”. Also interesting is that the Högstena amulet, which we use in the song “Galgaldr”, has an alternative deciphering of the word “futh”, which in this context means “cunt”. All this leaves us with two hints: magic potential and the female genitalia. The great healing power of the female wild strength is evoked in “Futha”. Those who have been present at a birth or seen a lioness hunting, know the spirit. The spirit of the “wilde Weiber” (German), the wild wise women. “Futha” endeavours to connect to a time before the female was degraded to a birth-machine and carrier of eternal inherited guilt.
“Futha” was three years in the making and was finished for production and print at midwinter, the very darkest day of the solar year, the 21st in the 12th month at 21:00.
Any attempt to link the band with or bring their music into a modern political or religious context is pointless, since Heilung try to connect their listeners with a time before the coming of Christianity and modern political ideologies.
Line-up: Kai Uwe Faust / Christopher Juul / Maria Franz