Enigmatic world music collective Heilung are proud to announce the details of their upcoming new full length ‘Drif’. The album is set for worldwide release on August 19, 2022 via Season of Mist. The cover artwork and track titles of ‘Drif’ can now be viewed below. The brand new single “Anoana”, which is accompanied by a magical new music video, will be released soon.

Heilung comment in their own words: “Drif means “gathering”. A throng of people, a horde, a crowd, a pack. In symbiosis with the album title, Drif consists of a flock, a collection, a gathering, a collage of songs, that much like little flames were seeking towards each other, to join, to bond, to create, and be greater together. This album has very clearly dictated its own path. Our attempts to tame it was repeatedly fruitless and once we came to this realization, the creative flow surged forward with immense force. So much so that sometimes it felt like the songs wrote themselves. All the songs on Drif have their own stories. They have each their place and sense of belonging, with inspiration not only from Northern Europe, but from the ancient great civilisations.”

Tracklist: 1. Asja (5:17) 2. Anoana (4:57) 3. Tenet (13:05) 4. Urbani (2:55) 5. Keltentrauer (8:26) 6. Nesso (7:54) 7. Buslas Bann (5:03) 8. Nikkal (3:04) 9. Marduk (8:34) // Total: 59:15

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 utilizes 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. It’s difficult to categorize a band that uses such a variety of influences, traditions, and instruments to create immersive soundscapes. Thus, the band has described their own music as ‘amplified history’ to befit their sounds.

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 visionary three-piece continued gathering praise with their latest full-length ‘Futha’, released in 2019 which debuted at #3 on the Billboard Heatseeker charts and #4 on the Billboard World Music Charts in the United States, placing on a total of seven Billboard charts within the first week of its release. For the single “Norupo” a music video was filmed at the Neolithic standing stones at Les Menhirs de Monteneuf in France.

The band’s music has been widely used in pop culture and transcends the traditional genre boundaries in music. Not only did leading television broadcaster HBO use their music in the trailer for the hit series Game of Thrones, Heilung’s sounds can also be heard in series like Vikings and Ragnarök on Netflix.

Furthermore, the group has been collaborating with game studios for the soundtrack of several mainstream video games. In 2020, gaming company Ninja Theory and Heilung started to work on the soundtrack for their upcoming game, ‘Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II.’ The announcement trailer for the new game features Heilung‘s song ‘In Maidjan,’ which is taken from their debut album, ‘Ofnir’.

Later, Heilung was invited to join in another video game collaboration with MY.GAMES and Booming Tech for the new season of the ‘Conqueror’s Blade’ video game, ‘VII: “Wolves of Ragnarok.” Heilung will also see their name being eternalized in one of the new combat map locations, which is now officially called ‘Heilung Fjord,’ and serves as a place for healing.

While the world came to a stop during the pandemic, the three-piece retreated in the studio to write and record upcoming album ‘Drif’. In the band’s fashion, they sought for forgotten songs, made ruffling leaves into instruments and wrote lyrics spreading messages of love for each other and respect for nature. ‘Drif’ will be Heilung’s most immersive and successful work to date.

In their own words: “Drif means “gathering”. A throng of people, a horde, a crowd, a pack. In symbiosis with the album title, Drif consists of a flock, a collection, a gathering, a collage of songs, that much like little flames were seeking towards each other, to join, to bond, to create, and be greater together. This album has very clearly dictated its own path. Our attempts to tame it was repeatedly fruitless and once we came to this realization, the creative flow surged forward with immense force. So much so that sometimes it felt like the songs wrote themselves. All the songs on Drif have their own stories. They have each their place and sense of belonging, with inspiration not only from Northern Europe, but from the ancient great civilisations.”

Heilung line-up: Kai Uwe Faust / Christopher Juul / Maria Franz

Recording studio: Lava Studios Copenhagen – Producer / sound engineer: Christopher Juul – Mix/Master: Lava Studios Copenhagen, Christopher Juul

Guest musicians: Annicke Shireen, Emilie Lorentzen, Mira Ceti, on track: 1, 2, 3 and 8 / Jacob Hee Lund and Nicolas Schipper on track: 1, 2, 3 and 7 / Ruben Terlouw, Pan Bartkowiak, Marijn Sies, Gwydion Zomer, Isabella Streich, Martin Skou, Samiye van Rossum, Nadia Kalamieiets, Edward Boyter, Nina Cornelia Schilp, Mitchell Bosch, Gwydion Zomer and Katalin Papp on track: 2, 4 and 5 / Vilja Christine Agger, Ea Christine Agger and Michael Berberian on track: 3