Have you heard of Heilung?
As our photographs show, the collective of experimental folk performers celebrate the musical prehistory of northern Europe in a very striking way, complete with ancient weapons that they brandish on stage during their sold-out tours.
Formed in Copenhagen around the middle of the last decade, the band draws its members from Denmark, Norway and Germany. While taking inspiration from their ancestral Nordic civilisations, they are influenced by many cultures and begin each concert, or perhaps the word is ceremony, with the chant: “Remember we are all brothers.”
Admirers came from far and wide to see Heilung play at the 3Arena in Dublin last week; they last performed in Ireland in January 2023.
Those on stage were dramatically adorned with antlers, flowing robes and fringed headdresses, while many wielded shields and spears.
The group’s fans are no slouches when it comes to presentation either, with Viking-era beards, multiple piercings, elaborate make-up and face paint, and creative costumes the order of the day.
The word “heilung” means healing in old German and, according to lead singer Maria Franz, some fans experience a “sort of healing experience” through attending the band’s alternative and genre-defying live spectacles.
