Heilung

Heilung is an experimental folk group from Denmark, active since 2014. Its core members are Kai Uwe Faust, Christopher Juul and Maria Franz. The group works in dark folk, neofolk and pagan folk, and its music draws on texts and runic inscriptions from Germanic peoples of the Iron Age and the Viking Age.

Formation and name

Heilung forms in Copenhagen in 2014, founded by Kai Uwe Faust and Christopher Juul. Faust is a German tattoo artist known for Old Norse tattoo work, while Juul is a Danish producer who operates the Copenhagen recording studio Lava, which he has run since 2003. The two begin the project after Juul admires Faust’s visual work and offers recording help in exchange for tattoos. The name Heilung is a German word meaning “healing”.

Line-up

Maria Franz joins in 2015, first as a session vocalist before becoming the group’s third official member. She is also known as a singer in the progressive rock and pop-rock band Euzen, where Juul also plays piano and electronics.

Releases and performances

Heilung self-releases its debut album, Ofnir, in 2015. The group’s first performances take place in 2017 at Castlefest and the Midgardsblot Metalfestival. The Castlefest set is recorded and released on YouTube and as the live album Lifa. The Midgardsblot performance is later listed by Metal Hammer as one of the ten best performances of 2017.

Later in 2017, Heilung signs with Season of Mist. Its first two self-released albums, Ofnir and Lifa, are reissued on vinyl and CD in 2018. The studio albums continue with Futha in 2019 and Drif in 2022.

Other work and recognition

Heilung composes the soundtrack for Senua's Saga: Hellblade II. Fragments of its music are also used in season six of the television series Vikings. Drif reaches No. 9 in Germany and No. 25 in Austria.