ALBUM REVIEW: Futha – Heilung
When HEILUNG self-released their debut album Ofnir four years ago, the Danish band may not have expected the ground-breaking successes they have had today. Basing their sound off the Northern European Iron age and Viking age, they have managed to create a unique and authentic experience they like to call Amplified History. People globally have been enchanted by the works of HEILUNG since their debut, Futha sets to be no different.
When Futha was announced, HEILUNG made the claim that this album would be focusing on a more feminine side of their sound as opposed to the masculinity of Ofnir. This of course on its own is an interesting flip, and allows a certain power to be given to Maria Franz. Her vocals boast an ethereal tone throughout, from the undertones on opening track Galgaldr, the calming Norupo, to the more commanding Svanrand. Whilst there is still masculinity hovering around the album, it is simply passive to the femininity.
HEILUNG‘s success is not only down to the stunning craft work that went into Ofnir, it is also down to the band and their ritualistic live performances. Futha throughout sets a tone that will only be pushed further when it comes to their live shows. There is not a moment that falls short of having that spiritual ritual feeling to it, and will of course bring some of their finest performances to date.
When it comes to live performances, Hamrer Hippyer and Othan became fan favourites to hear and made it onto the band’s live album Lifa. To notice how a band will work live through a studio recording is one thing, but to turn live sounds into studio is another. After crafting certain atmospheres in a live setting, to have it stripped back and experience it in a completely new way takes skill. HEILUNG have without a doubt perfected their sound, their style, everything about themselves, because how they taken those two prominent live songs and turn them into studio has been done to such a professional standard. At no point was an error of judgement made, and it goes to show that because of their level of high standards and what they do with their sound, live songs were loved enough to be made a permanent fixture in the band’s back-catalogue.
Of course to those who haven’t been familiar with HEILUNG over the past couple of years, or the rise of bands who follow a similar suit of incorporating history and nature into their sound such as WARDRUNA, OSI AND THE JUPITER, FORNDOM, and many more, then it might be a little confusing at some points as to what is actually going on. The mostly spoken-work track Vapnatak is one, alongside the harsh growls that fall out of Elivagar, however they are some of the most authentic pieces that a modern-day band could produce in terms of relating to the roots of their sound.
What makes Futha special, just like Ofnir is the way the sounds are recorded. There’s no samples being pushed through a laptop, every single sound you hear is done authentically, even to the ice cracks on Elivagar. That authenticity creates a realness to the music, it helps issue a connection with the listener. If it was done via samples then the feeling would of course be stripped away, and everything the band have strived for in their sound would be lacklustre.
Futha in itself is undeniably intense, but has a trail of delicacy that follows suit. The ancient worlds that most have forgotten are being kept alive because of artists such as HEILUNG, but what is more outstanding is how they have given us, the listener, the re-ignition of a fire in our souls and given back some of our primal instincts that we have lost over the years. The connection to history and nature is incredibly important, and whether we believe it or not, HEILUNG put us right back in touch with that. Their name translated is Healing, and that is exactly what their sound does. Whether it hits you on an emotional, spiritual, physical level, it heals. Whether you understand it or not, it heals.
When talking of the logistics such as the masculine to female sound, a comparison to Ofnir is easy. However to be able to distinguish whether they have upped their game or not is almost impossible. The reason is that throughout each track they have released during their time has been filled with passion and a compelling dedication to the accuracy of what each track is about. No stone is left unturned when it comes to making sure they are getting everything perfect, from the use of natural instrumentation to learning ancient languages. Aforementioned there are many bands and artists out there who are within this realm of ancient-history/nature inspired music, and each one brings something special and unique to the table. Having said this, Futha sets a bar and displays an extraordinary example to the world about unity. Their efforts with this album have been wasted in no way, shape or form, and have taken us on a journey that will hopefully never end.
Rating: 10/10
Futha is out now via Season of Mist.
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