Historical, medieval Northern European experimenters, Heilung have finally unveiled news on their second studio album, which is set for release at the end of June. Futha, will be the long awaited follow-up to 2015’s Ofnir. And although no concrete music has yet been released, fans have been treated to this brief but wonderfully intense teaser. You are defied not to want to hear the album after watching this.
The meaning behind Futha, as described by the band, is a complex one. But one of Futha‘s themes is a focus on the wild strength of femininity, which comes in opposition to the masculine themes of Ofnir. The fact that the sounds of this progression are currently undisclosed make the anticipation for this new record that much greater. Here are a few words from the band themselves:
‘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.’
And as any Heilung fan can testify, the art of the live performance has been taken to a whole new level by this band. So it’s no surprise that their 2019 tour schedule is rigorous, the second leg of which is across Europe. With Futha arriving in the midst, there’s no guarantee that even the most seasoned audience participant will know what to expect. Dates are as follows:
HEILUNG 2019
11 Apr 19 Tilburg (NL) Roadburn Festival
17 Apr 19 St. Petersburg (RU) Aurora
19 Apr 19 Moscow (RU) Arbat Hall
20 Jun 19 Copenhagen (DK) Copenhell Festival 2019 (Exact date TBA)
29 Jun 19 Helsinki (FI) Tuska 2019 (Exact date TBA)
18 Aug 19 Borre (NO) Midgardsblot 2019 (Exact date TBA)
07 Sep 19 Selb (DE) Mediaval Festival 2019 (Exact date TBA)
19 Oct 19 Hameln (DE) Autumn Moon Festival 2019 (Exact date TBA)HEILUNG European tour
22 Oct 19 Palladium (PL) Warschau
24 Oct 19 Berlin (DE) Admiralspalast
26 Oct 19 Essen (DE) Colosseum Theater
28 Oct 19 Munich (DE) Circus Krone
30 Oct 19 Prague (CZ) Hybernia
01 Nov 19 Halle (DE) Händelhalle
03 Nov 19 Vienna (AT) Der Globe
05 Nov 19 Zurich (CH) Volkshaus
07 Nov 19 Kiel (DE) Kieler Schloss
10 Nov 19 London (UK) Roundhouse
17 Nov 19 Brussels (BE) AB
20 Nov 19 Paris (FR) Elysée Montmartre
Futha is set for release June 28, 2019, via Season of Mist. To hear Heilung‘s previous work, visit their Spotify and Bandcamp pages. For all other news and info, visit their facebook.
