With a performative concept that they describe as “neither a ritual, nor a concert”, the immersive ceremony of Heilung’s craft has endeared the band to anyone with an interest in history, paganism, fantasy, and traditional music; aided in part by its inclusion in hit series such as Game of Thrones and Vikings, as well as 2022 blockbuster The Northman. The aim of the project is to leave the listener in a relaxed state after taking us on a journey across a soundscape that is at times turbulent, but one that also connects us with our past heritage; achieving this through crafting instruments and sounds using only means and materials that would have been accessible during the Iron Age in Northern Europe; as well as with field recordings from nature.
As an album, Drif continues along this precedent set by Heilung in previous releases; yet also manages to build on it. ‘Asja (Protection)’ opens the album with enigmatically intense bass chanting followed by a melancholic bowed string riff and poetry that sets the scene perfectly for what is to come on this musical journey before ‘Anoana‘, the first single and video released from Drif, continues it. It is immediately surprising that the music manages to be simultaneously energising and relaxing; offering a chance for meditation and contemplation whilst also propelling the listener forward mentally into activity. There is a lot going on in each track, from the multiple crisscrossing vocal parts of male and female vocalists, to the percussion and instrumentation, to the background noises and field recordings that Heilung use to achieve this soundscape. If one listens closely, the ear can focus in on something different every time the album is played over, showing that the band have carefully planned out and thought about what they are offering to the listener sound-wise – nothing in the recording is there by accident; and the band have fully fleshed out their sound with a variety of different elements working together to create this journey.
One of the most interesting tracks on Drif to comment on would be ‘Urbani’, predating the dark age-era themes that the band normally adhere to with a militaristic and tumultuous rendition of an Ancient Roman army marching song taken from the record of Ancient Roman biographer Suetonius. The soundscape is raw and tumultuous, achieving the militaristic feel with some success using a forced march tempo and a reconstruction of an Ancient Roman military horn. This track is then followed by the customary mid-album poetry break in German that Heilung typically incorporate into their albums; describing a clash of cultures as Celtic tribes meet the Roman military in battle.
As the album reaches a close, Heilung transport us again away from the forests of central Europe in the Roman iron age, to the Middle-East, where we are treated with a rendition of a hymn to the ancient Syrian goddess ‘Nikkal‘ – in what is apparently the world’s oldest surviving work of annotated music dated at almost three and a half thousand year old. The album is then brought to a close with a recitation of the 50 names of Marduk, the highest god of the ancient Mesopotemian pantheon, whispered over a melancholic yet calming soundscape that conjures delicate historical images in the mind of the listener – perhaps exactly what Heilung were intending with not just the song, but the album as a whole. Drif, meaning ‘Gathering‘, is a great success for the band – and it will be exciting to see how the band incorporate this new collection of songs, poetry, spells, prayers, and chants into their ever-fascinating, historically-encapsulating live performances.