For the second night this weekend, Enmore road sees all manor of Viking horns, Midsommar flower crowns and Scandinavian dress as Danish/Germanic warrior troupe Heilung bring their spiritual ritual to the Enmore Theatre.
LOUD was lucky enough to cover their first ritual down under tour in 2023, for this tour we see larger venues, more shows in more cities and a tour support in Faroe Islands singer Eivor.
The soft spoken singer ensnares the packed out venue, her gorgeous voice invoking images of fields, fjords and mountains. Theme song from Vikings The Last Kingdom is a haunting, ambient electronic ballad, layers building upon it self.
Melding Icelandic folk with electronica in a symphony of soul and history, all eyes are on the vocalist, strobes of white pierce the room as she sways on stage. The heavy bass builds, synth riffs and her eclectic vocal range envelop the senses.
As the lights dim, Kai Uwe Faust and Nicholas Schipper slowly and silently sponge the stage with incense, smoke and blessings. One by one the warriors enter the dark light of the theatre, the opening chanting and beating of war drums signal the beginning of two hours of century old story telling.
In Maidjan is a feast for the senses, Maria Franz stalks the stage with her hand drum, the constant beat echoing around the corners of the gorgeous Enmore Theatre.
Asja sees the group circling, hands held together, the crowd clapping in time with the warriors.
Sudden flash of light stuns the crowd, Hakkerskaldyr screams, howls and the banging of swords on shields as the troupe march to the war chant, forming a shield wall, spears thrusting forward.
Yowling emanates from the crowd as Faust responds with a guttural call, the phalanx of warriors continue their advance.
Each song melds into the next, a flowing dance of song, encapsulating all in attendance, Anoana sees Maria take her throne, her bowed lyre solemnly, forcefully cutting through the droning and haunting melodies.
Hamrer Hippyer, the call to arms, the crowd let loose, stamping and howling, warriors join the audience, firing up the crowd. Drums, chanting, reckless abandoned as the warriors dance, the music surges, it grows, shivers run down my spine. This is as close to a religious experience as one can get. Absolutely beautiful.
