The stage lights are a deep red and smoke clouds our eyes as we wait for the opening act of the evening. Six people dressed in black cloaks enter the stage as they start playing ‘The Bird, The Lion And The Wildkin’. And so we are introduced to Zeal & Ardor, a Swiss band, originated in 2014 by lead singer and guitarist Manuel Ganeux as a solo project, taking on a challenge to mix slave songs with black metal to create a unique sound.
Although the band has grown significantly since their early days and their sound has changed along the way, remnants of their previous influences are still found in songs like ‘Blood In The River’ and ‘Devil is Fine’, recognised by the rhythms of the songs that feel familiar in intensity and meaning. After the song ‘Tuskegee’, Manuel introduces the band in a humorous way, telling us that they are ‘not great at announcements so here’s more music,’ after which they start playing ‘Blood In The River’.
After the song ‘Kilonova’, from their barely one month old album GREIF, ends, there seems to be a small disturbance in the crowd that grabs Manuel’s attention. He asks if something is wrong and security immediately reacts as well. The audience gives cheers and applause for how swiftly the situation was handled and the band makes use of that to transition into the next song ‘Run’.
The night proceeds smoothly with only a handful more songs from their five albums to be played. The crowd listens attentively and softly sways to the remaining songs, with a few old rockers headbanging along, as the last song ‘Clawing Out’ wraps up the first half of the night and prepares us for main act Heilung.
Not a concert, but a ritual: that’s the best way to describe what we’re experiencing as Heilung enters the stage. The show starts with singer and founder Kai Uwe Faust, cleansing the stage with incense and a branch. The song ‘The Opening Ceremony’ starts playing and on come fellow band members Christopher Juul and Maria Franz, followed by an assembly of thirteen. All are dressed in brown, green, and red fabric, carrying offerings of branches and antlers. They form a circle as the first words of the evening are spoken: “remember that we all are brothers, all people.” This is a reminder of togetherness, as we are taken back to the past.
Heilung, which derives from the German word for healing, describes their music as “amplified history”. Such is evident in their stage performance. From their intricate togas and antler headpieces, to their throat singing, primal instruments, and ancient lyrics. All attributes used in their live performances have been carefully sought out and curated to resemble their historic counterparts. Their care for authenticity instills more knowledge upon us viewers about ancient ancestral Nordic and surrounding great civilizations. Heilung is sure to take you on a spiritual journey as they alter your state of mind with their musical healing powers and bring a sense of belonging.
Their setlist is cleverly put together from new songs to old and everything in between. From beginning to end the captivating songs tell tales of ancient civilisations, while the ensemble, led by Kai and Maria, portray visual images of these tales on stage. A whirlwind of colours illuminates their performance, bringing extra ambiance to the overall mystical performance. Such is evident as we start the third song of the evening, ‘Alfadhirhaiti’, which portrays the actors as warriors holding shields and spears. As we enter the second half of the show, songs like ‘Krigsgaldr’ shows these same warriors taking leave, as a prelude with the blowing of a horn allows for Kai and Maria to take lead on this drum-filled lay. Under guidance of the instrumentalists and backing vocals, this performance makes for an impressive and intense sensation.‘Traust’ displays a blessing from the old Icelandic poem ‘Grogaldr’, as the actors appear in an open circle, a warrior woman is seen carrying a spear to the center of the circle while being met with Kai, representing a deity. As the song continues nine blessings from the poem, the female warrior is bound and released, to represent the words sung.
All songs seem to have been a build up to the last song of the evening, ‘Hamrer Hippyer’, a name stemming from the rhythmic throat singing at the start of the song. It’s a form of singing that is supposed to bring happiness and laughter. The sounds produced in this song are meant to call upon Wodan, a high god of Germanic thrives, who is seen as the great healer. About the chant, Heilung says that “spells to call fire and inflammation are chanted, only to later be followed by the mighty words of Wodan, healing blood and bone.” As the song builds up to an ecstatic climax and the crowd awakens, a foursome of the actors climbs onto the barricade and stimulates the crowd to let loose. They even crowdsurf through a small part of them and quickly make their way back on stage. Heilung finish the evening with a closing ceremony and a final bow. We are yet again reminded of our shared history, our brotherhood, and set foot into our present day world, and with a healed mind and soul, are grounded.
Written by: Lani Anna
Photographed by: Lani Anna
Edited by: Nèri Cliteur
