Heidevolk (NL)

About

Heidevolk sing almost entirely in Dutch, which already sets them apart in the folk and viking metal world. The Arnhem outfit built their sound around melodic folk instrumentation, two distinctive clean vocalists, and lyrics steeped in the history of Gelderland, the natural landscape of the Veluwe, and Germanic mythology. They named themselves after that heathland region, having come up with the name while walking across the Veluwe itself. Since forming in 2002 under the name Hymir, they have put out a string of albums on Napalm Records, from the fan favourite Uit oude grond to the concept album Batavi and their most recent record Wederkeer in 2023. Their live show leans hard into the Viking aesthetic, with swords and shields decorating the stage. Vocalists from the band have also contributed to cross European collaborations, joining singers from Sweden, Lithuania, Germany and Latvia on an Arkona track where each vocalist sang in their own language.