HELHEIM | HEIMLAND | SKULD

SKULD

If you plan a trip to Bergen, Norway, be sure to schedule it around a metal show at Hulen. It’s truly an experience worth undertaking. Hulen was originally built during World War II as a bomb shelter and sits below Nygårdshøyden in Bergen’s city center. Deemed unnecessary years later, the shelter was converted into its present-day club form in 1969, officially opening on May 17. It’s a bit of a walk, but once you get deep into its bowels, one can’t help but marvel at the spooky entrance, stone walls, and exposed pipes. I gotta say that it is perhaps the best place in all of Norway to see some True Norwegian Black Metal, and that is what we did tonight.

Up first were the up-and-rising Skuld, who hail from Bergen. Their blend of proper black metal and blackgaze set the perfect tone, filling the cave with a resonant, sorrowful extremity. The guys ran through a collection of tracks from their debut full-length, Skogen, released back in 2024. Having been somewhat familiar with the material prior to the show, I was unsurprised at how well the melancholy translated to the stage. It was effortless. Mainman, Henrik, was absolutely on point in both his extreme and clean vocal registers, shifting seamlessly between them. Bassist Tom and guitarist Sigbjørn did an incredible job of filling things out, while drummer DanFaenFitteFaen kept the machine rolling with an organic yet precise performance behind the kit. Overall, the guys did a fantastic job of making these songs sound larger than life. I look forward to seeing them again!

HEIMLAND

If tonight’s performance was any indication, it’s only a matter of time before Bergen’s Heimland is headlining shows of their very own. In the meantime, they had the honour of being direct support to the legendary Helheim. Having seen the guys once before (supporting Taake in Leipzig, Germany, last year), I was incredibly excited to see the guys perform on home soil. Things have really taken off for this Bergen four-some since the release of their sophomore full-length Der Torv Moeter Hav, released back in November of 2025. I gotta say, this lineup is now like a well-oiled machine, even compared to when I saw them last year in Germany. Frontman Fanden absolutely commanded his position behind the mic. He delivered an incredibly visceral performance with his caustic black-metal shriek, yet punctuated it with deeply resonant roars. The rest of the band was absolutely on point, and the response from the packed house was more than appreciative. If you get a chance to see these guys live, do not pass it up!

HELHEIM

There exists a true gem in Norwegian Black Metal. A band that has remained consistently excellent for thirty-plus years. Tonight, that band put on a show-stopping performance that left all in attendance spellbound. That band is Helheim. Formed in Bergen in 1992, they are pioneers of a sound that combines the aesthetics of Norwegian black metal with the spiritual and darker aspects of Norse mythology. This was brought to life tonight with an incredible light show featuring images projected onto the stage, enshrouding the members in a mystical blanket of folkloric ambience.

The setlist mostly consisted of tracks from last year’s critically-acclaimed album, HrabnaR/Advesa. Given Hulen’s underground nature, the show felt like a “homecoming ritual” for the band. It’s rare to see a group with three decades of history still playing intimate, subterranean venues in their hometown with as much intensity as they exuded on stage this evening. The natural dampness and cavernous acoustics of the stone walls added a layer of depth and organic-ness to the already deep songs. This was only my second show at Hulen, but I’m having a hard time believing this one can be topped. The perfect band in the perfect venue.

SETLIST
‘Goatcraft Torment’, ‘Risus Sardonius’, ‘Antireligiøs’, ‘Dødsmarsj Til Helvete’, ‘Satanic Black Metal In Hell’, ‘Nefastus Nex Necis’, ‘Gathered Under The Horns’, ‘Selvmordssalme’, ‘Sentiment Of Chaos’