HELSOTT – America’s leading pagan metal band – has unveiled a new music video for the song “Helsott.” The track appears on their debut full-length, “Woven,” which will be reissued this Friday (Nov. 13) by M-Theory Audio in celebration of the group’s 10th anniversary. The video – designed by Raf Ortega of Ecliptic Visions – can be viewed at https://youtu.be/nckxIy8_o1I
Says vocalist Eric Dow, “The song ‘Helsott’ embodies the essence of death knocking on your door. With all of the death that we have seen in 2020, it seems like the perfect time to reissue it with a lyric video. The song both aggressively and beautifully articulates the experience of death. Some die alone, others with loved ones by their side, and some are even self-sacrificing. This song ambitiously confronts the inevitable fate we all share.”
Originally released in 2014, “Woven” has been newly remixed and remastered by J-F Dagenais (Kataklysm, Misery Index) and features striking fantasy artwork by Felipe Machado Franco (Iced Earth, Blind Guardian). A limited-edition, 180-gram white wax pressing of 200 hand-numbered copies will mark the album’s first-ever vinyl release. The CD, meanwhile, will include the band’s 2012 debut EP “Fólkvangr” – which has also been remixed and remastered by Dagenais – as bonus tracks. Both formats of “Woven” are available now for pre-order at http://smarturl.com/helsott.
Since their formation, the California-based HELSOTT – whose name means “fatal illness” in Old Norse – has paid homage to pagan cultures and mythologies while keeping true to their American influences. The group’s unique mix of folk metal, death metal, symphonic metal, thrash, classical and rock first caught the attention of audiences on a large scale during the 2013 Paganfest North American tour, where they performed with Ensiferum, Tyr and Trollfest. That tour set the stage for the 2014 release of “Woven,” which was supported with tours alongside Arkona and Heidevolk.
While the original songs contained on “Woven” were powerful musical statements in their own rights, the newly remixed and remastered version of the record breathes new life and reinvigorated strength into the band’s already-stellar work.
“‘Woven’ sonically reveals our lives at the time – the ups and downs, thrills and chills,” says drummer Cooper Dustman of the band’s formative work. “A dance between beauty and brutality make this a true staple to a sound that represents our journey in metal music.”
“‘Woven’ is a collection of songs written during a dark time in my life,” says guitarist Mark Dow. “It was, at that time, my escape from all of that nonsense. I am very happy to finally present it in the way it’s meant to be heard thanks to J-F Dagenais.”
“‘Woven’ is one of my best achievements in my life,” adds Eric Dow. “With this reissue, we included our 2012 EP ‘Fólkvangr,’ which has also been remixed and mastered by J-F. Now every song in our catalog has been mixed and mastered by J-F and released by M-Theory Audio. I couldn’t be happier about that!“
In the years since the original release of “Woven,” HELSOTT has released an EP (2017’s “The Healer”) and a second full-length (2018’s “Slaves and Gods”) and logged many touring miles worldwide with artists including Korpiklaani, I Am Morbid, Necrophagia, Tengger Cavalry, Ashes of Ares, Felix Martin, Arkona, Skyforger and Finsterforst. In addition, the band has performed at major European festivals such as Wacken Open Air and Cernunnos Pagan Fest. The group is currently working on a new album, which they hope to release in 2021.
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