Formed in 2025, Kriigerkvlt is a new collective that features Heilung founding member Kai Uwe Faust and members of the Heilung warrior choir. The collective debuted live on stage in Copenhagen alongside industrial doom raver John Cxnnor and the occult feminist black metal band Witch Club Satan with an exclusive premiere of their collaborative song “Hypothermia”.
Kriigerkvlt is not tied to a specific cultural identity, historical period or genre. They explore a wide range of expressions: harsh gutturals, throat singing, drone, piano, harp, marimba, guitar and nyckelharpa. No matter what form they take, their focus remains rooted in intensity, atmosphere and the spirit of collaboration.
To commemorate their signing to Season of Mist, today Kriigerkvlt are releasing their first official single. From its opening bells, “Mahakala” ventures deep into a realm of fire, only to emerge transformed after a confrontation with one’s shadow self.
“We are excited to announce our signing with Season of Mist”, Kriigerkvlt vocalist Kai Uwe Faust says. “We have seen firsthand how the label has supported Heilung’s artistic freedom. As a flexible collective that specializes in extreme vocal textures and unconventional soundscapes, we felt that was also important for Kriigerkvlt.”
“In an age where sacred symbols are often commercialized or stripped of context, Kriigerkvlt stands apart”, Faust continues. “‘Mahakala’ is not a spectacle. It is a call to confront the hidden forces within us all, not through blind violence, but through awareness, discipline and transformation.”
Watch the video for “Mahakala”: https://youtu.be/ARakiMuHA4o
“Mahakala” invokes a wrathful deity from Tibetan Buddhism. But even though his appearance is frightening, Kriigerkvlt reveal that Mahakala is not evil. Instead, their new single is a reminder that the real enemy lies within ourselves. “Our attachments, our delusions, our inner chaos, these are the shadows Mahakala consumes in his black fire”, Faust says.
Kriigerkvlt approach “Mahakala” with deep respect. The song is not an act of cultural appropriation but a deeply felt offering. Martial drums, ritualistic chanting, harsh vocals, heaves of bass, fragile piano and choral singing come together to honor what Mahakala truly represents. Long before his appearance in Buddhism, he was revered amongst the Bon shamanic tradition as a spirit of protection and wild nature. His black skin represents absorption, swallowing duality, illusions and all sense of fragmentation.
“Kriigerkvlt taps into Mahakala not as outsiders, but as seekers of the same fire that burns in every human tradition”, Faust says. “The song is intense, raw and uncompromising. It evokes the confrontation with the shadow self, the spiritual warrior’s path and the dissolving of the ego.”
The video for “Mahakala” was directed and filmed by Kai Uwe Faust. It was edited by Cristian Medrea and color graded by Anda Lupulet.
Photos by Jacob Inesen.
Stream “Mahakala”: https://orcd.co/kriigerkvltmahakala
Tracklist:
1. Mahakala (10:53)
Origin: World
Style: Ritualistic Tribal Noise
FFO: Heilung, Wardruna, Garmarna
Line-up:
Kai Uwe Faust — Vocals
KC Johnson — Vocals
Gwydion Zomer — Vocals
Katalin Papp — Vocals
Ruben Terlouw — Vocals
Britt Mollberg — Drums, Vocals
Nadiia Kalamieiets — Vocals, Piano
Edward Boyter — Bass Guitar, Vocals
Nina Cornelia Schilp — Vocals
Jenna Marwell — Vocals
Nicholas Flanagan — Vocals
Cynthia Nugent — Vocals
Mitchell Bosch — Vocals
Chloé Alicia Bakker — Vocals
Martin Skou — Vocals
Obban — Vocals
Songwriting Credits:
Composed by Kai Uwe Faust & Per Åhlund
Production Credits:
Recorded at Atlantis Studio in Stockholm, Sweden by Niclas Lindström and Clara Hedås Schmidt
Additional sounds by Peo Bengtsson
Produced and mixed by Per Åhlund
Production assistance by Elsa Åborg
Mastered by Johannes Ahlberg
Booking Contact:
Martin Skou — martin@skou.edu
For Fans Of:
Heilung, Wardruna, Garmarna
Follow Kriigerkvlt:
Linktree: linktr.ee/kriigerkvlt
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kriigerkvlt/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kriigerkvlt/
