Hot off a year of electrifying performances at Wacken Open Air, Midgardsblot, and dates with The Hu, Eihwar is back to pull the world deeper into their Viking War Trance with Hugrheim.
“…hale, infectious energy that'll make you want to move around, without losing any of the impressive, epic sounds that have made the Nordic folk scene so revered”, Metal Hammer wrote in naming the album’s lead single, “Nauðiz,” the best song of the week. Today, the cult sensation is announcing the second advanced single from ‘Hugrheim’. Rooted in the fantastical, playful cosmology that defines the project, “Freya’s Calling” channels the raw, ecstatic force of Freya, the Norse goddess of love, battle, fate, and magic. Driven by shamanic percussion, hypnotic chanting, and pulsating rhythms, the song evokes a moment of ritual surrender, where sound becomes spellwork and movement becomes shared transcendence. Footwear optional, self-control strongly discouraged. Hugrheim arrives March 13, 2026, via Season of Mist.
Watch the official video for “Freya’s Calling” on Eihwar’s YouTube channel. https://youtu.be/0t1bD7GDswo
“Freya’s Calling” stands as a stunning turning point within the narrative of Hugrheim. Eihwar descends into a trance where runes are awakened, rhythm takes command, and memory rises through sweat, breath, and relentless repetition. Far from a reverent reconstruction of folklore, Mark and Asrunn embrace pagan folk as a living, celebratory force: explosive, physical, and unapologetic in its joy. “Freya’s Calling” balances ritual intensity with a sense of wild festivity, reflecting their distinct approach that happily blurs the line between ceremony and chaos. Once again, our two superheroes have clearly skipped the '“let’s be reasonable” chapter.
A bit about EIHWAR
Get ready for the wild electro Nordic folk of EIHWAR! These "Enfants Terribles" aren’t here for solemn atmospheres; their fierce and festive fantasy is made for raging Viking dance floors. Backed by Season of Mist (home to Heilung and Danheim), Eihwar burst onto YouTube in 2023 and hasn’t slowed down since. With millions of views and festival appearances at Hellfest, Wacken Open Air, and Midgardsblot at the Midgard Viking Center in Norway, they bring a new wave of pagan power shaking across Europe. This second album from Eihwar describes the world from which these two pagan superheroes originate. It is "Hugrheim," the 10th hidden world of Yggdrasil in Eihwar's fantasy mythology. The two musicians explain:
“Over the past few years, our souls have gradually taken over the bodies of two human musicians. Through incarnation, we lost much of our memories. All that remains are images, emotions, and fragments from our previous existence, mixed in with the thoughts and memories of our human hosts. In this new song, we evoke the memories that gradually come back to us: memories of Hugrheim, the tenth world of Yggdrasil, hidden and unknown to men. This world is shaped by the Hugr, the spirit. In this realm dwell the invisible forces of the soul and consciousness. When our vessels perish here and our incarnation ends, we will return to Hugrheim. Still, we hope to remain here as long as possible this time, because nowadays the beer is fucking good, the rockstar life is pretty damn cool, and dental anesthesia actually exists.” — Mark & Asrunn
Tracklist:
1. Nauðiz (04:28) [WATCH]
2. Freyja's Calling (03:41) [WATCH]
3. Ein (03:42)
4. Skuggaríki (04:01)
5. Hugrheim (03:19)
6. Ljósgarðr (03:27)
7. Heill Óðinn (03:36)
8. The Lake of the Dead (03:39)
9. Omenotharena (Warrior's Training) (05:41)
10. Berserkr (Tim's Memorial Version) (04:26)
Full runtime: 40:03
Country: France (FR)
Genre: Viking War Trance
Lineup:
Asrunn — Vocals, Shamanic Drums
Mark — Vocals, War Drums, Lute, Folk Guitar, Tagelharpa, Percussion & Programming
Pre-order & pre-save: https://orcd.co/eihwarhugrheimalbum
Pre-save on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/prerelease/2BDUUsqBy3TbR6HKaFnLnZ/
Available Formats:
CD Digipak
12" Vinyl Gatefold — Black
12" Coloured Vinyl Gatefold — Blue, Black & White Marbled
12" Coloured Vinyl Gatefold — Magenta, Crystal Clear, Pink & Blue Marbled
12" Coloured Vinyl Gatefold — Clear, Blue & Black Marbled
12" Feather Filled Vinyl Gatefold
More praise for Eihwar:
“Eihwar is not cerebral but speaks to the gut, if possible with steel… martial, hallucinatory, and poetic all at once.” — VerdamMnis
“It is clear that Asrunn and Mark have a synergistic musical relationship.” - Ramzine
"Dancing to the beat of their own drum like Thor singing the blues during a thunderstorm” - Soundscape
“The two-piece are serious about their art, their message, and their life force…Eihwar aspire and accomplish in transforming all of these elements in a rave celebration.” - Wall of Sound
“Have fun with it, ‘cause Eihwar clearly is, and dance and drink like a Viking” – Brutal Resonance
“A must-see live act.” - Distorted Sound
