Why Niflheim?
(The name behind the shop — and something deeper.)
Niflheim is one of the oldest and darkest realms in Norse mythology — a land of ice, fog, and stillness.
No sunlight. No warmth. Just the cold breath of creation and the silence of the void.
That’s where it all began.
For us, Niflheim isn’t just a mythological place — it’s the foundation of what we do.
A name that captures heaviness, atmosphere, timelessness — and that strange magnetic pull toward the darker side of things.
The Myth Behind the Name
In Norse mythology, Niflheim is one of the primordial worlds.
A realm of mist, ruled by ancient forces. It’s said that the first spark of life came when the icy rivers of Niflheim met the flames of Muspelheim.
Deep within Niflheim lies Helheim — the domain of Hel, goddess of the dead, where souls go who don’t fall in battle. Not cursed. Just forgotten.
Niflheim is not hell.
It’s older. It’s colder. And it doesn’t care what you think.
Why We Chose Niflheim
We could have picked any name — but Niflheim felt right.
It’s more than a myth — it’s a state of mind.
We’re building something connected to mythology, music, and visual culture — without locking ourselves into one genre or era.
From underground black metal to festival-ready anthems, it’s all part of the same mythic energy.
And if you’re reading this — maybe it meant something to you too.
A Note on the Name: Niflheim, Nifelheim, and Nibelheim
You might see the name written differently — Nifelheim instead of Niflheim.
That’s not a mistake.
“Nifelheim” is an alternative spelling used in some older sources and by several metal bands (especially in Sweden).
The original Old Norse form is Niflheimr, which led to both modern variants.
And then there’s Nibelheim — a different realm entirely.
Nibelheim comes from South Germanic mythology, especially through medieval works like the Nibelungenlied, and later through Richard Wagner’s operas. In those stories, it’s the domain of dwarves, gold, and betrayal — a powerful mythic setting, but from a different branch of the tree.
It’s easy to mix them up — and many bands, books, and games have.
But here, Niflheim is chosen deliberately: the icy, ancient origin point of the myths we build from.
Explore More
🛒 Shop the Realm: niflheimrecords.de
📝 Blog: Echoes from Tuonela
🕯 Clothing Line: Veles Streetwear