Týr

Originating from the Faroes—an autonomous Danish territory since 1948 situated between Iceland and Norway—Týr operates as a progressive folk and Viking metal ensemble that delivers its material in both English and the native Faroese tongue. The group draws its moniker from the Norse deity governing law, justice, the sky, warfare, and heroic glory, earning widespread international notice with the 2003 follow-up Eric the Red. Later releases such as Ragnarok (2006), By the Light of the Northern Star (2009), Valkyrja (2013), Hel (2019), and Battle Ballads (2024) sustained their appeal among metal listeners domestically and overseas, while the 2022 live recording A Night at the Nordic House captured an impressive showcase of the ensemble’s instrumental command.

The outfit came together in Denmark during 1998, centered on Heri Joensen, Kári Streymoy, and Gunnar H. Thomsen. Joensen’s sibling Jón and vocalist Pól Arni Holm came aboard for the 2002 debut How Far to Asgaard, which featured inventive reworkings of traditional folk pieces along with a ten-minute silent stretch succeeded by the band chanting the Faroese poem “Nornagest Ríma” accompanied by stomping feet as percussion. Guitarist Terji Skibenæs stepped in for Jón, and Streymoy’s brother Allan assumed vocal duties for the single Ólavur Riddararós. Following Allan’s exit, Heri assumed lead singing responsibilities and the band commenced work on its breakthrough effort, Eric the Red. Drawing deeply from Norse mythology, the album first appeared in 2003 via the local Tutl imprint before gaining broader reach through a reissue on the European label Napalm. Their proper Napalm introduction, the 2006 Ragnarok, presented sixteen expansive tales recounting the cosmos’s and gods’ downfall. The 2008 outing Land and 2009’s By the Light of the Northern Star garnered recognition for the group’s intricate constructions and instinctive grasp of Scandinavian-tinged melodic traditions. The 2011 release The Lay of Thrym borrowed its title from a prominent poem in the Norse Poetic Edda and included a tribute to Ronnie James Dio, who had died the previous year, via bonus cuts covering Black Sabbath’s “I” and Rainbow’s “Stargazer.” That record marked the last with drummer Kári Streymoy, sidelined by a serious back injury sustained on the road in 2008. Georgios “George” Kollias took the drum chair for the 2013 Metal Blade debut Valkyrja, though Amon Djurhuus handled live duties on the ensuing world tour before Tadeusz Rieckmann became the permanent drummer in 2016.

In summer 2018, shortly before studio sessions began, longtime guitarist Terji Skibenæs declared his departure from Týr. His final contribution, the March 2019 album Hel, reflected a noticeable shift toward melodic folk-metal. Satyricon guitarist Attila Vörös filled the touring role, and in 2022 the band issued its debut concert document, A Night at the Nordic House, captured at the Tórshavn venue with orchestral accompaniment. Battle Ballads, another vigorous set of epic progressive folk-metal, arrived in 2024 and was supported by the group’s first North American headline run since 2019.