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Týr

The Lay of Thrym

Written by: EW on 05/07/2011 22:38:39

Having well and truly put the Faroe Islands on the metal map in recent times Týr look set to continue to strike while the iron is hot in the folk and Viking metal world with their latest opus, "The Lay of Thrym", an album which looks to the strengths of it's predecessor "By the Light of the Northern Star" and aims to merely outdo these in every way possible. The old days of Týr being a quixotically progressive band from the outpost of Europe seem very much over (at least musically) as not a moment here deviates from the singalong, jolly template laid down by the more resolute "By the Light…" - think of this change as the push of the band from the appreciative fanbase of a respected Moonsorrow to the plastic swords and imagery of an Alestorm.

A good number of listens to the opening catchy trio of "Flames of the Free", "Shadow of the Swastika" and "Take Your Tyrant", through the slower "Evening Star" and "Konning Hans" to the closing title track, which initially aims to replicate their earlier track "Regin Smiður‬" (which first got me so hooked on Týr), provides suitable enjoyment to encourage the next return to "The Lay of Thrym"'s shores. Heri Joensen and his comrades engage in more vocal singsongs than a Blind Guardian and Anthrax lovechild, and each song, whether fast or slow, has the great capacity for live rendition as the band have clearly learnt the oddly structured songs of old made for a tougher live appreciation. After all, the majority of supposed folk/Viking fans have shown no desire to appreciate anything with a degree of depth…

It is that absence of the complexity, and with it the heart, of Týr which now feels missing through these largely identikit, catchy-as-you-like power/folk metal numbers. "Take Your Tyrant" may rate as one of the band's best songs but showing little incentive to really branch out from it's structure, or that of all the others on this and the band's previous LP, leaves Týr now a stagnant presence when once they could be relied upon for forward-thinkingness. A solid effort but not in the league from which I past knew…

Download: Take Your Tyrant, Flames of the Free, Konning Hans
For The Fans Of: Alestorm, Falkenbach, Blind Guardian
Listen: Myspace

Release date: 27.05.2011
Napalm Records