Týr 100

Taking their name from the Norse god of justice, Tyr is a power metal band hailing from the Faroe islands north of Norway, and their musical themes revolve around Norse mythology and viking culture.

The story of the Týr begins in January 1998 when Heri Joensen met his friend Kári Streymoy at a party in Copenhagen in Denmark and proposed to found a new group. Despite his initial refusal, he later accepted his proposal, and bassist Gunnar Thomsen was soon added to the two.

The band’s name derives from Týr, a Norse deity (the equivalent of Mars for Roman mythology). Before Týr Joensen and Thomsen played together at seventeen in a band called Cruiser, as well as the same Stremoy, even if the latter only for a short time. This band then changed its name to Wolfgang and according to some rumors Joensen is still active and ready to publish new records

At the beginning of his career the band made use of the Faroese label Tutl for the production of their own CDs, including the debut How Far to Asgaard, but, after six years on tour for Europe, between Fær Øer, Iceland, Denmark, Russia, Finland, Latvia, Norway, Germany and Poland and some television appearances, their album Eric the Red, dedicated to Erik the Red, becomes the best-selling Faroese album, thanks to a particular sound that will become their trademark, attracting the attention of the record label Napalm Records who decided to redistribute it in 2006 and spread it all over the world. From this moment on the Austrian label decided to take care of all the albums of the group, thus renewing the graphics of the covers and re-proposing the first CDs of the group.

In the same year comes Ragnarok, the best album of the band under the creative and compositional point of view. The tracks are divided among them by short interludes (sound and / or effects) that guarantee the identification of the listener in the epic war scenario – the Ragnarǫk, in fact – proposed by the group, and the pieces (thanks to the union of singular sounds folk with powerful prog trends) with a very distinctive sound of their kind.

After the release of the album Land in early 2008, which continues in the sounds of the previous albums, the group began its tour in Europe and the United States for the Paganfest, along with Ensiferum, Eluveitie, Turisas, Moonsorrow and Korpiklaani bands, and during 2009 he will return to the United States first and then to Europe.

At the end of 2008 the band was voted band of the year by the TV and the Faroese National radio, through online voting procedure.

The following year, the By the Light of the Northern Star album was released. As usual, the Faroese re-propose key national viking metal melodies, but here the songs become engaging hymns; examples of this musical translation are presented in anthemic pieces such as Tróndur í Gøtu, By the Sword in My Hand and Turið Torkilsdóttir.

In May 2011 comes The Lay of Thrym, an album in which the epic / progressive sounds of the first works and the recent viking / heavy breakthrough were merged. This process can be detected by listening to songs like Evening Star, almost a Viking ballad, and others like Take Your Tyrant and Fields of the Fallen, simpler, direct and in-your-face.

In September 2012, during the American tour with Moonsorrow and Korpiklaani, they signed a contract with the label Metal Blade Records.

In September 2013 Valkyrja comes out, the first album recorded under the US label. The plot of the concept album revolves around a Viking warrior, who abandons homeland and wife to join a battle in which he eventually perishes. The reward for his sacrifice comes with the Valkyries that accompany him at the Fólkvangr, or the home of the goddess Freyja, associated with love, beauty, fertility, gold, magic, war and death. The last two tracks are the cover of “Where eagles give” by Iron Maiden and “Cemetery Gates” by the Pantera. Both great inspirations of Týr, the songs are performed with the characteristic sound of the Faroese band.