By Jonny Bakes
When you’re a band that has already made a name for yourself through epic Nordic anthems, how can you take things up a notch? Well, it seems like the thing to do is follow in the footsteps of Skálmöld and enhance the epic nature of the music with the help of a symphonic orchestra! Having had plenty of good things to say about that effort, I was more than happy to get involved when I heard that the Faroe Islands’ most famous metal export had taken the symphonic route for their new live album.
Týr have been a staple of the folk/pagan/Viking metal bracket having been in existence since the late 1990s (which is longer ago than anyone would care to admit) even picking up a headline performance at the HRH Vikings festival in Sheffield a few years ago. A performance that I remember very well despite the fog of many ales consumed throughout the day, the epic blend of traditional folk themes and catchy anthems were a fitting end for that event. Composing their songs in both English and Faroese, Týr have always had a bit of a unique take on the densely populated area of the metal world but have somehow remained in the shadows of some of the more mainstream norse-themed artists. In a lot of ways, Týr are quite similar to their Icelandic cousins Skálmöld in that the music is very heavily steeped in tradition, with chants and melodies that would not be out of place around a fire in a small encampment, yet also keeping the metal aspects raw and heavy to drive some serious headbanging when it’s needed.
It’s no surprise that the partnership with the Symphonic Orchestra of the Faroe Islands is a bit of a game changer for this performance though. It adds a whole new depth of richness and an air of sophistication to the already epic melodies that makes them even more impactful than the album versions. Because Týr’s music is heavily based on tradition it appears that this makes it easier for the orchestra to compose complimentary symphonies to a point where they feel like they were part of the original tracks. Hell, after a while I started to forget what the originals sound like! There were two clear standout tracks for me though, which are coincidentally already clear crowd favourites – ‘By The Sword In My Hand’ and ‘Hold The Heathen Hammer High’.
The latter is pretty much slap bang in the middle of the setlist, where the impact of the slow guitar intro is magnified by the backing of the horns section. When the song gets into full swing, it takes on the form of an astonishingly epic piece of music that really shows how well these two musical forces have melded into one being to portray Faroese tales. I would definitely go so far as to say that this rendition of ‘Hold The Heathen Hammer High’ far surpasses the original recording! And the same applies to the penultimate track from the set, ‘By The Sword In My Hand’ which lends itself to heavier involvement from the orchestra to blow this up into sheer epic proportions. This seems to lend an energy to the band that results in them performing out of their skins as they feed off the vibes generated by the impressive symphony that adds a whole new dimension to this telling of the forced Christianisation of the Faroe Islands. This really is something to behold and provides a fitting crescendo to the performance at The Nordic House.
‘A Night At The Nordic House’ has provided me with a deeper appreciation for Týr. While I was already a fan of their music, this unholy symphonic communion has provided so much more depth than I had ever anticipated! The pagan metal/symphonic orchestra combination is one that I have championed for a while, and it has been used to great effect once again! This will appeal to existing fans of Týr, and also those who have somehow missed them but are already fans of the likes of Ensiferum and Skálmöld. This performance takes Týr’s epic music and makes it EPIC resulting in a firm winner of an album for me. It’s something that I’m definitely going to consider picking up on vinyl which is quite handy considering there are a few sexy looking limited runs available, I just feel sorry for my wallet…
- ‘A Night At The Nordic House’ is out now. You can get your copy HERE.
- All content © Über Rock. Not to be reproduced in part or in whole without the express written permission of Über Rock.