Tyr
Ragnarok

Raise your hand if you can name a famous band from the Faroe Islands. I don't see many hands raised... Okay, I'll give you a name then, and those who haven't heard it yet should take note. The band is Tyr, and the album I'm about to review is their third studio album (second to latest until today) "Ragnarok".

The genre proposed by our band is viking metal, laced with the most varied nuances. The general epicness and the sustained, warlike tone make you think of epic metal, but there are moments when the pace slows down so much that it even brings to mind the most melodic doom. At the same time, however, our Vikings' technique is so advanced that they often delight us with phrases and interludes comparable to the most meticulous progressive, if you will, certainly of excellent craftsmanship. Finally, the folk influence is very strong, especially noticeable in the lyrics (often transcriptions of traditional songs) and in the choice to use not only instruments and melodies from their homeland, but even, in some pieces, the language: a choice that certainly enhances the product.

The album is, at least in theory, divided into sixteen tracks. In reality, however, some of them are revealed only as brief interludes, sometimes very short instrumental attacks of remarkable craftsmanship, other times atmospheric and cinematic parentheses, useful to immerse the listener in the atmosphere of the album. The overall mood, as already mentioned, is warlike and epic, but unlike the (very little) epic I've listened to, it almost seems that our band wanted to portray the moments of waiting between battles, the rest, the embraces with loved ones and fellow warriors, grief and abandonment to thoughts of death and the afterlife, in short, the before and after of any battle.

Getting to the heart of the matter (the description of the tracks): the beginning is entrusted, obviously, to "The Beginning", the first instrumental track of short duration. From it, the aforementioned sensations are already perceivable: calm and temporal suspension, the theatricality of the first phrases, immediately give way to an excellent tempo change, appreciable for intensity and rhythm. The first real track is nonetheless "The Hammer Of Thor". A somewhat predictable title, to be honest, as familiar as the chorus sounds. However, excellent verses and a lot of technique in the service of music are in between. The vocals, strictly clean and vaguely melancholic, intertwine with bold choirs (which propel the listener towards the folk dimension of the album), the rhythm section is precise and clean, and the guitars continuously embroider gold on an ancient manuscript.

"Brother's Bane" is also very well done, more accessible than the above-mentioned track perhaps due to a more impactful chorus. Quickly flipping through the album, one cannot fail to appreciate "The Ride To Hel", the dark "Wings Of Time" (with vocals in two languages), its opposite (in terms of pace) "The Hunt", and "Lord Of Lies", often embellished with progressive breaks (already appreciated, however, also in the second part of "The Hunt").

Honorable mention for the original language pieces, permeated with a certain melancholic and desolate aura. "Torsteins Kvaedi" is in this sense the most intense piece: slow, exasperating, marked by an arpeggiated guitar and later by the drums, united almost like a heart pounding rapidly at the thought of impending battle. Noteworthy on this same line is the title track, in my view the highest emotional peak of the album (the chorus and some verses, with their superb and proud stride, are exceptional).

My judgment on this work can only be enthusiastic and positive. Tyr has breathed new life into a genre with this "Ragnarok", distinguishing themselves from the crowd with a proposal at once fresh and conventional, psychological if you will, for reasons already explained. It is not the classic epic group, besides the technique for its own sake there is also a great desire to make their own history and culture known abroad, a target in my opinion perfectly hit. I promise to go through their discography backward, to see if there have been any improvements or if the level has always been like this, as well as to listen to their latest release, "Land". In the meantime, I bestow the highest rating on this "Ragnarok" and recommend everyone give it at least a couple of listens before dismissing it.