Týr - Hel (2019)

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Unleashing the first candidate for album of the year, today we Týr and their mesmerizing eight full-length release “Hel”. Featuring nearly 70 minutes of superbly catchy and yet very intricate and crafty music, this album elevates the band’s sound to new heights and further cements their legacy as one of the best in their genre. Perfectly combining their signature elements from their early releases with more playful and free flowing elements, this release appeals to fans both old and new from this Faroese band.

Opening with “Gates of Hel”, the band’s charismatic front man, Heri Joensen, unleashes the perfect balance of guitar wizardry and catchiness to create a very engaging and heavy track. We are fans of the band’s usage of multiple layers of vocals and the opener nicely blends them with some harsher screams. As “All Heroes Fall” rolls in, we can instantly feel the band’s traditional proggy magic, mastefully paired with tight drumming patterns and blistering solos. For those looking for the Folkier side of the band, “Ragnars kvæði” has that “Hold the Heathen Hammer High” epic vibe, but on a more somber and dramatic tone.

The band completely stepped up their game in this release, by crafting epic songs like “Garmr”, “Sunset Shore”, and our personal favorite “Empire of the North”. All these tracks bring together lush vocal arrangements with crafty guitar leads, catchy riffs and a playful bass guitar line in a way that fills the listener with adrenaline and a desire to headbang furiously during the melodic passages. As “King of Time” and “Fire and Flame” follow, we are left totally speechless as to how one song after another can be so good and engaging, while being unique and not repetitive.

Overall, Heri Joensen and Gunnar Thomsen have returned with two new band members and one of their most impressive and engaging releases to date. We have listened to this album more than 15 times and we still find new elements to digest and love each time. The band is a like a chameleon in every song, slowly morphing from one section to the next with new ideas and crafty combinations of elements, while always sounding like Týr. If you like the band’s earlier work, but want something a bit faster and more diverse, “Hel” is the release for you.

Bands: Týr Album: Hel

Label: Metal Blade Records

Release: March 8th, 2019

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Genre: Progressive Folk Metal

Country: Faroe Islands

Rating: 96/100
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