Reviews list for Týr - Hel (2019)

There's no arguing with the fact that Tyr is the most, and probably only, notable Faroese metal band. They're literally the only thing some people in the world, including myself, know about the Faroe Islands. I actually have heard of Tyr around 10 years before my new reviews, but their earlier albums from the 2000s had more of a doom-ish folk/prog-metal sound that was too dark for my bright melodic teen self at the time. However, Heri Joensen and co. would discard most of their earlier doom with fast power metal in the harmonic guitars. Of course, there;s still some of the folk/progressive part of their identity. All of that makes one of the best albums I've heard in folk/power metal!

Hel is ambitious as... well, Hel. 13 tracks cover 70 glorious minutes. Most of them are each 4 to 6 minutes long, with two 7-minute epics to bookend the album. Some persistent listening may be needed for a full rewarding experience. And just the word Hel (only one hockey stick) and artwork are enough for a great dark first impression, alongside the song titles that are as power metal as the actual tracks.

The 7-minute opener "Gates of Hel" would be quite a surprise for any longtime fan of the band, particularly in the first one or two minutes. The riffing sounds so crushing and deathly, complete with harsh vocals performed by Heri Joensen himself! Some might think, "What is this, Amon Amarth?!?" Anyway, that part is as fantastic as the rest of this song. I would love to hear more heavy growl-infused tracks like that from the band. Starting the second third of "All Heroes Fall" is some perfect soloing talent. The shredding that occurs in conjunction with the supporting riff-wrath is perhaps the best here. Next up, "Ragnars Kvaeoi" is the first of two Faroese-sung songs. It's quite great hearing those kinds of lyrics fit in with the atmosphere and folk-fueled instrumentation. Metal fury can sound so soothing in "Garmr", named after one of the hounds of Hel.

The lyrics are at their highest peak in the beautiful "Sunset Shore", especially in the chorus. We then have the melodic "Downhill Drunk", and nothing ever goes downhill there. If you're up for some really powerful riffing, that's what opens "Empire of the North", and they especially hit hard in the verses. That, along with the big layered production, help make that track another epic highlight. "Far from the Worries of the World" is another example of melodic strength. Same with "King of Time".

Some more of the greatest soloing occurs in "Fire and Flame". Then "Against the Gods" levels up the massive riffs and rhythms. We get more of the firey soloing in "Songs of War" from temporary lead guitarist Atilla Voros. "Alvur Kongur" closes it all as another 7-minute progressive epic, from the clean intro to another metal extravaganza.

However, Hel needs more praise in the metal community. If I only get to listen to half of this album, it would still sound complete. This may just surpass DragonForce's Extreme Power Metal the best power metal album of 2019 for me. Some might take some time to get used to this album, while others, such as myself, would love it instantly. Still, you may want to pay close attention for the best of this dark voyage to Hel. Once the clean guitars at the beginning get you hooked, you're all set. With any luck, Tyr might just be one of my newfound favorite bands of folk/power metal. Will I dive into more of this band's catalog? HEL YEAH!

Favorites: "Gates of Hel", "All Heroes Fall", "Sunset Shore", "Empire of the North", "Fire and Flame", "Against the Gods", "Alvur Kongur"

Halfheartedly Entering Hel

Týr's Hel is my first introduction to the Faroese Progressive Folk Metal band, and while certainly more unique than most Folk Metal bands that are rooted more in Death/Black Metal, they lack a bit of character and spice to keep Hel's 70 minute run time interesting.

Týr forgoes the common warlike, aggressive, and guttural style of most viking/folk metals bands like Ensiferum, Månegarm, and Skálmöld for a cleaner and more melodic sound more focused on composition rather than straight chug or death/black metal riffing. It even sounds symphonic at certain points due to the folk influences, but I wouldn't really call Hel a Folk Metal album; those moments are very few and far between. Being more Progressive Metal focused, the instrumental sections are extremely tight and great sounding, with a more fantastical, celebratory, and victorious sound throughout the album. They use harmonized vocals a lot, almost in every single track, which is a neat touch that sounds good for their style, but it gets tiring after a while especially since the opening track, "Gates of Hel", shows that their lead singer has the pipes to carry some of these sections on his own in an awesome way.   

And that's the biggest issue with Hel for me: the length. I love how this band sounds, but after 30 minutes in nothing really stood out to me other than the opening track. They have some good melodies here and there, some memorable riffs and choruses, but nothing exceptional. After a while I forgot that I was technically listening to a Folk Metal album, which is a shame because it felt like they could have cashed out on that feel way more. "Gates of Hel" is the obvious standout, and "Sunset Shore" is the only ballad-like song to break up the recurring tempos and song style. Hel loses its spirit halfway in for me, even though I'll be going back to it to get my Progressive Viking Metal fix. I'll have to check out some of their earlier works, which are apparently more story/theme focused.