Review by Shadowdoom9 (Andi) for Týr - Battle Ballads (2024)
Battle Ballads... That's an album title can either be aptly titled and have mostly ballads, or be misleading. Fortunately, it's the latter. I say "fortunately" because it's another good album from these Faroese metallers Tyr. In truth, there are only as many ballads as there are in a DragonForce album; one or two. The rest are power metal anthems with some melodic harmonies and bombastic orchestrations.
Oh yeah, this offering continues the band's later power metal direction, with their earlier progressive folk metal style in fragments. Their power metal side is in clearer display than before. However, the difference has caused less balance in their sound. Still there's a lot to look forward to, particularly in some of the first few tracks.
"Hammered" starts the album as an early hint at this approach. It's quite fun and hammering! Also a great way to introduce their new lead guitarist Hans Hammer, with the song title fitting well for that occasion too. Another 3-minute metal tune follows, "Unwandered Ways", yet it doesn't impress me as much as the surrounding tracks. "Dragons Never Die" is yet another 3-minute track while being another incredible standout. I especially love its chorus.
One of the most diverse songs in the vocals is "Row". While frontman Heri Joensen continues his unique singing, he also tests out some death growling (not as much as in Hel's opening track) and throat singing. Sadly it doesn't reach the heights of those earlier highlights. Still not a bad song though. Up next, "Torkils Dotur" is one of 3 songs with Faroese lyrics. It has quite some climatic emotion for a ballad. "Vaelkomnir Foroyingar" has more of their native language, while having a more straight direction in the music and vocals. However, their attempt at adding speed and heaviness comes out a bit weak and out of line. Thankfully, they still have their power in "Hangman".
"Axes" levels up the quality, showing that they still got it after around 25 years. The somewhat title track "Battle Ballad" is one of the most mighty tracks here. Everything's a small journey in this song! It's almost like Devin Townsend helped produced it alongside the album's actual producer Jacob Hansen. The bass should still be as audible as the rest, honestly. The closing "Causa Latronum Normannorum" starts off promising yet falls flat, compared to at least the previous two albums' ending epics.
Battle Ballads seems to take on the simple tight aspect of songs being mostly 3 to 4 minutes long each, similar to Valkyrja. The problem with their new album is, most of the progressiveness of their previous albums, including Valkyrja and Hel, have been discarded. At least a lot of the unique vocals by Heri Joensen is still around. And the formula they have is never downgraded to generic. Plus I am grateful for those other two albums I've checked out that make me up for more of this band. So although Battle Ballads doesn't reach that amount of greatness, nothing is jinxed, and Tyr is a band I'll never forget....
Favorites: "Hammered", "Dragons Never Die", "Torkils Dotur", "Axes", "Battle Ballad"