The new "Battle Ballads" is aptly named – a crushing, soaring, batch of classical embellished songs that conjure images of galloping steeds, clashing swords, and hard-fought victories. And, as if it needs to be stated, the title "Battle Ballads" has nothing in common with the lighter-raising songs so prevalent in the 1980s.
“There are definitely two versions of a ballad,” clarifies band founder and frontman Heri Joensen. “A lot of people think of hair metal, when they think of ballads. We are looking at ballads here in the Medieval sense. Apart from a couple of softer parts on the album, this is very much straight heavy metal with some folk and classical influences. I’m not sure what exactly one would call it – power metal, Viking metal, folk metal. It still fits in very much with what we do, only it feels bigger and more like these big soundscapes.”
As much as Týr would have liked to write, rehearse, and record with a symphony, schedule conflicts made it impossible to have the band and classical musicians to be in the same place at the same time. So Týr did the next best thing. The band, with Joensen at the helm, wrote ten thunderous songs for "Battle Ballads", then the bandleader sent the compositions to a Danish colleague Lars Winther living in England, who added the orchestral samples, paying close attention to the tone and tempo of the songs so the violins, violas, cellos, woodwinds, and horns fit complimented the traditional rock instruments.
With "Battle Ballads", Týr have created an album that resounds with their trademark Viking metal sound. At the same time, the band has experimented with new writing styles and musical techniques and created songs that are structurally simpler, yet musically more variegated. For Joensen it’s a clear illustration of how he plans to continue exploring different approaches in the future while staying true to the spirit of thunderous Viking metal.
“I always like to present myself with new challenges in our metal music,” Joensen says. “I find metal to be really inspiring in a personal way. It inspires me emotionally and makes me happy that I’m alive. And to know we may have the kind of effect on people that bands like Savatage and Blind Guardian have had on me, then I feel like we have been successful, and I remain inspired to keep going and try even more things with our music. But I just don’t want to have to take another six years until our next album comes out.”
Teal Green Melt With Red Splatter Vinyl Pressing
*Please note image is a mock up only, actual colour may vary on finished product*
Tracklisting
Side A:
1. Hammered
2. Unwandered Ways
3. Dragons Never Die
4. Row
5. Torkils Døtur
Side B:
1. Vælkomnir Føroyingar
2. Hangman
3. Axes
4. Battle Ballad
5. Causa Latronum Normannorum
