LIVE REVIEW: Existensial eperience as Tyr and Sabaton roar

THERE are times when the hallowed turf that is the beer-soaked floor of many a venue comes close to an almost existential experience; when the roar of the crowd, and the passion of the audience raises the temperature of even an impartial observer rises to almost unbearable levels.



When Sabaton, Korpiklaani and Tyr appeared in Belfast a significant number of the audience had been recovering from a hangover from Saxon the night before in the same venue [Limelight1] - nevertheless it was a triumphant night for the trio of acts.



There was no doubt that many were there solely for Sabaton, egged on by the excitement of seeing Sabaton's tour bus emblazoned by the 'Heroes' artwork.



It is a significant tribute to Tyr that they attracted a sizeable early audience, and by the powers of Odin they rose to the occasion.  Evolutionary songs rose from the mythos of Nordic legends.



From 'Blood of My Heroes' they engaged everyone, with the heavy melodies of the likes of 'Mare of My Night' and 'Sinklars' showcasing Tyr's ability to take the template and raise it to new levels; the Faroese five-piece producing a fantastic set.



On the flip side the promise of a party Korpiklaani fell flat. Their anthems and rousing drinking chants seemed ailing; the audience seemingly exhausted after Tyr's set.



But there was significant time to recover....



In fact a screw-up with their sound kit meant a lengthy delay before Sabaton took to the stage...which ironically saw a lot of Tyr t-shirts sold


But then again Sabaton can be a force of  nature...



Drawing on both older material and newer songs such as the '7734' come across as old friends...



And, what Sabaton provide is a show - music and stagecraft in synergy, from the moment that the strains of 'The Final Countdown' and 'March to War' herald their arrival Joakim and his troubadours of terror raise the temperature in the Limelight.


Despite the liveried tour bus and lorry, the serious attire, the well-researched lyrics and on-stage professionalism, Sabaton are determined - throughout the tour, not just in Belfast - to provide a little fun for all.


For every historical ode such as 'Carolus Rex' or 'Soldier of Three Armies' the band equally toss a bucket of fun as the evening progresses: from a quick burst of 'YMCA' through to a medley of snippets from 'Smoke On the Water' and 'Master of Puppets'.


What oozes from Sabaton is the sheer class of the band on stage. Like Tyr they rise above the mundane tour schedules that see the same songs performed by them on each night to perform, not like marionettes, but like the 'Heroes' that they celebrate on this tour.

Sweden, Faroe Isles and Finland to arrive in Belfast 7/12 as Sabaton, Korpiklaani and Tyr

THIS is just a wee reminder, for those who have been asleep and constantly ask me about gigs, about an event on 7th December, with the arrival of musicians from the Faroe Isles, Finland and Sweden.


Although it sounds like the sort of World Cup qualifying group Northern Ireland could be drawn in, this is a trio of bands that could be even more entertaining than a kick about at Windsor Park. [Home ground for Northern Ireland's international team.]



They are

• Sabaton;
• Korpiklaani; and,
• Tyr.

They are from Sweden, Finland and the Faroe Isles, and they rock...


No seriously, they do. Sabaton are an armed juggernaut with cautionary tales of war and conflict. told with aplomb. You can read my review of their most recent release, Heroes, here.

 Korpiklaani are a more mysterious beast, merging folk with metal, after being first a folk band...And, a lot of their songs are about boozing: songs like 'Beer, Beer' and 'Vodka'.

They should fit in here in Belfast just fine.

Tyr, as Faroese, present a series of Norse legends, and general allegorical tales linked to myths of days gone by.
Their latest release Valkyrja is a super dose of muscular tales. You can read our review here.

Tickets are on sale now - all the usual outlets.

From whence came the force of Tyr with Valkyrja

ADD a dash of Viking metal, sprinkle a smattering of Euro-power metal, mix in a dab of battle metal and finally knead through with a portion of folk metal and you'll have something close to Tyr's new release of Valkyrja; but not close enough to really get this release from the Faroe Island's finest rock exports.

The Faroe Islands archipelago has a tiny population or around 50,000 souls; a sovereignty of Denmark whose people are descended from Scandanavian and Scots and Norsemen who had settled around the Irish Sea. Thus our Irish, Northern Irish and Scots readers are partly to blame...

Tyr stand firmly as a reminder of the Viking heritage of the Faroe Islands; despite a history dominated by Christianity from the first Irish monks that landed there through to more recent settlements of Plymouth Brethern and the arrival in the 70s of Charismatic churches.

And it is from the Scandanavian and Norse myths that Tyr return to in each release; and this time it is the dichotomous relationship the warriors of old have with women that comes under the spotlight.

Valkyrja is an album tied together with the loose theme of how women affect men, but that's not to say that Tyr have 'pussied' out.

Trademark intense riffing merged with rampant solos and a nod towards folk rhythms in choruses this release is a high water mark for the band. Unlike many of their compatriots delving into the Norse mythos the vocals are clean and at times haunting.

From opener - and single release - Blood of Heroes through to closer Valkyrja this is a coherent and compact 11-track album held together not just by its lyrical theme, but with a musical thematic pulse.

While the first three tracks follow an almost traditional battle/folk metal thrust, Lay of Our Love's haunting balledic duet opens the doors for lyrics sang in Faroese, virtual tone poems and rampant declarations of Tyr's talent.

Founder member Henri Joensen stepped away from his axe (not that type of axe - we mean his six-string axe) and his mic to explain some of what inspired this epic tale of the warrior who leaves his 'earthly' woman to impress the Valkyrie in order that he may gain entry to the halls of Valhalla and the home of Freyja, goddess of love, sex, fertility, blood and war.

Behind the Norse theme is the age old struggles of men to impress women.

Joensen said: "The woman that the warrior leaves may represent the earthly women. Freyja, The Lady of the Slain, may represent the perfection of 'women' and the Valkyrie is the link between the two; taking men from earthly to godly women."

While careful listening (well to the majority of bits that are in English!) can reveal this tale, each track also stands alone on its merits - Another Fallen Brother and Mare of My Night being perfect examples.

Despite their humble origins in a community ravaged by economic woes due to the collapse of the fishing industry, Tyr have emerged as a band that musically straddles many stereotypes and many niche sounds that often shackle bands. Despite the Viking lyrical theme there is much here that will enthrall fans of NWBHM and folk metal, but more importantly for fans of all types of hard rock and metal.

And the clue as to why you will like this album lies in the bonus tracks on some editions of the release. The covers of Maiden's Where Eagles Dare and Pantera's Cemetary Gates. Both are relatively faithful to the original, but add flourishes to the vocals and guitar solos. This is not about re-inventing metal, but is really about adding Tyr's twist on the formula: a twist our editorial team endorse fully!

Official Video for Tyr's single Blood of Heroes from Valkyrja