Review Summary: An album not just for the fans of folk metal but for all the heavy metal’s listeners
Tyr is one of the most popular folk metal’s band, the style and lyrics of the band are about the vikings’ life, adventures, battles and viking mythology. It’s very difficult to see a discography as good as the Tyr’s discography in the actual world of metal. Valkyrja is not just another good album, but one of the best albums of the band, with a sound that all the heavy metal listeners will enjoy.
The album begins with the good “Blood of Heroes”, a common song of Tyr, similar to the songs of the other albums. The same way are tracks like “Hel hath no fury” and “Nation”. There is nothing different of the common songs of Tyr in this tracks, however, they are good songs with the same quality of Tyr’s music. If the other tracks of the album were similar to these tracks, with the same kind of song, Valkyrja will be just a common good album of Týr, but you can see in a lot of songs of Valkyrja, the evolution of the band.
“The Lay of love” is a ballad song, something rare in Tyr, the song has a strong melody, the participation of Liv Kristine increases the quality of the track that becomes, maybe, one of the best of Valkyja. “Fallen brother” is another important track with an incredible guitar solo, you can see very visible the evolution of the drummer and the guitarist, the both in their best shape. But the best characteristic of Tyr, and which are very present in Valkyrja, are the exciting chorus (specially in “Mare of may night”), the vocalist, Heri Joensen, sings these chorus with the strength necessary in each song and shows the viking’s feelings.
The album ends with the track that names the album, with a magic introduction, something hard to find in the actual music, the melody evolves with the music and close the album with another amazing guitar solo and an emotional chorus.
If you think that’s all, you are wrong, there are two bonus tracks, excellent covers of “Where eagles dare” from Iron Maiden and “Cemitery gates” from Pantera. The second cover is the best cover of Pantera that I have ever seen, Heri shows with his strong voice that he is a vocalist as incredible as the vocalists of the classics heavy metal’s bands.
