ALBUM REVIEW: A Night At The Nordic House – Týr
Ever since DEEP PURPLE showed the world with 1969’s Concerto For Group And Orchestra that rock music can be combined with a symphonic orchestra, that particular line of music has never looked back. Sure, this release can be considered ground zero for every band who have regularly produced music under the ‘symphonic metal’ banner, but it also opened the door for bands to up their live ante and perform one-off showcases with a full orchestra behind them, the obvious example being METALLICA‘s 1999 sensation S&M. The latest band to take this on are TÝR, the progressive folk masters from the Faroe Islands who took their country’s native symphonic orchestra for two nights to the Norden Hus (Nordic House, of course) in their homeland, performing a mammoth set just prior to the pandemic. Those shows are now immortalised at A Night At The Nordic House, out Friday 18th March via Metal Blade Records.
Given the band’s usual output and the pomp and circumstance that comes with an orchestra, this album was never going to be understated, and so it proves from the off, as Hel’s Prelude marches straight into Gates Of Hel with more bombast that the Last Night Of The Proms. It’s important to note that, when these sorts of albums are done, the orchestra is there to enhance the band and not overwhelm them, to provide an extra layer and not command every song. This balance is perfectly executed throughout, which is also in no small part down to the production on the record, an element second to none. Whether it’s the small interjections from the brass section in Grindavísan or the sumptuous strings that open Ramund Hin Unge, it’s a wonderful jaunt through the band’s back catalogue that also sees a short interlude of Gavotte From Suite In G Minor. The first half of the album finishes with arguably the mightiest version of Hold The Heathen Hammer High ever committed to tape.
As the second half begins with the title track from 2011’s The Lay Of Thrym, there is no let up from either band or the orchestra. Whereas the first half leaned more on the band’s latest album Hel, the second half is significantly more varied, albeit with more songs featured from 2009’s By The Light Of The Northern Star than any other release. However, this half comes with three big surprises. The first is another interlude, seemingly composed specifically for the performances entitled Torkils Døtur. The second, and perhaps most notable, is the first performance in six years (at that point) of Ormurin Langi from the band’s debut record How Far To Asgard, which also includes the guesting of original frontman Pól Arni Holm. Thirdly is the premiere of Álvur Kongur, the final song from Hel and the finale to the set, a rousing epic that serves beautifully as the coda to what has been an hour and half of sublime Nordic musicianship.
Considering the limits on bands touring over the last two years, the fact that TÝR managed to pull off the two shows before everything ground to a halt is a triumph in its own right, but they’ve also in turn created one of the finest live albums of recent years. The entwining of such contrasting music styles is always an audible feast to behold, and A Night At The Nordic House is no exception.
Rating: 8/10
A Night At The Nordic House is set for release on March 18th via Metal Blade Records.
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