Folkmetal.nl sits down with Heri

At long last, Faroese viking metallers Týr has decided to tour the US again. Touring with Orphaned Land and Aeternam among others, Tyr mentioned work on a new album was in progress with the tour announcement. When the band was playing in my local area I had the opportunity to sit down with frontman Heri Joensen to talk about touring, songwriting and the new album in the works.

Tour

How is the tour going so far?
“It’s going well. It’s going better than I expected, better than anyone expected, really. Good turnout, seeing good sales, so its been a positive surprise for everyone involved.”

When you tour the US, what do you do between gigs?
“There’s not much to do, not much time for anything. We drive usually at two in the morning, and we arrive sometimes quite early, and other times right before loading, and we’re here for the sound check and get something to eat. I went to buy this hat today, for example, and that’s about as much as you have time for. On the off days we have time for a few more things, but on the off days of this tour so far I’ve been working on recording.”

How is touring the US different from touring Europe?
“There are a few differences. Busses in Europe are much bigger because the bridges are higher and you have double decker in Europe, so there’s more people in each bus. And the busses are, I think, more comfortable in Europe. Venues usually have in house catering and are open whenever you arrive in the morning to feed you and whatnot, so there’s a bit better service for us in Europe. But the audience is just as good here [in the US], if not better, so it has its ups and downs.”

New Release

Lately, you’ve been working on a new album. Can you reveal anything about it at this point?
“We will play the first song on the album tonight, its on the top of our setlist. The album is about seventy-five minutes of music, and I’m recording the very last guitar right now. And I recorded some parts last night and I have three solos left and then I’m done. Then I have to add in all the choirs.”

Valkyrja, your previous release, has tracks featuring social commentary on the political climate overseas. Have you ever considered using mythology as a metaphor for current events?
“I do that all the time actually so that’s how I write lyrics. I don’t like to recite mythology or recite history because metal song lyrics are quite short compared to history books, so it’s not the right place to give people history. I like to use it as metaphors for current events and sometimes personal events.”

Is there anything you want to say to your fans?
“Yes, the planet Will is not in danger.”

First in the setlist at the show was a song called “Gates of Hell”, which was the song Heri was referring to. The album is called something along those lines and if the entire album will sound anything like its first song, it should make for a solid release that will not disappoint. The show itself was one of the most enjoyable shows I’ve been to this year, and no Týr fan who has the opportunity to see them here in the US should miss out.

By: Jano