TYR : "Battle Ballads"

 

The 9th album from the Faroe biking-themed Faroe Islands-based band. Given their heritage, they are more qualified to do this sort of thing. Even more so than Amon Amarth.  They are still cranking it out at an epic scale, My initial impression is that the album is more finetuned in the studio and not as heavy. By the second song, I can feel my disappointment mounting as it does not retain the same girt of their earlier work but finds them frolicking about with the other power metal bands that are doing this sort of LARP metal. When it comes to guitar solos they are rooted more closely to traditional metal, but the big choral vocal refrains are certainly more power metal-like. 

"Dragons Never Die" is a better song title than a song, as things do not get any darker or more aggressive for it. "Row" is too happy for the subject matter, as I do not think any Viking felt rowing was fun. I used to refer to these guys as one of the bands who were the exception to the rule when it came to this sort of thing, so it is sad they have been reduced to becoming another drinking song band.  The synths on this album do not help things either. The band tried to say that the context in which the title was referring was not the kind of power ballads we associate with 80s metal, but used as storytelling. This was just trying to give a spin to the fact that there are actual ballads on this album. They have more in common with Nordic folk than Whitesnake but are ballads all the same. 

Even if we took away the cheerful tone I detest, the songs are not holding up against their classics like "Hold the Heathen Hammer High". Heri Joensen's voice sounds fine, perhaps he is singing a little higher to match the more progressive tone of the album, there is certainly booming grit to his voice. The first darker notes do not come until seven songs in for 'Hangman". His voice starts off with more grit but as layers of vocals join in it begins to sound like the other songs. A similar could almost be said for "Axes" as the title track comes the closest to sounding like the band they used to be. The fast tempos only make the guitar sound thinner. The last song is more deliberate which helps a little. I will still round this down to a 7.5, as they are now just rowing alongside their peers and lack the qualities that set them apart earlier in their careers. Looks like Metal Blade Records might be to blame when they drop this album on April 12th. 

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the Top 10 Mainstream Metal Albums of 2019

It's that time of year again, to sort through the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, then use them, to compile the top 10 albums of the year. Later in the month I am making  the top 10 lists for the decade, though to be blunt  this is the decade's weakest year for music.  Especially when it comes to new artists,  this is at least the second album by these artists. . We are once again defining main stream metal as any genre that is not of the more extreme variety, but still actually metal and not hard rock. This makes it more accessible than say black or death metal. a   As in  past years I am  giving a brief explanation as to why these albums stand over their peers in lower positions on the list. The very fact these bands made it on the list speaks to how great these albums are so it's not a slight that the number 8 album is above the 9th album, there is something that just gives it an edge that makes me want to listen to it more.

After all we can try to look cool and pick the hippest bands for a list, but at the end of the day what makes an album the best is that it makes you want more, you look forward to listening to it again. Sure you can bitch and complain about your favorite band not being on the list. However  I listen to five new albums a day so yes I heard your favorite album and was not impressed. No,  I do not care what you think about it.   I do hope you can find your next favorite on this list  and  have included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out audio on these guys. Anyways here are the top 10 mainstream metal albums of 2019 .

10- Borknagar-"True North"

I will always take what I can get from ICS Vortex. Their 11th album,finds the band refining and maturing their sound. Some songs are more prog than others. It stands shoulder to shoulder with the bulk of their work up to this point.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/09/borknagar-true-north.html




























9-Tyr -"Hel" 


 It had the kind of muscle many folk metal bands lack with great sense for hooky anthems. The guitar players dazzle you more than previous efforts. This was one of the years most solid straight up metal albums . It was pretty straight forward but really powerful. They swung their hammers harder than Borknagar this time around.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/03/tyr-hel.html

8-Rotting Christ- "The Heretics" 

r the past 19 years they have expanded their sound into something beyond black metal. Bigger and sometimes more symphonic like Dimmu Borgir. This also explains why they have a larger audience. They continue to weave in various elements of world music into their sound. It pays off and proves they care about their songs. They beat out the likes and Borknagar for this spot because they are darker. 7- Cellar Darling - 'the Spell"

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/03/cellar-darling-spell.html

6-Wednesday 13-- "Necrophaze"

This gritty take on goth metal that sounds like it could have crawled out of the best places from the 90s. I debated if they belonged here or the goth list. It boils down to the guitars and vocals owing more to W.A.S.P than Marilyn being the the tipping point. It's the razor they sink into their riffs that gives them the edge over Cellar Darling.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/10/gothtober-wednesday-13-necrophaze.html

5-Beastmaker- "Eye of the Storm"

 Sadly this is the swan song for this band. Two of the members are in Haunt, so they are bringing this band to a close in order to focus more on that project. I think judging from the title track that opens this album that I prefer Beastmaker to Haunt. These guys are the more metal of the two band. There are less guitar solos here and a darker mood. The raw emotion gives them leverage over Weds 13.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/06/beastmaker-eye-of-storm.html

4-Crypt Sermon- "The Ruins of Fading Light"

 this album boils up from a place where power metal meets doom. The guitars have a more driven chug and the powerfully sung vocals carry an edge. The melancholy to their sound wins me over where most modern power metal loses me as it is too happy to be metal. Almsot to close to call against Beastmaker.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/06/crypt-sermon-ruins-of-fading-light.html

3- Alcest-" Spiritual Instinct"

These guys were melding black metal and shoe-gaze way before Deafheaven. Oddly neither of thoe two elements plays a dominant role in this album , but it is a more metallic and aggressive offering than their last two albums .More sonic layers than Crypt sermon.


https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/10/alcest-spiritual-instinct.html

2- Karyn Crisis' Gospel of Witches 

As a big fan of her old band Crisis, I will take anything I can get from her. Her voice has a great deal of personality no matter if she growls or croons. The sophomore outing for this projects finds the songs having more of a slither to them than the first one. Deeper and darker than Alcest.    

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/12/karyn-crisis-gospel-of-witches-covenant.html

1- Life of Agony- 'the Sound of the Scars"

The sound of the scars tells me this is the album that should have come after “Ugly” . Not as dense and hard core influenced as the classic “River Runs Red” ,. Caputo’s voice is back where it needs to be to restore uphold the band’s legacy. These songs have warranted hours of repeat listens., more l;listens than I gave Karyn.


https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/10/life-of-agony-sound-of-scars.html

Tyr : "Hel"

Up until this point "By the Light Of the Northern Star" was my favorite album by these guys. It had the kind of muscle many folk metal bands lack with great sense for hooky anthems . A darker heavier tone haunts the opening track. The vocals are almost more of a throaty death metal roar before they chorus finds the returning to the brawny singing that feels more like their trademark. While the melodies have more of the folk frolic to them, they are sung with balls. This is what sets  Tyr apart. One thing I like about this album is how the bass has more of a presence in the mix. This gives the over all sound a more commanding Iron Maiden like punch in their attack. Unlike Maiden this is not used to gallop, but more of a thrash chug...think Anthrax here.



This time around the song structure is more complex and nuanced. The guitar sound huge no matter what path the song winds around. It is more progressive than most of the so called progressive metal bands who are really wanking. These guys are certainly capable of delivering guitar solos sprinkled with shred, but in a more tasteful manner. Though I can here trace influences of "Black Album" era Metallica , I really like the melody to "Garmr".  They cross many genres as their are elements of power metal along the way, but I think thrash is the next dominant element. Even when they touch on their more melodic side with songs like "Sunset Shore". If it was one any other way it would have too much of the power metal like cheese. There is more of rock n roll feel to the otherwise thrashing "Down Hill Drunk" which is a little more straight forward and doesn't stand out as much as the previous songs. They come back stronger with  the powerful "Empire of the North". The guitar harmonies become more common and they begin to lock into more of a formula at this juncture in the album.

They incorporate many elements of classic metal on "King of Time" while retaining the big viking drinking song style of delivery. There is a more Judas Priest style of riffing on "Fire and Flame". The song slows to a more deliberate pace when the vocals come in, which is a welcome change of pace. Things speed up and fall into more typical heavy metal once we get to the solo section. The same could be said of the guitar harmonies going into "Against the Gods". The vocals are really the main thing that set this song apart. Despite getting off to a rough start with the Dragon Force like intro "Songs of War" turns out to be pretty decent. The last song is ok, but not ground breaking and doesn't give that much of dynamic shift from what they have already covered on this album. I will give this one a 9.5 as it's one of the most solid straight up metal albums I have heard so far this year.