Týr began in January 1998. Heri Joensen met his old bandmate, Kári Streymoy, at a party in Copenhagen, Denmark. Joensen suggested to Streymoy that they should meet up and jam. Streymoy initially declined, but later took him up on his offer.
They were soon joined by another former bandmate, bassplayer Gunnar H. Thomsen, making the duo a trio. They began making music which was heavily inspired by Norse mythology, Faroese traditional music, and heavy metal music in general. According to the band's frontman Heri Joensen, Týr's "musical mission is to break down the walls that are erected between all the kinds of metal that have arisen over the years. Power-, doom-, black-, progressive-, gothic-, viking-, folk-, ethnic- and epic metal. Walls and labels do nothing but fill people with prejudice."[1]
The name of the band comes from Týr, a Norse god. Before Týr, Joensen and Thomsen formed their first band, at the age of seventeen. They called themselves Cruiser. Streymoy also played with them for a short while. They later changed their name to Wolfgang. Although neither band released any albums, Wolfgang lasted until 2000, which was long enough to record an undisclosed amount of songs that, according to Joensen are "pretty much ready to release.[2]"
Týr was a part of the Paganfest tour in Europe and the US in 2008, with Ensiferum headlining. Other bands on the tour included Eluveitie, Turisas in the US, and Moonsorrow and Korpiklaani joined them on the European part of the tour.
Ocean
Týr Lyrics
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Day of grief, disbelief, weak and weary faces
Falling and they're gone, but still remain, and tales are fading faster.
Glory days are few, and far between in living memory
Days have gone down in the west,
And the cold wind, and rain fill my chest
And I rest
They sailed across the ocean, and it fills me whit emotion
To imagine such devotion take their place
Sail the Ocean for the ways of the world
Do not change by your choice to belive in a lie!
You should sail out and see for yourself!
I've set sail for the horizon pale and golden red rising sun
I'm gone, all that is returning
Tales and half forgotten lore for time turn future in to past
The pale and distant promise of tommorow's wanderers wonder where my
Days have gone down in the west,
And the cold wind, and rain fill my chest
And I rest
I wonder how we got there, and it all seems like a nightmare
I've returned from out of nowhere to my Land
And I wonder understand, I demand
That the moment you choose to believe, you deceive,
And you're building your castles on sand.
Where we wander is the question
Told our tale and remains, mould and snow
There are no gods to give us answers
Always keep in mind we're only children of the stars
And still we chase the rainbow
Running helter skelter out of mind until our
Days have gone down in the west,
And the cold wind, and rain fill my chest
And I rest
Was need or greed the reason was it tantamount to treason
Was no worthy game in season, in their days
What was needed and the ways of the world
Do not change by your choice to believe in a lie!
You should sail out and see where you stand! I demand,
For the moment you choose to believe, you deceive
And you're building your castles on sand.
The lyrics to Týr's song Ocean are filled with themes of loss, nostalgia, and exploration. The opening lines introduce the listener to the choice of leaving and facing the unknown or staying and facing the darkness. The following lines depict a scene of despair, where people are falling and fading away, leaving behind half-forgotten tales. The lyrics continue to describe the fleeting nature of glory days and the rarity of memorable moments in life.
The song then shifts to themes of exploration and adventure, highlighting the courage and devotion of sailors who sailed across the ocean. The singer urges others to follow their example and experience the world for themselves, warning them not to be fooled by false beliefs. The chorus reiterates the idea of fleeting time, where the days have gone down in the west, and the cold wind and rain fill his chest, driving him to rest.
The final verses raise thought-provoking questions about humanity's place in the world and the lack of answers from god. The singer encourages listeners to chase after their dreams, even if they are like chasing rainbows. The lyrics conclude with an exhortation to seek the truth and not to build castles on sand by believing in lies.
Line by Line Meaning
Leave now never to return, or stay and face the dark.
Choose to either leave and never come back or stay and deal with the consequences.
Day of grief, disbelief, weak and weary faces
A sad and hopeless day with people feeling defeated and exhausted.
Falling and they're gone, but still remain, and tales are fading faster.
People are dying, but their stories are still being told and remembered, although they are gradually fading away.
Glory days are few, and far between in living memory
There are only a few moments of achievement that people can remember and they are distant and rare.
Days have gone down in the west,
And the cold wind, and rain fill my chest
And I rest
The days are coming to an end and the cold and rain are making the person feel tired, causing them to rest.
They sailed across the ocean, and it fills me whit emotion
To imagine such devotion take their place
Sail the Ocean for the ways of the world
Do not change by your choice to belive in a lie!
You should sail out and see for yourself!
It is emotional to think about how people have traveled across the ocean with such dedication. The world is the way it is, regardless of your beliefs. Therefore, you should explore it and see for yourself.
I've set sail for the horizon pale and golden red rising sun
I'm gone, all that is returning
Tales and half forgotten lore for time turn future in to past
The pale and distant promise of tommorow's wanderers wonder where my
The singer is leaving for the horizon with the rising sun, leaving only their stories and memories behind. The future fades into the past, as those who come after will wonder where the singer has gone.
I wonder how we got there, and it all seems like a nightmare
I've returned from out of nowhere to my Land
And I wonder understand, I demand
That the moment you choose to believe, you deceive,
And you're building your castles on sand.
The artist wonders how they arrived at their current situation, feeling like it's a bad dream. They've returned to their land and demand that people not deceive themselves into believing things that are untrue, as that would be like building their lives on unstable ground.
Where we wander is the question
Told our tale and remains, mould and snow
There are no gods to give us answers
Always keep in mind we're only children of the stars
And still we chase the rainbow
Running helter skelter out of mind until our
The question is where we will go next. Our stories will remain, like mold and snow. There are no gods to guide us, and we are just children of the universe. Despite this, we still strive for unrealistic things and run around like crazy people until our... (end of stanza)
Days have gone down in the west,
And the cold wind, and rain fill my chest
And I rest
As the days come to a close, the cold weather and rain make the artist tired, causing them to rest.
Was need or greed the reason was it tantamount to treason
Was no worthy game in season, in their days
What was needed and the ways of the world
Do not change by your choice to believe in a lie!
You should sail out and see where you stand! I demand,
For the moment you choose to believe, you deceive
And you're building your castles on sand.
The singer questions whether people's actions were motivated by necessity or greed and compares it to betrayal. There were no worthwhile opportunities during that time. However, the ways of the world won't change simply because you believe in something that isn't true. Therefore, you should explore the world and see where you stand. The singer demands this and believes that if you choose to believe a lie, you're deceiving yourself and building your life on unstable ground.
Contributed by Charlie M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.