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I was such a huge fan of Tyr's Eric The Red that it pains me that they have not yet released anything as good. Ragnarok was a much more studied and less visceral album with some blazing guitar work, and now we have album number four, Land. This is a more direct album, and while it has fewer of the last album's strengths, it also has less of its weaknesses.

This is a bit less proggy than Ragnarok, and has some catchier songwriting, especially on the epic "Ocean". The performances are not quite as good, I think, and there are none of the delirious ripping leads of that album, but this is still solid. With so many of the songs derived from traditional pieces songwriting can be hard to judge, but this is more memorable and immediate than this band has been in a long while. I do wonder about the main melody from "Valkyrjan", which is the same as Kamelot's song "Forever". Maybe it's a traditional melody, I don't know, but the resemblance is note-for-note. Despite that, it's one of the better songs here, along with "Gatu Rima" and the monster title cut.

The bonus DVD is pretty cool, actually, with their live set from Wacken in '07. The sound is good and clear, and the video is professionally shot, not just camcorder stuff. The band has the good sense to play "The Edge" and "Regin Smiŏur", as it is pretty obvious that the slower, more intellectual numbers don't go down as well live. Watch for Heri Joensen's emo pants.

I don't know, maybe I'm damning this with faint praise. This is a good album, and with the DVD is definitely worth the money, but I suppose Tyr will never again produce anything as marvelous as Eric The Red, and for that I shed a tear.

Additional Information

Bonus DVD (Live at Wacken 2007)

1. The Edge
2. Regin Smiŏur
3. Lord of Lies
4. Hail To The Hammer
5. Ragnarok
6. Wings Of Time
7. Ramund Hin Unge