Heri: Yes, that has been one of our concerns from the beginning and we are afraid to limit our target audience by only singing in Faeroese. Still, some people, not only in the Faeroes, have suggested that we should sing in Faeroese exclusively. When we recorded How far to Asgaard, we only had one Faeroese track, “Ormurin Langi” and that was the tune best by far, not only in the Faeroes but also in Iceland, where they don’t understand Faeroese and elsewhere. So that goes to show that it isn’t necessary to sing in English and people can actually like a song they don’t understand a word of. On Eric the Red, we have three Faeroese songs, one mixed Faeroese and English, one Danish and the rest in English, but this time around some of the English songs did just as well as the non-English songs. So, on the upcoming album there will be Faeroese and English lyrics, maybe with some surprise language thrown in here and there. Who knows what we’ll think of? We won’t go to Faeroese exclusively just yet, maybe someday. We treat English and Faeroese songs just the same. The real difference is in the ears of those who listen. Many say that Faeroese has a more genuine ring and makes the music more Folk or Viking. We don’t see the difference between the songs, but in fact I have only written one Faeroese lyric, and that is Stýrisvølurin. All other Faeroese lyrics are traditional, where I have picked out a few verses from a Faeroese ballad.

The music is very earthy and true. Can you explain how your writing process works?

Heri: I provide most of the original ideas and then I compose, arrange and harmonize over that and we arrange the structure of the song together. The vocal melody is the first thing, then bass line and chords, then rhythm with some mix of straight forward patterns, odd times as Faeroese traditionals always are in odd time, and then we may throw in some obscure subdivision of the beat, next we add choir voice with only two voices which is much more effective than 3 or more, guitar patterns and riffs, guitar variations, often the guitars play over the same chord progression in very different ways as the song progresses, solos, and finally the lyrics are the last thing to be written. This may seem like a recipe that we work by but we allow ourselves a lot of slack in all aspects and about new Ideas we have the philosophy that you never know until you have heard it, no matter how ridiculous it sounds when explained. Exceptions from the “recipe” are traditionals; there I just have to pick out a few verses, as the Faeroese traditionals usually have far too many verses to put in a Metal song, but with traditionals I have both melodies and lyrics in advance and it is just a question of arranging the remaining elements, quite challenging and fun work actually.

Did you have all of the material ready or did you have to write in the studio?

Heri: We write all music before the studio. Some details are decided there like maybe the solos or some lyrics, but no real part of the songwriting takes place there. We add some soundscapes between some songs and sometimes under the music, like the beginning of ‘Stýrisvølurin’ and that is done in studio, but we have a general idea of what to do before we go into studio. So basically, the major outline of everything is decided beforehand but some details may be added or changed in studio.

The multi-layered vocals and chants are killer. How do you pull this off live?

Heri: Naturally, it doesn’t sound the same, but we all sing in choirs and we have had no complaints about our live performances lately.

It seems to me that your music would be influenced more spiritually than by other music. Is this true?

Heri: I never thought of it like that, but one great inspiration is the spirit of the Faeroese tradition. I suppose that might shine through, but still, we think of ourselves as a very musically inspired band, but with the Faeroese traditional inspiration the music may get a more spiritual sound. That is possible.

"The Wild Rover" is great. Tell us the story behind it and how it came to be on Eric The Red.

Heri: Well, it has been a very popular song in the Faeroes for a long time. Pól Arni, our old singer, used to sing it spontaneously at the end of shows when people were calling for more. We hadn’t rehearsed it at all and we just tried to pick up after him. We never did anything serious of it before the recording of Eric The Red. We decided to put it on the album and made a spicy version, much like Thin Lizzy did with “Whiskey in the Jar” with the added guitar melody and all. So this is also tribute to the great late Phil Lynnot and to Metallica who so successfully covered it.

Which do you prefer: creating in the studio or performing live?

Heri: When you are in the studio you have to concentrate intensely on details for long periods of time and that is very tiresome and it makes you a bit strange in the head when you are done. Fun though it is to be in studio, I definitely prefer the live experience. There you have the reaction and feedback from the audience the songs are never perfect like a studio version, but nobody is recording and that is a good feeling. Another thing about playing live is your own reaction to other people’s first impression of your songs. When you first have an idea for a riff or a melody you get a first impression, a certain feeling and that impression is what makes you want to work with the specific idea. When you have rehearsed it a thousand times the impression has worn off and you have no real idea if this is good or crap and you just have to believe in the impression you got from it the first time and that that is still valid. Strangely, when you play live you get that impression again. I don’t know it is like seeing other people hear your music for the first time makes you remember what it is like.

When touring, where do you get your best reaction?

Heri: We have played around a bit since we started and there are many places that we wish to return to, like Russia, the Baltics, Finland and Germany. But nowhere has greeted as good as Iceland. That country is definitely our number one concert target.

Do you have any classical training within the group?

Heri: I have been to the alternative rhythmical music academy in Copenhagen called D.A.R.K. There I majored in music theory and guitar. I was given a thorough knowledge of both jazz and classical music theory and I like to apply that knowledge to my songwriting to make interesting variations and harmony. It makes the music more fun to play and also more interesting to listen to in the long run and we are definitely in this for the long run, so that’s good for us.

Would TYR be interested in scoring epic films of the same nature?

Heri: Absolutely! It comes up every once in a while that our music would be fitting for epic films, but nobody has approached us with a request yet. Why do you ask, do you have an epic film that needs a score?

No, unfortunately I don't. I am a big fan of soundtrack scores and have done some score work myself. TYR, has a very good sound and I think it'd be a perfect match.
Any last words for your fans or people who maybe interested in TYR?

Heri: Stay jolly, don’t eat a bird that has died of its own accord, don’t piss off the religions, buy the next TYR album and…UNITE METAL!

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