| TYR | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by Black Sabbath | ||||
| Released | 20 August 1990 | |||
| Recorded | February–June 1990 at Rockfield and Woodcray Studios | |||
| Genre | Heavy metal | |||
| Length | 39:58 | |||
| Label | I.R.S. | |||
| Producer | Black Sabbath | |||
| Black Sabbath chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic | [1] |
| Rolling Stone | [2] |
TYR is the fifteenth studio album by heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released in August 1990 by I.R.S. Records.
The album title and several song titles are taken from Norse mythology, which led many to call TYR a concept album, although bassist Neil Murray dispelled that in 2005, stating that while many of the songs may seem loosely related, very little of the album has to do with mythology and it was not intended to be a concept recording.[3]
Contents |
Týr is the son of Odin, the chief god in Norse mythology. He is the god of single combat and heroic glory, portrayed as a one-handed man. The usage of such analogies and mythology was a great departure from Headless Cross' descent into the Dark Side and the power of Satan.
This album represents possibly the most dramatic departure from Black Sabbath's traditional sound, with only traces of it found in the occasional riff. The production has been criticized by some (who claim Cozy Powell's drums drown out most of the other instruments) and praised by others, who note that this is one of Sabbath's heaviest albums and perhaps the most prominently reliant on keyboards by the perennial 5th member, Geoff Nicholls.[4] As a result, much of the music is a lot darker than previous Sabbath works, closely resembling the previous album Headless Cross.
The band has stated that while they do not disown or regret the song "Feels Good to Me"; it was put on the album solely to be released as a single and doesn't fit in musically with the rest of the record.[5]
Geezer Butler, Ian Gillan and Brian May made guest appearances on the European leg of the Tyr tour; Butler and May appearing during the encore of the show performed on 8 September 1990 at the Hammersmith Odeon in London.[6]
The runes on the cover are taken from the Rök Runestone in Sweden.[7]
The only track to feature on post-TYR tours was "Anno Mundi", e.g. on the "Cross Purposes Live" VHS/DVD.
Tony Martin re-recorded "Jerusalem" for his 1992 solo album Back Where I Belong.
The Black Sabbath lineup that recorded TYR would reunite to record their last studio album, Forbidden, in 1995.
Frontman Heri Joensen of viking metal band Týr claims to have been influenced by the album cover when designing his own band's logo.
All lyrics written by Tony Martin, all music composed by Black Sabbath.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Anno Mundi (The Vision)" | 6:12 |
| 2. | "The Law Maker" | 3:55 |
| 3. | "Jerusalem" | 4:00 |
| 4. | "The Sabbath Stones" | 6:47 |
| 5. | "The Battle of Týr" (instrumental) | 1:08 |
| 6. | "Odin's Court" | 2:42 |
| 7. | "Valhalla" | 4:43 |
| 8. | "Feels Good to Me" | 5:44 |
| 9. | "Heaven in Black" | 4:05 |
| Region | Date |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 20 August 1990 |
| United States | 31 August 1990 |
| Book: Black Sabbath | |
| Wikipedia books are collections of articles that can be downloaded or ordered in print. | |
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