Thyrfing
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Thyrfing is a
viking metal Viking metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by a lyrical and thematic focus on Norse mythology, Norse religion, Norse paganism, and the Viking Age. Viking metal is quite diverse as a musical style, to the point where some consi ...
band from Sweden. The band is named after the royal sword
Tyrfing Tyrfing, also rendered as Tirfing or Tyrving, was a magic sword in Norse mythology, which features in the Tyrfing Cycle, which includes a poem from the ''Poetic Edda'' called '' Hervararkviða'', and the Hervarar saga. The name is also used ...
from
Norse mythology Norse, Nordic, or Scandinavian mythology, is the body of myths belonging to the North Germanic peoples, stemming from Old Norse religion and continuing after the Christianization of Scandinavia as the Nordic folklore of the modern period. The ...
.


History

Thyrfing was formed in 1995 by Patrik Lindgren (guitar), Jocke Kristensson (drums), Peter Löf (keyboard) and Kimmy Sjölund (bass guitar). Northern mythology and the
Viking Vikings were seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway, and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded, and settled throughout parts of Europe.Roesdahl, pp. 9â ...
age was an interest of all the members. After two
demo tape A demo (shortened from "demonstration") is a song or group of songs typically recorded for limited circulation or for reference use, rather than for general public release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas in a fixed for ...
s that gained a lot of positive response in the underground scene, Thyrfing signed to the Dutch record label Hammerheart Records in 1997. In Stockholm's Sunlight Studio in
Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
, their debut album was recorded, showing a much more varied songwriting. The album was then released in March 1998. For their second album, this time recorded in the Abyss Studios, their music took on a more symphonic approach. For future live performances, Henke Svegsjö from Winds was recruited on guitar. Once again with Tommy Tägtgren, ''Urkraft'' was recorded and released in August 2000. During that same year, the band also held two mini-tours with Primordial and Shadowbreed throughout The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. In the autumn of 2001, the band entered Dug-Out Studio with producer Daniel Bergstrand to record ''Vansinnesvisor'' (). The album was released in July the following year To support the album, Thyrfing played two gigs during the winter (for
Freedom Call Freedom Call is a German power metal band formed in 1998. The band tours regularly and the current line-up includes one original member, lead vocalist and songwriter, Chris Bay. Freedom Call has released 14 albums in total, eleven of these ...
and Dismember) in Stockholm, and did a small headliner tour in
Benelux The Benelux Union (; ; ; ) or Benelux is a politico-economic union, alliance and formal international intergovernmental cooperation of three neighbouring states in Western Europe: Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. The name is a portma ...
with Cruachan and Shadowbreed. 2003 followed with further live-promotion, such as the Generation Armageddon Festivals (including
Ancient Rites Ancient Rites is a Belgian black metal band formed in 1988. Initially, the lineup consisted of guitar players Johan and Phillip, drummer Stefan, and Gunther Theys on bass and vocals.Rivadavia, Eduardo " Ancient Rites Biography, ''AllMusic'', M ...
,
Septic Flesh Septicflesh (formerly known as Septic Flesh) are a Greek death metal band from Athens, founded in 1990. History Septicflesh were formed in Athens in March 1990 by Sotiris Vayenas (guitar), Spiros Antoniou (bass and vocals), and Christos Anto ...
, Primordial, Blood Red Throne and Skyfire), a 12-day European tour throughout Europe, and performances on the main festival stages of 2000 Decibel in Sweden and
Wacken Open Air Wacken Open Air (, abbreviated as W:O:A) is a Heavy metal music, heavy metal music festival, held annually since 1990 on the first weekend of August in the village of Wacken, Schleswig-Holstein, Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Almost all ...
in Germany. Thyrfing entered EMI studios on 18 April 2005 to record their new album, ''Farsotstider'' ("Times of Plague"), which was released on 21 November 2005. The band played their first US show in January 2006 alongside
Moonsorrow Moonsorrow is a Finnish pagan metal band formed in Helsinki in 1995. Musically, the band incorporates elements of black metal and folk metal in their sound. The band call their sound "epic heathen metal" and try to distance themselves from th ...
and Primordial at the Heathen Crusade metalfest in
Columbia Heights, Minnesota Columbia Heights is a city in Anoka County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 21,973 at the 2020 census. Minnesota State Highways 47 ( University Avenue) and 65 (Central Avenue) are two of the main routes in the city. Columbia ...
. On 13 March 2007, the band posted a message on the official Thyrfing site declaring that Thomas Väänänen (vocals) and Henrik Svegsjö (guitars) had decided to leave the band due to lack of motivation. Instead of Thomas, founder and ex-vocalist of
Naglfar In Norse mythology, ''Naglfar'' or ''Naglfari'' (Old Norse " nail farer") is a boat made entirely from the fingernails and toenails of the dead. During the events of Ragnarök, ''Naglfar'' is foretold to sail to Vígríðr, ferrying hordes of ...
, Jens Rydén, is currently handling the vocals. The band also decided to continue with one guitarist. In October 2008, Thyrfing released their album '' Hels vite''. Their latest album, ''Vanagandr'' was released 27 August, 2021.


Members


Current members

* Jens Rydén – vocals (2007–present) * Patrik Lindgren – guitars (1995–present) * Fredrik Hernborg – guitars (2008–present) * Joakim Kristensson – bass (2012–present), keyboards (2014–present), drums (1995–2012), vocals (1995–1996) * Dennis Ekdahl – drums (2012–present)


Former band members

* Peter Löf – keyboards (1995–2014) * Kimmy Sjölund – bass (1995–2012) * Thomas Väänänen – vocals (1996–2006) * Vintras – guitars (1998) * Henrik Svegsjö – guitars (1998–2007)


Timeline


Discography


Studio albums

* ''Thyrfing'' (1998) * ''Valdr Galga'' (1999) * '' Urkraft'' (2000) * '' Vansinnesvisor'' (2002) * ''Farsotstider'' (2005) * '' Hels vite'' (2008) * ''De Ödeslösa'' (2013) * ''Vanagandr'' (2021)


Compilation albums

* ''Hednaland'' (CD) (1999)


Demos

* ''Solen svartnar'' (Demo) (1995) * ''Hednaland'' (Demo) (1996)


External links


Official website

Encyclopedia Metallum page
{{Authority control Musical groups established in 1995 Swedish heavy metal musical groups Swedish viking metal musical groups Musical groups from Stockholm