Back to unleash the werewolf once more with their own brand of heavy rock ’til metal restlessness as they speak to the anxious nightmare of the endtyme via catchier 80’s coded vaunt Stockholm, Sweden-based quartet TYRANN bring darker shades of their ‘ready established selves to this third full-length album. Despite walking down some darker alleyways with great confidence this time around ‘Tyrann Forever‘ is yet driven by olden popular rock hooks and gritted-up anthemic chargers, a pretty easy hang in eight pieces. Expect all the idiosyncrasies of the band cranked up alongside their keen sense for catchier melodic heavy metal herein.

Tyrann formed circa 2018 between folks who’ve been involved in various constellatory practices within the Stockholm scene since the early 2000’s including Tribulation past-and-present, death-thrashers Corrupt and even ‘Diamonds‘-era Enforcer. Their general idea appeared to be a rock informed traditional heavy metal outlet which is non-corporate, unbothered by confounding factors as the trio offered up the street level tread of ’79-’81 impact as antidote to the increasingly soft New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal tend. Their debut 7″ (‘Tyrann‘, 2019) offered a glimpse and a few years later their debut LP (‘Djävulens Musik‘, 2021) more completely expanded a Swedish rock meets NWOBHM amped European heavy metal style with a mix of punkish garage level feats and catchier early 80’s arena-made anthem.

The band’s second album ‘Besatt‘ (2023) swapped in a different guitarist and took on a slightly different approach, far more shout-along Dynamo fest worthy gear as they’d edged out of late 70’s Scorpions and Priest-isms into early 80’s Swedish metal more readily. Interviews with the band around this time suggesting some first wave black metal inspiration (‘Don’t Break the Oath‘ maybe) but to my ear there was far more post-punk and popular prog rock vaunt slyly inserted into their step beyond the known; Tyrann‘ve have been pretty vocal about avoiding a commercial, trendy “soft” progression in their work and with consideration for their second LP this third album does a fine job of righting their path, producing a rawed-up direct to amp production value while exaggerating their descent into darker, catchier territory.

For ‘Tyrann Forever‘ Tyrann‘s original guitarist returns and the newer guy (also from Tribulation) stuck around, marking their first record as a quartet. This adds a full degree of possibility to their songcraft and performance while rolling back toward the roughed-in, rusty discoloration of hard rock informed heavy metal found on their debut. The chop into opener “Born For Hell” reinforces this sensation with the simplistic thrum of its main riff and the quickness which which they’ve jacked into its chorus in-between verses. You’ll find more keyboards and juiced guitar solos on this album in general, some of which is evident outright, but I’d generally appreciated the amped precision of the rhythm section up front as it’d felt like a step beyond the relatively flat pounce of their first two records.

Each of the first four songs that kick through Side A on ‘Tyrann Forever‘ bring some serious impact to the catchier spectrum of Tyrann‘s gig with the obvious ear grabbing 80’s synth rock boon of title track “Tyrann Forever” being the main event b/w the quick-and-dirty punch of the opener setting the tone. The Venom flavored dandruff they shake over the start of speed metal/punk stamped “Demonomania” is compelling to start, a full expansion of what they’d introduced via “Rå energi” on ‘Besatt‘ but with effects you’d find on a weird ass Sign of Evil record or earliest Black Magick SS tapes in between. It is the type of piece which only works because it reinforces the standalone station of each piece on the record.

On a similar tip key single and Side B opener “Kom Armageddom” (see also: “Bathory II”) may very well be the one to yank the word “traditional” out of my mouth as the song generally carries an anthemic stride and shouted-through force but quickly “blackens” things up mid-song. That is to say that black metal riffs, which’re fully not first wave digs, are unfurled beyond the ~1:53 minute mark in the pre-amble toward the solo unto curious result. As the band fully whip ass into a blast and gun it ’til the actual wah-flailing lead hits I’d liked how this broke up an otherwise standard pumper of a song but it’d only stood out for making little sense. They could just stick to ancient ear worms like “Allt Ska Brinna” and I’d be stoked but I admire that Tyrann‘ve pushed it a bit further into their own gear on this album.

Catchy enough, raw but not busted, and personalized by a few idiosyncratic ventures this third album from Tyrann feels less self-conscious and dire than expected. Through its broad-minded sourcing of inspiration ‘Tyrann Forever‘ may not escape the lingering sense that the quartet are having a fun go of it as their work embraces popular 70’s/80’s rock hook-craft even more readily within, but their general idea yet evolves into crowd pleasing weirdness. I went in expecting something harder edged but was just as stoked to find an inadvisable, strange brew within their otherwise pure heavy metal stomp. A moderately high recommendation.

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