[1] Their subject matter revolves almost entirely around Viking lore, mythology, and history,[2] taking their name from Týr, the god of war in Norse religion.

Before Týr, Heri Joensen and Gunnar H. Thomsen formed their first band, Cruiser, at the age of 17.

According to the band's frontman Heri Joensen:[5] "Týr's musical mission is to break down the walls that are erected between all the kinds of metal that have arisen over the years.

Power, doom, black, progressive, gothic, viking, folk, ethnic and epic metal.

"Accordingly, scholarship has found that the band's lyrics and imagery promote pan-Nordic ideologies, and draw on well established, transnational genre conventions from metal music; but has also suggested that the band's insistence on their Faroese identity, which has been fetishised by international audiences, could be "regarded as a form of self-exoticisation".

The band responded to these accusations with the song "Shadow of the Swastika" on the album Lay of Thrym (2011), which in the assessment of Karl Spracklen, "attacks the far-right for appropriating...heathen symbols and images associated with pre-Christian northern Europe".

During April 2013, Týr joined Ensiferum, Heidevolk and others for the North American leg of the Paganfest tour.

Kári Streymoy had a back injury in January 2008, which made him unable to tour until October the same year.

Týr announced on 12 May 2013 via their official website as well as their Facebook, Twitter and Myspace pages that they had parted ways with longtime drummer Kári Streymoy, owing to the back injury he had received in 2008 which had affected his drumming.

[14] In August 2018, after 17 years with the band, Terji Skibenæs announced his departure, stating "There's no drama or anything going on between me and the others.

"[15] The opening left by Skibenæs' exit was filled by former Nevermore and Satyricon guitarist Attila Vörös.

Current Týr lead singer, Heri Joensen, is working on a side project with the band Heljareyga.

[18] It was released first as a download on 12 February 2010 at digital retailers,[19] but CD copies came later available at Tutl Records.