On disc: Royal Hunt

 
 Fear
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 


 
 The Watchers
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 


 
 Paradox II - Collision Course
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 


 
 Show Me How To Live
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 


 
 Heart Of The City
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 


 
 20th Anniversary (Special Edition)
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 


 
 A Life To Die For
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 

A Life To Die For

(Frontiers Records - 2013)



 
 

 

With A Life To Die For Danish rockers Royal Hunt present their 12th studio album and the second since D.C. Cooper returned. This time they hired some orchestra players and a choir for the recording sessions to get an authentic symphonic sound.



The opener Hell Comes Down From Heaven is the longest track on the album and it takes a while til D.C. Cooper joins in, but with almost 10 minutes there is enough time to tell the story. A Bullet's Tale kicks off with female vocals, but soon Mr. Cooper is taking over. Usually the guitar has to give space to Andre Andersen's keyboard, but at this track Jonas Larsen can step into the spotlight. One of my favorites is Sign Of Yesterday, where they switch between slow, balladesque passages and mid-paced parts. Heavier is Won't Trust, Won't Fear, Won't Beg, it also offers tempi-changes and has a moody edge. The closer A Life to Die For is summing up the sound of Royal Hunt and so represents the album very well. But fans of Royal Hunt won't need to check out a tune, if you love their last album, you will love this one, too.



Another great piece of work from Royal Hunt. Andre Andersen knows how to add details to his compositions and so you might discover some details after a dozen times listening. Simply enjoy the new Royal Hunt album!



 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
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20th Anniversary (Special Edition)

(Frontiers Records - 2012)



 
 

 

To celebrate the 20th anniversary Royal Hunt put together an compilation of 3 CDs and a DVD. On CD1 & 2 you get songs from all stages of their career - and so also with all singers. CD3 they kick off with Save Me, a new song. A mid-paced rocker with the typical symphonic / bombastic edge. It's not the strongest song, but perhaps they keep the stronger ones for the next album... Then you get 3 old tunes, but newly recorded and unplugged. You also get on the CDs some tracks which were single releases, etc.



Sure, fans will have the albums and so a new track and 3 re-recordings aren't enough to make you buy the box set, but if you only have some albums it might be a good way to get an impression of 20 years of 20thAnniversarySpecialEdition. It's also nice to get the DVD with all the video clips the band recorded.





Track listing:



Disc 1

Flight

Kingdom Dark

Stranded

Clown In The Mirror

Wasted Time

Epilogue

Time

Far Away

1348

River Of Pain

Tearing Down The World

Message To God



Disc 2

Cold City Lights

Follow Me

Surrender

The Mission

Can't Let Go

Paper Blood

Season's Change

The First Of Rock

Tears Of The Sun

The Well

Shadowman

Hard Rain's Coming

Half Past Loneliness



Disc 3

Save Me (new song)

One By One (new recording, unplugged version)

Bodyguard (new recording, unplugged version)

Restless (new recording, unplugged version)

Bad Luck

Double Conversion

U-Turn

Sixth Sense

Day Is Dawning



Disc 4 (DVD)

Land Of Broken Hearts

Day In Day Out

Clown In The Mirror

Far Away

Last Goodbye

Stay Down

River Of Pain

Tearing Down The World

Martial Arts

Third Stage

Wasted Time

Interview

Message To God

 
 










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Heart Of The City

(Scarlet Records - 2012)



 
 

 

The latest studio album of Royal Hunt was released via Frontiers Records, now Scarlet Records is presenting Heart Of The City, a compilation of Royal Hunt songs from the 90's. So you get 10 songs of their 5 studio albums released between 1992 and 1999. It gives a good impression of the Danish, and also let you compare the singers. At the first two albums Henrik Brockmann was their singer, fan favorite D.C. Cooper joined them in 1995 and at the end of the 90's John West took over for Fear. Fans of keyboarder Andre Andersen and his band will know the songs, so it isn't necessary to go into detail. But the chronological order of the songs shows the progression of Mr. Andersen as a song writer. Die-hard fans will have the albums anyway, but for fans of symphonic melodic metal who just discovered the band with their latest album it's a good way to get an idea about the early years of Royal Hunt. Some might be a bit disappointed when listening to singer Henrik Brockmann, coz he can't keep up with D.C. Cooper, a very charismatic singer. But Brockmann did a great job on Land Of Broken Hearts and Clown In The Mirror - just listen to the title track of Clown In The Mirror. At least it's a fair treat, coz every album is represented with 2 tracks, so song haven't been chosen in favor of the most popular singer - and might get the others a bit more attention. Personally I prefer John West as a singer and so I'm happy that 2 tracks off Fear on this compilation - and hope that more music lovers discover this album. But at the end of the day it's all a matter of taste!



Fans might argue about which songs have been chosen, but every compilation will raise this arguing. But these days it is so easy to make your own compilation, so stop arguing! If you are into symphonic melodic metal and just discovered Royal Hunt, then this compilation will be a good way to start the journey through their early days.




Track listing:



1. Running Wild

2. Kingdom Dark

3. On The Run

4. Clown In The Mirror

5. Making A Mess

6. Time

7. Tearing Down The World

8. Silent Scream

9. Fear

10. Sea Of Time

 
 










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Show Me How To Live

(Frontiers - 2011)



 
 

 

Many fans of Royal Hunt were waiting for the return of DC Cooper and finally he is back. Royal Hunt's albums Moving Target and Paradox are for most fans the highlights of the discography and so their fans will be curious to hear Show Me How To Live. In a nutshell, if you loved the above mentioned albums, then just go ahead and buy Show Me How To Live!



The album kicks off with the fast and bombastic melodic rocker One More Day enriched with some neo-classical elements. A typical Royal Hunt tune - in a way. A telephone rings, quite old school sounding and a few spoken words lead you into Another Man Down. This one has a melancholy edge at the opening passage, becomes a symphonic rocker with big backings. At An Empty Shell keyboard wizard André Andersen even adds a dash of jazz to his key frenzy which got answered by guitarist Jonas Larsen.



Hard Rain's Coming begins with spinet sounds and vocals, but then becomes a heavy melodic rocker with a soaring keyboard melody. Quite heavy is Half Past Loneliness, but it also features Jonas Larsen who adds a classy lead guitar passage. Beside the 'typical' symphonic parts you get some slow passages where DC's voice is only accompanied by keyboard. Personally I like the passages where they step back from their bombastic sound a lot. The title track Show Me How To Live builds up slowly and with more then 10 minutes running time gives space to explore the different sound facets of Royal Hunt. The closer is called Angel's Gone, an instrumental opening passage gives André Andersen the space for classic citations, later DC Cooper joins in and keyboard and guitar have to give them space to shine.



Fans of Royal Hunt with DC Cooper can +1 my rating, coz even if I really like Royal Hunt with DC, I personally prefer the John West stuff. But that's mainly a matter of taste, coz there is no doubt about the skills here.

 
 










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Paradox II - Collision Course

(Frontiers - 2008)



 
 

 

In 1997 Royal Hunt presented Paradox, a conceptual album about God. But also about the two sides of God - as he stands for love and peace, but also is the force behind wars. Now it's time for Paradox II Collision Course! The band changed through the years and with Mark Boals they have a new singer recruited. But still its mainman André Andersen who is responsible for music, lyrics and the overall concept. The lyrical concept is about the collision course Islam and christianity take these days - and the artwork shows that quite good! The 2 religious movements have the same origin and so the question is legitimate, why do they fight each other? And even the Koran says that they should only fight polytheism and that religions with the same origin 'just' have to be convinced to follow the latest prophet - like the Islam does.



You hear rain fall... And thunder, then a guitar sets in and leads you into Paradox II Collision Course. Later accompanied by flute and strings - a very atmospheric lead-in for Principles Of Paradox. The song has something bombastic, but also something threatening due to screams in the background. Musically Royal Hunt continue Paradox, but due to another line-up and especially a new singer it sounds somehow different. The arrangements are complex and progressive, so spend time to discover the details! I confess I really like John West and so I wasn't sure what to think when Mark Boals was announced as his successor, even if Boals is a remarkable singer. But Boals voice and vocal style fits very well to Paradox II Collision Course. The songs are catchy and insistent, but not elevated. While Prinicples Of Paradox isn't easy to get in, the following The First Rock as well as Exit Wound are enthralling. And soon the compositions of André Andersen pull you into the Paradox world. I don't want to go into details this time, coz you have to listen to the whole album - to understand the concept. But be asssured that Mr. Andresen will surprise you! For example with High Noon At The Battlefield. At Blood In Blood Out guitarist Marcus Jidell adds a cool solo which leads into a battle with André's keyboards.



Kudos for the lyrics which are describing the situation and create an image of where we head to - without being pathetic and lofty. The lyrics show both sides and you don't find any accusations!



I hope that Royal Hunt can present Paradox II Collision Course live! And perhaps do a special show with guest of Paradox and Paradox II for a DVD... That would be awes! But I guess the CD will have to do... Let yourself been carried away!

 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
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The Watchers

(Frontiers - 2001)



 
 

 

The last release of Royal Hunt was the conceptual album The Mission which based on the novel The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury. Now they are back with The Mission! This CD offers for the first time the complete track Intervention, a 14+ min. long instrumental. Part I of Intervention was released on the Japan only-EP Intervention - Part 1. Also on the Japanese release are the live versions of Lies & Flight. These versions been recorded in summer 2000 and are as well on The Mission. Additionally There are live versions of Message To God and Epilogue, beside that there are a few old tunes re-recorded which are One By One, Legion Of The Damned, Clown In The Mirror and Day In Day Out. At the end there is the radio edit version of Intervention. Personally I love the new versions with singer John West which is no offense again D.C., but I prefer D.C.'s solo album and his work with Silent Force. But I think that it ain't a good start with Intervention, even if this is the CD title, but an instrumental of more than 14 min. is too much for most listeners! I would have preferred the radio edit as opener and the full-length version at the end of the disc. But that's just my opinion....

 
 










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Fear

(Steamhammer - 1999)



 
 

 

Royal Hunt is one of the most successfull bands from Denmark beside Pretty Maids. Now presenting themselves with a new singer... John West! An american who worked with Badlands, Lynch Mob and his band Artension, beside that he toured last year with Chris Caffery of Savatage in Europe as American Rock Live. Did that change the sound of Royal Hunt? Yes, the epic melodic power metal got a new element.... A bluesy voice! Fear present just 7 tracks, but the shortest (Voices) is 5:20 minutes! Value for money: 7 songs are nearly 50 mintues long. Okay, there are CDs with 74 min., but are they always high class? This a great record presenting amazing songs e.g. Fear and Follow Me. If you like Royal Hunt in the past you'll like their latest release and if you like old Whitesnake or Badlands you'll like them, too.



In my opinion Fear is a more emotional album than Paradox. Perhaps this is a subjective thing, but give it a try! My favourite is Follow Me, a ballad... to quote:



"Follow me - though I don't know where I'm going,

Follow me down the road to something new,

Follow me there's no other way of knowing,

what your heart is telling you."



Guess that's a feeling everbody knew..... Listen to it!!!! Personally an aspirant for "top 10 albums of the year"!

 

 










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