ROYAL HUNT

There is a lot with what I can agree in previous review. However, we differ in opinion how this works in general. Maybe it's because I'm less critic then Slava is, maybe I like Prog Metal more. And from what I heard from bands in this genre, I think that this album maybe has Power Metal elements, but isn't merely Power, which sometimes stands for me as "simplified" Metal (when compared to Prog Metal).

Indeed, there is strong melodic element, in fact it's almost based solely on melodicity and guitar / keyboards solos. Atmosphere is also promising and that also counts. Songs flows easily without single stumbling, as far as I hear, nothing sounds weird. And believe me, the more I dug deep into Prog, the more I lost ability to listen some "normal" Metal groups, like Avantasia (oh maybe I've never been able to listen them). There is no such bad feeling.

Even Back to Square One doesn't fit me in whole composition at all but later on the move to what they master well, melodic Metal on the verge of Prog & Power.

4(-), of course, it could have been better, but also, therefore I would have rate higher.

I'm not sure how they can call this a studio album when they've either re-done older tracks or performed them live.The difference of course is that John West is doing the vocals for the first time on these ROYAL HUNT classics.And the guy can flat out sing, so for many these are improvements over the originals. "Intervention" is on here twice.The first one is a full version at over 14 minutes while they end this album with a shorter radio edit of the same song.This might be my favourite.Quite powerful at times and keyboards race over top early.Some nice piano before 7 1/2 minutes. "Lies" kicks in with riffs after 2 minutes as the crowd roars on this live version.Some orchestral sounds on this one too. "Flight" opens with a scream from West before it kicks in with keys leading.Not a fan. "Message To God" might be their most popular tune.The crowd certainly gets into this one.I like the bass and the guitar before 3 minutes. "Epilogue" is a catchy tune.It's okay. "One By One" is heavier and i like the instrumental interlude before 3 1/2 minutes. "Clown In The Mirror" opens with piano as reserved vocals join in.It gets fuller in the power ballad type track. "Day In Day Out" is uptempo but it settles when the vocals arrive.The tempo continues to shift though. "Legion Of The Damned" is another power ballad-like tune. So while the material here would have made for a great album if it was all original,it's not. This is a compilation of previously released tracks that have either been re-done in the studio or live.

— First review of this album —

Rare band's EP, contains songs never released on any other album.

The first song is classic band's composition, melodic, a bit bombastic , with long instrumental part and heavy symphonic influences, possibly is the best album's composition. The band on its best.

Two next songs are live recordings. "Lies" is keyboards based symphonic heavy metal with nice melody, but a bit bombastic again. Few nice guitar solos, though."Flight" is more energetic and more rocks, reminding Iron Maiden and some power metal bands at the same time.

"Follow Me" is short pop-rock ballad, based on acoustic piano. "U-Turn" finished the EP with melodic pop-rock song with females back-up vocals.

All songs are melodic, nicely played and recorded. The problem with Royal Hunt is they are always balancing on the edge between progressive symphonic metal and pop-hard-rock (influenced by last Rainbow albums). This work is their usual product, and better than average one.

Could be recommended for melodic symphonic metal fans, as well as for everyone with no fear to commercial side of progressive metal. For band fans as well - two songs are presented on this EP only, and three other - there and on band's next EP, but never on albums.

I gladly admit I have problems with symphonic progressive metal bands like Royal Hunt.

I cannot stand the vocals and the semi-hard sound. I cannot stand the sweetladen football terraces choirs too which this genre is so full of. Most of the symphonic progressive metal is also overburdened with a plastic digital sound and emotional songs which simply sounds false in my ears. Symphonic progressive metal is for young males with far too many testerone injections.

Fear has plenty of the things I detest. But thankfully, there is some good references to the likes of Rainbow here. That and the good keyboards is the only saving grace on this album. Fear is devoid of any good songs and that has become it's undoing in my ears. With no good songs, albums from this genre falls flat on it's face. But I am sure Royal Hunt is a good band. But Fear is not a good album. Hence my generously two stars.

2 stars

"Royal Hunt" is band ,founded by Moscow-born keyboardist Andre Andersen in Denmark. This is their tens album, and no surprises could be found on it.

Melodic , perfectly recorded, power metal with strong influences from Rainbow and Dream Theater. If not too much prog, songs all have their melodies, are perfectly played, and have their own appeal. For sure, if you're Rainbow fan, or just like old-fashioned melodic power metal. And if you not afraid of songs, named "Army Of Slaves", "King For A Day" or "Shadowman". But you don't need to listen to lyrics though. Just enjoy music and nostalgy coming from early 80-s.(To be honest, I always prefer great Dio in that category, which has much better music in this field, don't speak about vocal).

Quality power metal album with few progressive touches. Real pleasant surprise for genre lovers. For progressive metal fans has very limited value,however.

Definitelly,my ROYAL HUNT favourite album!Why?I don't know exactly to explain why ,but I think that's because this album has something superior to the other ones in terms of inspiration for composition!All ROYAL HUNT albums are in the same style a little,no real big differences between them,the same sensational production-one of the best in the genre-really sparking and crystal clear,the neo classical rafinated style with symphonic influences,so the mayonnaise is quite the same!JOHN WEST seems to be 100 % in his element on this album and really gives the maximum he can for some inspired songs indeed!Andre Andresen,the mastermind must n't be considered a dictator because he is responsable with all the compositions,but I think that the other musicians in the band have their precise role here! There are many excellent guitar solos and the spatial feeling and mood is omnipresent!I repeat-the production is something almost perfect and some may consider this album to get almost an over production in terms of hyper hi tec quality sound!Impressive!DC COOPER was an excellent vocalist and some ROYALHUNT fans still regret him,but , but defiinitelly he wasn't able to bring nothing new in the idea of progress for this band!WEST is always willing to always push his capacities and to bring a note of drmatism and pathos in his interpretation! Highlights of the album-METAMORPHOSIS-DREAMLINE-FOURTH DIMENSION-sensational tracks indeed!ROYAL HUNT fans are delighted about this album,but THE MISSION is almost esential if you want to owe only a RH album-this is the one you shold get it!!!4 STARS ,close to 4,5!

Symphonic power metal, whatever. It invokes great memories in me. And power element of it (I'm not able to deny it)) is just a meaning how to deliver the message. Anybody reading this happens to know Warcraft II. (good old game from 1995) ? If so, then let me state that this music reminds me it a lot. So let's back to this music, guitar / keyboard solos are the reason why I like it so much. Especially this neo-classical (medieval like keyboards) feeling. Getting melody and prog together always worked with me, so I'm not gonna pass this time.

5(-), and I feel strong in guts dear readers, this is really gem. Without bad moment.

Most ROYAL HUNT fans list this one as their masterpiece."Paradox" is a concept album and as usual with this band we get a strong Power-Metal flavour with lots of orchestral sounding keys.Unfortunately everything that i've just described i'm not a fan of.Orchestral sounds,concept albums and Power-Metal.Haha. So let me be the first negative review of this album.It's all about taste. "The Awakening" is the short intro track that opens with the sound of rain and acoustic guitar.Reserved vocals and flute join in.Drums and guitar later. "River Of Pain" is my favourite.It kicks in wth a full sound immediately.Drums and vocals stand out here.Vocal harmonies are prominant too.A laid back guitar solo 3 1/2 minutes in.Organ follows then synths as drums continue to pound it out. Spoken words end it. "Tearing Down The World" is filled with orchestral sounds and double bass drumming and i'm running for the hills.Vocals before a minute.Ripping guitar after 2 1/2 minutes,synths follow. "Message To God" opens with keyboards.It kicks in before a minute.Nice chunky bass here.Not a fan of the sound here that follows.Vocals join in. "Long Way Home" opens with acoustic guitar and flute.Vocals before a minute.Orchestral sounds come and go.Heavy before 3 minutes.It ends as it began. "Time Will Tell" opens with heavy outbursts then the drums start to lead.It settles and becomes orchestral.Vocals after 2 minutes.It kicks in with double bass drumming.Vocal harmonies after 5 1/2 minutes.It sounds like a choir after 7 1/2 minutes.Nice guitar solo late. "Silent Scream" opens with keyboards before it kicks in.Vocals,double bass drumming and orchestral sounds follow. "It's Over" continues with much the same sound until the flute comes in before 3 1/2 minutes.Guitar follows.This is an epic sounding tune.It ends as the album began with the rain falling down. Good album just not my style.

B; One of prog metal's most underrated albums.

Moving Target was my introduction to the music of Royal Hunt, one of the better yet somewhat unknown bands of prog metal. This was another album my brother bought when he was way into power metal, and at first I dismissed this album as just another cliche power metal album, but every time I came back listening to it I liked it a little more and noticed more of the classical nuances. Now it's at the point where this is really one of my favorite albums from this sort of prog, which is similar to other neoclassical/power/prog metal bands Kamelot and Symphony X. Many of the arrangements found in this album are quite breathtaking, to say the least, and overall they create an incredibly solid album, definitely among the band's best.

Each track on the album is pretty consistent in song structure, probably the least progressive quality of the album. Even though the songs aren't the eight to twelve minute lengths I'm used to with much prog metal, each track is packed with musicality and intelligent, cohesive composition. Probably the most prominent instruments driving the band's material throughout the album are the IMMENSE keyboard work by Anderson (I would have sworn there were two keyboardists in the band putting this stuff together, but it's all just him!) and D.C. Cooper's brilliant vocals that really makes the band sore in terms of emotional heights. The guitar style definitely hints at early power metal styles that were especially pioneered by bands such as Scorpions and Savatage, only further developed to have a very epic and polished sound, all the while avoiding the annoying repetitious cliches that infect most otherwise decent power metal bands such as Stratovarious. Probably the best thing about the songs here is the shear amount of atmospheric nuances and attention to detail to the point of achieving perfection in the production without sacrificing the passionate, emotional aspect of the music, something that rarely happens in the production of even most competent albums. The use of reverb, of acoustic guitar and the female chorus, everything just seems to fall perfectly in place. My favorite tracks are 1348, Far Away, and Step by Step. Step by Step is really one of the most unique prog metal songs I've ever heard, combining early swing style jazz writing with metal, which is definitely something that should be tapped into more often.

Overall a very fine album that every prog metal head should have in their collection, and that most proggers overall should at least check out. If you're a fan of the combination of classical and metal music, and especially if you're already into any of the other bands I've mentioned in this review, this is an album you MUST hear. Four big stars for this sweet one!

Moving Target is the third full-length studio album by Danish symphonic heavy rock/ metal act Royal Hunt. While the two predecessors Land of Broken Hearts (1992) and The Clown In The Mirror (1993) both featured excellent musicianship and strong compositions they didn´t exactly have excellent professional productions. The sound was not bad but then again it wasn´t really good either. That element has been fixed on Moving Target and to my ears this album sounds more professional than both predecessors. There´s been a significant lineup change since the last album as lead vocalist Henrik Brockmann has left to be replaced by American vocalist D.C. Cooper. D.C. Cooper was one of the finalists when Judas Priest auditioned for replacements for Rob Halford. A spot that ended up being taken by Tim Ripper Owens.

The music is symphonic and very melodic heavy rock/ metal. There are a few progressive elements in the music but nothing overtly experimental or innovative. The opener Last Goodbye is probably the most progressive song on the album. The music is dominated by main composer/ keyboardist/ producer André Andersen´s neo-classical inspired keyboard playing but the songs are very song oriented and D.C. Cooper´s strong voice and skilled use of it is also a dominant part of the music. Allthough there are solos on the album and an instrumental track in Autograph don´t expect extented instrumental sections in the songs. This is basically simple vers/ chorus build music. There were lots of grand choirs on the two predecessors from Royal Hunt and on Moving Target we are again treated with grand backing choirs. This time they are not male though but instead Maria McTurk and Lise Hansen has been brought in to sing female backing vocals.

The musicianship is excellent. André Andersen is a true virtuoso on the keyboard. I´m thinking Jens Johansson ( Yngwie Malmsteen, Dio, Stratovarius) at times and that´s quite a praise in my world. The rest of the band are tight and well playing as well and I´d call D.C. Cooper´s inclusion an improvement as well even though I did enjoy Henrik Brockmann´s voice too.

The production is professional and powerful. Finally André Andersen made the right sound for the band.

While I´m not a big fan of this kind of symphonic heavy rock/ metal I can acknowledge when something is done right and professional. This is a good album in the symphonic heavy rock/ metal tradition and it fully deserves a BIG 3 star rating. For fans of the genre this might rank a bit higher though so take that into consideration when you read my review.