Royal Hunt Albums (14)
'Collision Course: Paradox II'
Release Date 4/8/2008
Tracks 10
Label Seoul KR
See Album Tracklist and Review
'Paradox, Vol. 2: Collision Course'
Release Date 2/19/2008
Tracks 10
Label Spider Club Music
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Denmark-bred Royal Hunt -- known since 1991 for its fusion of heavy metal and classical -- uphold their reputation as leaders of modern prog on Paper Blood. Not unlike Queensrÿche or the 1980s-era version of Deep Purple, the band's sound is visualized by founding keyboardist Andre Andersen and fronted by able vocalist John West as the expressive "Break Your Chains" and the positive thump of "Never Give Up" attest. Bookended by complex instrumentals, this is theatrical metal. Fans of this ilk -- from Saga to Whitesnake -- will relish in Paper Blood. Royal Hunt may not be very stylish, but they serve their disciples well. ~ John D. Luerssen, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The complicated extension of classical music, or the indulgent wankery of guitar freaks? This is the debate that has faced progressive rock since Peter Gabriel was picking out his first kit of face paint. Thirty years later and the new face of prog rock has been carved out of the genre known as power metal. Royal Hunt was one of the first bands to join into this new type of metal, which bears little resemblance to King Crimson but has a lot more in common with Iron Maiden. It is hard to recommend this album for two reasons. First of all, they use keyboards in place of orchestration, which is completely legitimate, except for the fact that the keyboards are produced so they sound thin and obnoxious. Even a little more overdubbing would have greatly improved the keyboard sounds, which are simply ridiculous. This is disheartening considering that the keyboardist, Andre Andersen, is their key songwriter. Secondly, the songs go in so many directions that the album seems like a random collection of hooks held together by the enthusiastic chugging of guitarist Jacob Kjaer. Besides the rip-roaring solos from Kjaer, there is little here to recommend. Royal Hunt is not a bad band, especially considering the genre they are in, but this is the sound of a band spinning their wheels in place. ~ Bradley Torreano, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Royal Hunt matches their prog metal chops with a concept on The Mission, an album that is lyrically based on Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles. While the idea of a metal concept album seems hopelessly dated (Queensryche's 1987 masterpiece Operation: Mindcrime remains the unchallenged benchmark), what's worse is that Royal Hunt's sound has barely evolved beyond the late '70s. At best, The Mission approaches Dream Theater's neo-prog elegance; at worst, it recalls Styx's Kilroy Was Here. It's loaded with dazzling instrumental forays, quasi-classical pretensions, and towering, arena-sized vocal harmonies that owe as much to Steve Perry as to Geoff Tate. As for the lyrics, suffice it to say that Bradbury's book is probably best left alone. ~ Andy Hinds, All Music Guide
'Double Live in Japan'
Release Date 10/5/1999
Tracks 18
Label Magna Carta
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
With their incredible skill at merging classical music and heavy metal, Royal Hunt's albums have always sounded like studio-only productions. It seemed that a lot would be lost in the translation to live performance. This disc definitely proves that that is not the case. The band reproduces nearly flawlessly the songs from their fine studio discs in concert. The precision and power of those performances are captured very well on this double CD. The disc showcases all of the soaring melodies, fast-paced, classically oriented riffing, and creative arrangements for which the group is known. Royal Hunt's core group (Andre Andersen, D. C. Cooper, Jacob Kjaer, and Steen Mogenseen) are joined on various cuts by Kenneth Olsen, Maria McTurk, Lise Hansen, and Allen Sorenson. This album should please fans of both heavy metal and progressive rock, and is a great introduction to the catalog of this great group. ~ Gary Hill, All Music Guide
