Artist: Royal Hunt
Label: Frontiers Records
Release: 2006
Royal Hunt! A live album! Finally! Since we haven’t exactly shouted about the band much on the pages of RockLine.info, let me throw in a short bio. We’re talking about Danish symphonic hard rockers with 8 studio albums behind them: “Land Of Broken Hearts”, “Clown In The Mirror”, “Moving Target”, “Paradox”, “Fear”, “The Mission”, “Eye Witness” and “Paper Blood”. Royal Hunt are a well-loved, well-respected band that has sold over a million albums so far. These guys are musical perfectionists, and their music has been used again and again as background for TV series, films and commercials. Even WWE/WWF wrestlers borrow it for their ring entrance anthems! In short, there’s no messing around with Royal Hunt!
The biggest shake-up of the band’s career came over Christmas two years ago, when guitarist Jacob Kjaer and bassist Steen Mogensen left. Their spots were filled by Marcus Jidell (guitar), a veteran who came up through Jekyll & Hyde and The Ring, while young, talented Per Schelander (Spike, House Of Shakira) picked up the bass. Drummer Kenneth Olsen rounded out the line-up, and so, together with band boss Andre Andersen (keyboards) and the top-notch American singer John West, they stepped onto the stage for a concert in Russian St. Petersburg, where they recorded the show, which has come out as this double CD and also as a DVD!
The band has diligently pulled the material together, giving attention to every studio album of their career while also presenting their current studio album, “Paper Blood”.
Even in their revamped line-up, the band stays coherent and uncompromising on stage. The way the guitars and the symphonic keyboard arrangements lock together is exceptional, with ultra-melodic scales in an explosive, high-speed approach hitting the breakneck tempos of Stratovarius, Kamelot or Rhapsody. That’s why the Danes of Royal Hunt are relevant to fans of symphonic European power metal too, especially when you count the “torpedo” double bass pedal woven into the rhythm line. John West acts as a true conductor, running both the crowd and the band with his left hand through his stage presence. You might miss a bit more reaction from the audience, although the Russians are known to be fantastic fans when you fire them up properly. And yet this is 2006, and melodic hard rock is hopelessly out of fashion for the masses! Sadly! West is an excellent host of the show, and his vocal performance in St. Petersburg was practically flawless! For the people who came to show their support for the band in St. Petersburg, a simple “Spasiba!” is enough, and the job is basically done. The band wins the crowd over to their side right away.
The album is excellent. The sound is full, the band shines with top-level tightness, the chemistry between the members works, and the band confirms its pedantry and perfectionism with a carefully chosen set of vocal harmonies, which dynamically branch out John West’s basic lines and so effectively lift the atmosphere of the live record. Thanks to its standout qualities (excellent sound, a solid, explosive and technically polished approach, a career-spanning selection of songs), this live album is also an ideal guide to the world of Royal Hunt – for all you “curious ones” who don’t know the band yet! It simply doesn’t disappoint!
Line-up
John West – vocals
Andre Andersen – backing vocals, keyboards, guitar
Marcus Jidell – guitar, backing vocals
Per Schelander – bass, backing vocals
Kenneth Olsen – drums
Production
Royal Hunt
Track list
CD1:
1. Paper Blood
2. Time
3. The Mission
4. Never Give Up
5. Can’t Let Go
6. Last Goodbye
7. Follow Me
8. Cold City Lights
CD2:
1. Martial Arts
2. Surrender
3. Running Wild
4. Far Away
5. Lies
6. Wasted Time
7. Message To God
8. Epilogue
9. Long Way Home (bonus track)
