If you like your progressive rock hard driven whilst containing some dramatic twists and turns, then look no further than Denmark’s Royal Hunt. They were formed nearly twenty years ago by keyboard player Andre Andersen, who is in fact the only remaining original member.
For this latest album Collision Course (Paradox 2) Royal Hunt have evolved into a nicely balanced, multi-national line up. Andersen was actually born in Moscow, whilst new singer Mark Boals originates over in the west, Ohio to be precise. Added to that mix are genuine Danes drummer Allan Sorensen, bass player Per Schelander, and Swedish guitarist Marcus Jidell. Mark Boals replaces John West who left last year and brings with him a wealth of experience mainly from his time with Yngwie Malmsteen, with whom he appeared on six albums, and his own band Rings Of Fire. Boals becomes the fourth lead singer in Royal Hunt’s long history and joined just in time to work on the sessions that became Collision Course.
Perhaps Royal Hunt will be best known for their 1997 album Paradox. This was before original members Steen Mogenson and Jacob Kjaer left just after the 2003 release of Eyewitness. Certainly Andersen is the driving force and original inspiration behind the band's formation. Classically trained and musically gifted, he can turn his hand to almost any instrument and has been the one consistent factor in Royal Hunt’s career to date.
He is straight out of the same school of inspiration as Deep Purple’s former keyboard legend Jon Lord and Rick Wakeman. Certainly there is much to link all three together as Royal Hunt’s music contains glimpses of Andersen’s classical mind with hints of Paganini or Mozart. However, he openly admits that it was the sheer power of Deep Purple’s In Rock that turned his head towards rock music. Royal Hunt has provided the vehicle for his progressive metal style and once again on Collision Course all those elements are present.
There is a clearly a lot going on in the multi layered musical mind of Andersen and Collision Course contains all the complexities, contrasts, and influences you would expect from a Royal Hunt album. Collision Course’s main theme is the meeting of the different cultures in our troubled world, a theme reflected in its cover. It’s dramatically involved, dense in concept, with enough highly charged moments to satisfy even the most demanding Royal Hunt fan. It opens with “Principles of Paradox”, a gentle classically styled flute led introduction creates a compelling scene setting atmosphere. It eventually leads to the entrance of Mark Boals alongside some typically effective Andersen keyboards interlaced with Marcus Jidell’s soaring guitar. It’s a powerful opening and one that will have any fan of Royal Hunt or this style of prog-rock warming up nicely.
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