Royal Hunt - thoughts?

[NorseBlood]

I'm probably a little late to the party here, but I just picked up Royal Hunt's "A Life to Die For". Wow. More symphonic than some of their more recent efforts, and I like it. This is really good stuff. I'm thinking this is going to be a must see performance at PP this year. Anyone else really like these last two albums with DC Cooper on vocals? How does "A Life to Die For" compare with "Show Me How to Live" and their previous albums? So many bands fade away. I think these guys are here to stay.

 

[Sir Exar Kun]

What's not to enjoy? All of their albums are good to great, even with changing vocalists. As with most, "Paradox" is my favorite, but there are several others that come very close.

My only beef with the latest two DC Cooper albums is that they are too damn short! I need more than 7 songs and 40 minutes..... That's basically an EP nowadays. Just as you are hitting the stride of the album, it ends.

 

[The Surfing Alien]

Ehh.. these DC comeback albums didn't impress me much :/
The melodies of the early stuff are so much better .

 

[Kez]

Moving Target and Paradox are my favorites, and the latest two with DC are good, but not up to Paradox level, IMHO. Plenty to like on them, but I'll just never regain that feeling of hearing Paradox for the first time. Had a real impact way back when......

 

[Stevie WOnder]

I'll agree with my favourite Alien that the DC comebacks aren't the greatest but the first two were excellent.

Paradox remains their pinnacle, then I have The Mission with West on vox then Moving Target. The rest, not so much...

 

[The Surfing Alien]

I like Mission with John West too. I never thought I would see him live , so thanks to someone here mentioning that Mark Boals dropped out of Uli Roth tour and West took his place . He sounded great! Did sets with both Roth and those guys doing Rainbow/Sab/Purple covers.

 

[Diamond45]

Moving Target and Paradox are my favorites, and the latest two with DC are good, but not up to Paradox level, IMHO. Plenty to like on them, but I'll just never regain that feeling of hearing Paradox for the first time. Had a real impact way back when......

My thoughts exactly. I really liked Moving Target and Paradox, but not a huge fan of Show Me How to Live or A Life to Die For.

Looking forward to hearing Paradox done in its entirety at ProgPower in September.

 

[TwizstedJesus]

I'm more fond of the John West material. DC Cooper is just boring to me.

 

[Oblivion Ocean]

I think Paradox is flawless and Moving Target and Fear are really strong. But for some reason, I could not get into much after that, including the reunion with DC albums.

 

[KingsGene]

Is the Paradox CD out of print? Can't seem to find it anywhere "new" at a reasonable price from the typical retailers.

 

[Kez]

Amazon shows it as available for just under $11.

 

[KingsGene]

Thanks, but looking for "new" not "used"...

 

[DigitalMan]

I love all the DC era disks old and new. The newer two don't live up to the older two, but they're still very enjoyable I think. I was and still am such a DC fanboy that I could never bring myself to listen to any of the RH disks without him.

Guy

 

[TwizstedJesus]

I love all the DC era disks old and new. The newer two don't live up to the older two, but they're still very enjoyable I think. I was and still am such a DC fanboy that I could never bring myself to listen to any of the RH disks without him.

Guy

I think the John West era only peaked my interest because I read that he initially replaced Ray Gillen in Badlands, and Gillen was/is probably my favorite blues based singer of all time. I'll dig out all of my Royal Hunt discs sometime before September and give 'em another spin, I'm just bummed that "Paradox" just hasn't struck a chord with me when spun recently.

 

[KingsGene]

Finally bought the digital version of Paradox from Amazon, and I can see why many feel this is THE Royal Hunt album compared to a couple others I have. It is indeed very good, and I am looking forward to seeing this performed live in its entirety.

 

[Hammerlock]

They did slip for a bit with "Eyewitness" and "Paper Blood" being pretty generic, but I love most of what they've done from their very early days through now. The last two have both been great, but I feel like they could have been bigger in scope and ambition than they turned out. Nonetheless, I still think they're great. My favorite is actually "The Mission", with "Fear", "Paradox" and "Clown in the Mirror" knocking around for second place.

 

[grogg]

My favorite is actually "The Mission"

+1

That would also have been a good album to play live in its entirety.

 

[Justin G]

+1 That would also have been a good album to play live in its entirety.

No, no and no.

 

[Hammerlock]

+1

That would also have been a good album to play live in its entirety.

Royal Hunt is a treat any day, but getting to hear Paradox in full is going to be cool as hell. Plus, they played "World Wide War" and "The Mission" at their last PPUSA appearance, if I remember correctly, and those are my two favorite songs.