Royal Hunt | Devil’s Dozen
Label: Marquee Avalon, Frontiers Records
Release Year: 2015
Country: Denmark/USA
Genre: Progressive Melodic Metal
Band Members
André Andersen – Keyboards
DC Cooper – Vocals
Andreas Passmark – Bass
Jonas Larsen – Guitars
Royal Hunt Official Soundcloud
Frontier’s Official Youtube Channel
I always like a band that can build its own signature sound, build a career on it, all without having every album sound like the same thing over and over. Over the last 25 years or so, Royal Hunt have been one of those bands. While their peers such as Dream Theater, SymphonyX, and Threshold have been explained time and time again, Royal Hunt has seemed to go a little more under the radar in the Western Hemisphere of the world.
In 2015 it is time to start including Royal Hunt the discourse of breath of conversation with the bands I mentioned above. Due to overwhelming demand by the fans DC Cooper returns for the bands new album Devil’s Dozen. The Devil’s Dozen has 8 very powerful and melodic tracks. DC Cooper returns and picks up as if he never left on Devil’s Dozen.
So Right So Wrong has a sweet rhythm intro with DC Cooper playing off the drums with a nice vocal echo overdubbed running side by side with his main vocal. The band also employs a great female choir symphony to serve as additional background vocals. There are so nice breaks off and on before Jonas Larsen’s good solo work.
May You Never (Walk Alone) begins with a nice piano section performed by legendary keyboardist Andre’ Andersen. Then the song explodes with a powerful instrumental 4/4 passage. Soon there is a great breaking section that seems to be a trend in the album where DC Cooper continues to sing more off the rhythm section of drums and bass. The solo has some power points where Jonas Larsen and Andre Andersen play off one another creating a power atmospheric vibe.
Heart On A Platter opens up with a killer bass led rhythm passage performed greatly by Andreas Passmark. This sets the tone quite nicely for the rest of the track. Heart On A Platter displays the bands rhythm prowess more than its stringed section. Andre Andersen incorporates some great violin and other orchestral effects in places as well. Once again the female choir symphony serves quite powerfully on backing vocals.
A Tear In The Rain opens with a all out orchestral assault between the keyboards, guitar in harmony with the bass and rhythm section. Included in the intro are backing chant like vocals. This is a up tempo track from the first to last note. Both a melodic and harmonic up tempo. A Tear In The Rain is a more traditional Royal Hunt signature. This one also has a very sick killer guitar solo.
Until The Day once again opens with a great yet dark piano passage along with some good vocal work. This track is probably the most orchestral track on the album. Until The Day borders on a power ballad in some places. The track has some moments of soul within the structure of lead to backing vocals. The band once again uses a beautiful female choir to beautifully articulate the more soulful moments on the track. The guitar solo has some great time signatures going in and out from hook to hook.
Riches To Rags has a wicked primal intro like old world
Until The Day once again opens with a great yet dark piano passage along with some good vocal work. This track is probably the most orchestral track on the album. Until The Day borders on a power ballad in some places. The track has some moments of soul within the structure of lead to backing vocals. The band once again uses a beautiful female choir to beautifully articulate the more soulful moments on the track. The guitar solo has some great time signatures going in and out from hook to hook.
Riches To Rags has a wicked primal intro like old world Celtic groove with a flute going side by side with the rhythm section. This track incorporates a male choral symphony along with the female choir. They most definitely give this track a 16th century instrumental vibe to the track. DC Coopers register is spot on on this one.
Way Too Late opens up as if it were a film score or movie soundtrack. This one literally sounds like Royal Hunt were watching a film and performed this live in studio. The rhythm section has a very deliberate presence of musicianship here. It will be interesting to see if the band will incorporate this with a symphony in live sets.
How Do You Know is definitely the straight up rock/metal track on Devil’s Dozen. The band wastes no time getting it going on this one. There is a straight away rock feel. The female vocals give this one a great vocal layer in background as well. It has some nice breaks towards the end both vocally and lyrically.
I was surprised honestly to see how much the band worked in unison on Devil’s Dozen. It was as if DC Cooper picked up where he left off in his absence away from Royal Hunt plus the introduction to new guitarist Jonas Larsen. I give Devil’s Dozen a 4/5.
Video Courtesy Frontiers Records 2015
