Royal Hunt - Double Live In Japan

Year of Release: 1999
Label: Magna Carta
Catalog Number: MA 9037-2
Format: CD
Total Time: 108:47:00

Representing some the last recorded output of DC Cooper fronting Royal Hunt, Double Live In Japan is a two-disc set of, obviously, live material recorded in 1996 and 1997. 'Course, the way that's phrased makes it sound like something has happened to Cooper other than embarking on solo career.

A live performance is where a band either proves or disproves their talent, as I'm sure many of you have discovered, either to your pleasure or dismay. It is hard to say with a live CD, since much can be masked and hidden in the studio. The production on this disk is great, however, and the performances captured are equally stellar - DC Cooper delivers. In fact, they all deliver.

Three of disc one's nine tracks are taken from the 1995 release, Clown In The Mirror; the remaining tracks are from Moving Target (1998) and Land Of The Broken Hearts (1992). The disk is subtitled "Live 1996." Disk 2, subtitled "Closing The Chapter: Paradox Live" covers, well, Paradox, but with some additional tracks that I'll admit I'm not sure about, as they aren't on the Paradox version I have (and Land hasn't entered my collection yet). The opening track is Ennio Morricone's "Ave Maria Guarani," an operatic choral piece. There were times when listening to this that I forgot it was a live album. The band are so into their performance, that I wondered if they, too, forgot there was an audience. Not that there was endless noodling or jamming or anything like that, but the crowd seemed enraptured by the performance. (Of course, the crowd noise could just as easily been mixed out, remaining only in the "between tracks" spaces). And yet, during the first disc, there is a sound quality present that gives the impression of an intimate setting - the sound surrounds without overwhelming. Hard to describe but in metaphor - like a loose fitting fleece jacket.

Anyway, this is a great live album sonically, and the live feel is well captured - not without some sheen that I'm sure is a product of studio tweaking. If not, that makes this all the better. It's a good recap of their career up to Cooper's departure - current vocalist John West (Artension) is their third - and a good starting point for those just discovering Royal Hunt.

A side note: something nagging at the back of my mind says that this release is edited compilation of two previous releases, Live 1996 and Closing The Chapter . There is evidence that bears this out.

Tracklisting:
Disc One: Flight (6:25) / 1348 (4:54) / Wasted Time (4:25) / Stay Down (4:28) / On The Run (3:15) / Running Wild (6:26) / Epilogue (9:11) / Age Gone Wild (4:36) / Kingdom Dark (5:34)

Disc Two: Ava Maria Guarani (3:50) / The Awakening (2:03) / River Of Pain (7:26) / Tearing Down The World (5:37) / Message To God (7:29) / Long Way Home (8:07) / Time Will Tell (10:48) / Silent Scream (6:35) / It's Over (7:40)

Musicians:
Andre Andersen - keyboards, guitar
D C Cooper - vocals
Jacob Kjaer - guitar, backing vocals
Steen Mogensen - bass, backing vocals
Kenneth Olsen - drums (disc 1)
Allen Sorenson - drums (disc 2)
Maria McTurk - backing vocals
Lise Hansen - backing vocals

Discography:
Land Of The Broken Hearts (1992)
Clown In The Mirror (1993)
The Maxi EP (1993)
Moving Target (1995)
Far Away (ep) (1995)
Live 1996 (1996)
Double Live In Japan (1996)
Paradox (1997)
Closing The Chapter (1998)
Fear (1999)
The Mission (2001)
The Watchers (2002)
Eyewitness (2003)
Paper Blood (2005)
Live 2006 (2006) Paradox II: Collision Course (2008)
X (2010)
Show Me How To Live (2011)
A Life To Die For (2013)
Devil's Dozen (2015)

Live 2006 (DVD) (2006)

Genre: Progressive-Power Metal

Origin SE

Added: March 1st 2000
Reviewer: Stephanie Sollow
Score:
Artist website: www.royalhunt.com
Hits: 2314
Language: english