Royal Hunt is a Danish
progressive metal
Progressive metal (sometimes shortened to prog metal) is a broad :Fusion music genres, fusion music genre melding heavy metal music, heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified electric guitar, guitar-driven s ...
band. The band was founded in 1989 by keyboardist
André Andersen
André Andersen (born 16 December 1961) is a Russian-born multi-instrumentalist and composer best known as the keyboardist and founder of the Denmark-based progressive metal band Royal Hunt. André started his "music life" at very young age and w ...
in order to combine basic values of classic rock with progressive, current musical elements. The name originated from a painting seen in a museum by the founding member/keyboardist
André Andersen
André Andersen (born 16 December 1961) is a Russian-born multi-instrumentalist and composer best known as the keyboardist and founder of the Denmark-based progressive metal band Royal Hunt. André started his "music life" at very young age and w ...
.
History
Royal Hunt is known for creating melodic music with a progressive and
symphonic
A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, most often for orchestra. Although the term has had many meanings from its origins in the ancient Greek era, by the late 18th century the word had taken on the meaning com ...
flair. They experienced success during the mid-90s with American vocalist
D.C. Cooper on their albums ''
Moving Target'' and ''
Paradox
A paradox is a logically self-contradictory statement or a statement that runs contrary to one's expectation. It is a statement that, despite apparently valid reasoning from true premises, leads to a seemingly self-contradictory or a logically u ...
'' mainly in Japan and Europe.
Throughout their history the band has experienced several lineup changes. In 2007 they acquired singer
Mark Boals
Mark Robert Boals (born December 5, 1958) is an American heavy metal vocalist and occasional bassist, best known for his vocals with Yngwie Malmsteen. He is currently a member of the band Foundry.
Boals' first album with Malmsteen, 1986's '' ...
, who replaced former vocalist
John West. In 2011 after numerous requests from fans and promoters worldwide they decided to reunite with their former vocalist
D. C. Cooper for a special tour, covering the first four albums of the band. They recorded a new album entitled ''
Show Me How to Live'' featuring the returning
D.C. Cooper as their permanent vocalist moving forward. Cooper also provided vocals for the 2013 album, ''
A Life to Die For
''A Life to Die For'' is the 12th studio album by Royal Hunt.
Track listing
All songs by André Andersen.
# Hell Comes Down from Heaven (9:27)
# A Bullet's Tale (5:54)
# Running Out of Tears (5:31)
# One ...
'', and again provided vocals on "Devil's Dozen", "Cast In Stone" and "Dystopia – Part 1".
In October 2021, the group announced the completion of songwriting for the new album – "Dystopia – Part 2". The album will be released on 28 October 2022.
In Japan, the band is famous for the song Martial Arts, which was used as entrance music for professional wrestler
Masahiro Chono
is an American-born Japanese-American retired professional wrestler and actor best known for his 26 year stint with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). As the leader of nWo Japan, Team 2000 and Black New Japan, he was the promotion's top heel for m ...
.
Discography
Studio albums
* ''
Land of Broken Hearts
''Land of Broken Hearts'' is the debut studio album released by the Danish progressive metal band Royal Hunt. The album was remastered and re-released in October of 2021, with the inclusion of five bonus tracks.
Track listing
All songs written by ...
'' (1992)
* ''
Clown in the Mirror
''Clown in the Mirror'' is the second studio album released by Danish progressive metal band Royal Hunt. The album was re-released in 2020 on Vinyl featuring a separate lyrics sheet and a die cut album cover.
Track listing
All songs written by A ...
'' (1994)
* ''
Moving Target'' (1995)
* ''
Paradox
A paradox is a logically self-contradictory statement or a statement that runs contrary to one's expectation. It is a statement that, despite apparently valid reasoning from true premises, leads to a seemingly self-contradictory or a logically u ...
'' (1997)
* ''
Fear
Fear is an intensely unpleasant emotion in response to perceiving or recognizing a danger or threat. Fear causes physiological changes that may produce behavioral reactions such as mounting an aggressive response or fleeing the threat. Fear ...
'' (1999)
* ''
The Mission'' (2001)
* ''
The Watchers'' (2001)
* ''
Eyewitness'' (2003)
* ''
Paper Blood'' (2005)
* ''
Collision Course... Paradox 2'' (2008)
* ''
X'' (2010)
* ''
Show Me How to Live'' (2011)
* ''
A Life to Die For
''A Life to Die For'' is the 12th studio album by Royal Hunt.
Track listing
All songs by André Andersen.
# Hell Comes Down from Heaven (9:27)
# A Bullet's Tale (5:54)
# Running Out of Tears (5:31)
# One ...
'' (2013)
* ''
Devil's Dozen'' (2015)
* ''Cast in Stone'' (2018)
* ''Dystopia'' (2020)
* ''Dystopia – Part II'' (2022)
Live albums
* ''
1996
File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A Centennial Olympic Park bombing, bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, set off by a radical Anti-abortion violence, anti-abortionist; The center fuel tank explodes on TWA Flight 8 ...
'' (1996)
* ''Closing the Chapter'' (1998)
* ''Double Live in Japan'' (1999)
* ''
2006 Live'' (2006)
* ''Cargo (Live)'' (2016)
* ''2016 Live'' (2017)
Singles/EPs
* ''The Maxi – Single'' (1994)
* ''
Far Away (EP)
''Far Away'' is a 1995 EP released to introduce the then upcoming album '' Moving Target'' by the Danish progressive metal band Royal Hunt. The instrumental "Double Conversion" appears only on this release. The live tracks were recorded in Japan ...
'' (1995)
* "
Message to God" (1997)
* ''Intervention'' (2000)
Compilations
* ''The First 4 Chapters... and More'' (Japan release) (1998)
* ''The Best'' (Japan release) (1998)
* ''The Best Live'' (Japan release) (1998)
* ''On the Mission 2002'' (Japan release) (2002)
* ''
Heart of the City (Best of 1992–1999)'' (2012)
* ''20th Anniversary'' (2012)
Members
*
André Andersen
André Andersen (born 16 December 1961) is a Russian-born multi-instrumentalist and composer best known as the keyboardist and founder of the Denmark-based progressive metal band Royal Hunt. André started his "music life" at very young age and w ...
(keyboards, piano, keytar, rhythm guitar) (1989–present)
*
D. C. Cooper (lead vocals) (1994–1999, 2011–present)
*
Andreas Passmark (bass) (2009–present)
* Jonas Larsen (lead guitar) (2011–present)
* Andreas "Habo" Johansson (drums) (2015–present)
Former members
*
Henrik Brockmann
Henrik Brockmann (born Henrik Aalborg Brockmann; 24 November 1967) is a Danish heavy metal singer. He started singing at the age of 13 in local school bands. He released his first album 1992 with the Danish band Royal Hunt and was replaced 1994 ...
(vocals) (1989–1994)
*
John West (vocals) (1999–2007)
*
Mark Boals
Mark Robert Boals (born December 5, 1958) is an American heavy metal vocalist and occasional bassist, best known for his vocals with Yngwie Malmsteen. He is currently a member of the band Foundry.
Boals' first album with Malmsteen, 1986's '' ...
(vocals) (2007–2011)
* Kenneth Olsen (drums) (1989–1996; 2004–2007)
* Jacob Kjaer (lead guitar) (1993–2003)
* Marcus Jidell (lead guitar, cello) (2004–2011
)
* Steen Mogensen (bass, keyboards) (1989–2003)
* Per Schelander (bass) (2005–2009) (Covered for Andreas Passmark during parts of the tour 2015 and during the tour 2016 )
* Allan Tschicaja (session drums) (2002–2004)
*
Allan Sørensen
Allan Sørensen (born 24 April 1973) is a Danish drummer.
Biography
Allan began playing drums at the age of 4, influenced by his parents. In the beginning he was influenced by Danish pop and rock acts. Soon he discovered the world of metal from ...
(drums) (1996–2002; 2007–2015)
Timeline
References
External links
*
*
*
{{Authority control
Century Media Records artists
Danish hard rock musical groups
Danish heavy metal musical groups
Danish progressive metal musical groups
Musical groups established in 1989
Musical quintets
Magna Carta Records artists
Frontiers Records artists
Scarlet Records artists