ROYAL HUNT will release their new studio album - "Dystopia. Part 2" - on October 26th via King Records (Japan/SE Asia) and on October 28th via NorthPoint Productions (EU/N & S America). The second and final part of the concept will again feature guest performers: Mats Leven (TSO, Skyblood, Vandenberg), Mark Boals (Y.J. Malmsteen, Ring of Fire, Royal Hunt), Henrik Brockman (Royal Hunt, Evil Masquerade, N?Tribe), Kenny Lubcke (Narita, Zoser Mez) and Alexandra Andersen (Royal Hunt, JSP). "Dystopia - Part 2" will be released in following formats: regular CD, various Deluxe editions/bundles and a gatefold, heavy vinyl double LP (availability date pending).
ROYAL HUNT keep expanding their trademark sound. As the story which inspired the project - Ray Bradbury?s classic novel "Fahrenheit 451" - gets more intense towards the end, the music turns into more dynamic, heavier direction. Once again the guest singers add even more dramatic contrasts to an already cinematic yet solidly rocking soundscape.
Simply a "must have" for any symfo/prog/power fan out there!
MESSAGE FROM THE BAND: "Thinking back to the release date of the "Part 1" back in 2020 makes you realize what a crazy time we all went through just during the last two years: who could have imagined that our "Dystopia" - project would reflect the harsh reality in such detail? And the madness is still ongoing. In any case, "Dystopia - Part 2" is even more relevant today than ever: we followed the general concept yet filled it up with images of current events in order to make it resonate with every person, everybody living through 2020 to 2022 and watching insanity to unfold in real time".
CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN. Listening parties and bonus videos are available at Royal Hunt Camp 2022 - a crowdfunding campaign. Join the Camp by pre-ordering a Deluxe Edition or any bundle to support the release and listen to studio sessions already now.
Band: Andre Andersen - keyboards; DC Cooper - vocals; Andreas Passmark - bass; Jonas Larsen - guitars; Andreas HABO Johansson - drums
Dear friends,
You've been warned repeatedly, so there're absolutely no excuses left to "not-to-know": pre-ordering campaign for our long awaited "Dystopia - Part 2" album is finally on!
Thinking back to the release date of the "Part 1" back in 2020 makes you realize what a crazy time we all went through just during the last two years: who could have imagined that our "Dystopia" - project would reflect the harsh reality in such detail? And the madness is still ongoing.
In any case, "Dystopia - Part 2" is even more relevant today than ever: we followed the general concept yet filled it up with images of current events in order to make it resonate with every person, everybody living through 2020 to 2022 and watching insanity to unfold in real time.
Andre: Believe me, the band and it`s respected guests put everything on the line on this record, the amount of hours we all invested in planning and executing this piece is simply mind blowing. Actually, as I'm writing this note, the process is still ongoing: there're still plenty of tracks to sort out, plenty of new ones to record and hundreds of decisions to make but - already at this stage - it's hard to ignore the sheer energy/power impact encapsulated in this piece of work.
You can support this release by pre-ordering the DELUXE EDITION of "Dystopia - Part 2".
This will give you ACCESS to:
- Full video updates;
- First-hand information and media;
- Listening parties - you will be the first to hear the new material;
- VIP shopping for individual items;
- Album download on the release date
Doc Olivier of VINYLESTIMES CLASSIC ROCK RADIO interviews Andre Andersen. Listen to the podcast.
29 September 2021
Dystopia - Part II: Songwriting completed
Songwriting for "Dystopia. Part 2" has been completed: as the story unfolds, the material's got a bit more aggressive yet fairly dynamic, leaving space for a few experiments here and there. Obviously, as the plot includes a couple of new characters, the list of special guests should be quite interesting as well.
"Stay tuned, we'll keep you posted" - writes Andre Andersen on his Facebook page.
15 January 2021
"Dystopia - Part 1" is now available on ALL digital platforms (as MP3, FLAC), and as a regular CD (jewel case), various deluxe editions / bundles and a double heavy vinyl LP here at royalhunt.com
ROYAL HUNT: New Concept Studio Album "DYSTOPIA - Part 1"
ROYAL HUNT will release their new studio album "Dystopia" on December 16th via King Records (Japan/SE Asia) and on December 18th via NorthPoint Productions (Europe/N & S America). A concept album offering a considerable expansion of the band?s trademark sound and featuring performances by guest vocalists: Mats Leven (Candlemass, TSO, Skyblood), Mark Boals (Y.J. Malmsteen, Ring of Fire), Henrik Brockmann (Royal Hunt, Evil Masquerade, N'Tribe), Kenny Lubcke (Narita, Zoser Mez) and Alexandra Andersen (Royal Hunt, JSP).
"Dystopia" will be released in following formats: regular CD (jewel case), various Deluxe editions / bundles and a gatefold, heavy vinyl LP.
ROYAL HUNT keep intriguing fans with their adventurous endeavors and the band's 15th studio album is no exception: a monumental concept opus featuring symphonic, progressive yet hard hitting compositions full of impeccable performances, wrapped tightly into immediately accessible format and a lush, contemporary production.
The addition of some extraordinary guest singers and their outstanding performances combined with vastly extended orchestrations creates a truly conceptual, cinematic feel throughout each and every track.
Tracklist:
INCEPTION F451, BURN, THE ART OF DYING, I USED TO WALK ALONE, THE EYE OF OBLIVION, HOUND OF THE DAMNED, THE MISSING PAGE (Intermission I), BLACK BUTTERFLIES, SNAKE EYES, MIDWAY (Intermission II)
19 November 2019
ROYAL HUNT: New CONCEPT ALBUM is in the works says ANDRE ANDERSEN.
Andre Andersen: "The next Royal Hunt album is in the works and - while most of it is still in a state of a "sort-of-controlled - chaos" - I'd say it's probably our biggest production to date... the amount of tracks is simply staggering. Yes, it's a concept album and yes, there're some special guests on it and yes - already on this demo stage - this thing sounds huge (even by our standards). So fear not: we're still around and we're rocking just as hard - if not harder - as we usually do."
18 August 2019
Andre Andersen's full solo discography - studio albums "Changing Skin" (1999), "Black on Black" (2002), and "Ocean View" (2003) - has been made available on digital music platforms:
Modern classic rock outfit N’Tribe have released their debut EP - “Root´n´ Branch” on April 19th (NorthPoint Productions). Tracklisting: Staring Down the Barrel ⋆ Down On My Knees ⋆ What Goes Around Comes Around ⋆ Paint It Black.
N´Tribe (yes, short for the Nordic Tribe) is a living & kicking proof that rock is not dead. This new band´s been founded in 2018 by three highly esteemed professionals " André Andersen, Jonas Larsen, Henrik Brockmann " initially bonded through their original band Royal Hunt; all participated in numerous bands/projects, all received various accolades from the industry, sold tons of albums and toured the world countless times.
Message from the band: "We´re very proud to be able to announce April 19th as the release date for our first EP " “Root´n´ Branch”. Hope you´ll enjoy our take on “contemporary classic rock”, because if you will " we have a plethora of songs, just waiting for the chance to pound on your eardrums".
Andre Andersen has confirmed that he recently became a full time member of the new hard rock group N`Tribe.
20 October 2018
Royal Hunt's recent album has been released on the 21st of February, 2018 on NorthPoint Productions Worldwide and in Japan on King Records on the 7th of February 2018. "Cast in Stone" is available on Amazon, iTunes, deluxe edition and merch at RoyalHunt.com, and Spotify
Andre Andersen: "This album took a while to complete... mind you, between the very first idea and until the final mix we did two tours and released two live-albums... so this one's been in the making for quite some time. In a way it's been very practical: you could work on it for a while, than go on doing something else and then come back later to re-evaluate what's been done before. As a result all songs on the album are solid and well crafted, showing every aspect of Royal Hunt today: originality, catchy hooks, strong melodies, great musicianship and larger-than-life production. On that - the production - we definitely did quite a job: all the vital recorded parts were done in analog as well as the final mixing/mastering so there're no "loudness wars" in-sight; no brickwall limited, over-compressed, lifeless wall of sound... the album breaths just like a real rock album should. I could also go on for hours praising everybody's contribution - musicians and singers alike - but as my opinion will inevitably be very biased, I would prefer to leave the final judgement to you... after all this album's been made for you to enjoy (although we're enjoying it immensely ourselves at the moment)"
The dust barely settled after the release of "2016" and yet the last few months Royal Hunt are working in the studio on some new music: no titles, no further plans so far but the outcome sound very exciting...
Royal Hunt has just posted a new video - Silent Scream [CARGO] 2016 - filmed by fans on September 12th, 2015 at ProgPower USA festival:
19 September 2016
Classic all-time-favourite Royal Hunt's instrumental Martial Arts has become an Official Soundtrack for the Halloween Horror Nights by Universal Studios Japan featuring Masahiro Chono.
12 March 2016
Andre's on the second place in category Keyboard Player of the Year in Heavy Metal Championship 2015 according to the readers of Burrn! Magazine. More...
28 January 2016
Royal Hunt to release the brand new double Live album "Cargo". Out Worldwide on Frontiers Music Srl in March.
Following the release of their latest studio album - "Devil's Dozen" - ROYAL HUNT participated in three widely known Festivals around the globe in the fall of 2015: ProgPower USA, Loud Park Japan and Rockingham UK. They performed their energetic brand of symphonic/progressive yet highly melodic and instantly accessible Royal Rock for thousands of appreciative fans.
While ROYAL HUNT's next tour - sat to the spring of 2016 - is being announced (see dates below), the band found the time to gather in the studio and pick out the best performances recorded during their festival trek: an hour and a half of ROYAL HUNT's trademark sonic assault, skilfully captured on tape.
Why live album and why now? "Well, mostly because we haven't released any live recordings for - roughly - 10 years or so." says keyboard maestro and principal songwriter Andre Andersen, "2006" was great and many fans consider it to be our best (some will pick "1996" or "Closing the Chapter" as their favourite) but anyway - it's been awhile, so we assumed that it might be interesting for you to check out our "new swing" at this live set. Just think about it: last time we recorded "Paradox" live was almost 20 years ago! Add a few new songs, the excitement of the festival performance, a couple of new faces to the line-up and - all of a sudden - things are sounding quite a bit different. We'd say it sounds fresh but let's see what's your opinion on this matter will be."
The album includes a complete performance of their signature concept album "Paradox" (chosen by the media and fans alike as one of the most essential sympho/prog releases of the decade) among other songs. Royal Hunt released 13 studio albums to date and their name stands for quality Melodic Symphonic / Progressive Metal; chockfull of hooks and a larger-than-life production to match.
Tracklisting:
CD1 - The Mission, Half Past Loneliness, The Awakening, River Of Pain, Tearing Down The World, Message To God, Long Way Home
CD2 - Time Will Tell, Silent Scream, It's Over, May You Never (Walk Alone), A Life To Die For
A deluxe limited edition digipak version of the album can be pre-ordered via PledgeMusic - https://bit.ly/22nvpMX
Dear friends, we're happy to be able to present you the fifth song from the upcoming album Devil's Dozen - Until The Day is available for streaming already now. Enjoy and share with your friends!
