It must be symphonic rock month, as Denmark’s symph-rock legends Royal Hunt keep their momentum going with album number 13, fittingly titled Devil’s Dozen.
You always know what to expect with the Hunt. So after an expected over the top bombastic intro, the opening track So Right So Wrong delivers everything fans were expecting.
With the exception perhaps of the tone in DC Cooper’s vocals. Not sure why he is using a nasally tone for some of the vocals? Either way, it’s a very fine classic Royal Hunt tune.
May You Never (Walk Alone) has a nicely balanced orchestral piano intro, high on sentiment before exploding into a double kick drum epic.
There’s only 8 new tunes on the album (similar to the last release), but with 5 of those near or over 7 minutes, there is still good value on offer.
50 minutes of bombastic, classic Royal Hunt material, with DC in fine voice and the writing and production talents of Andre Andersen in good form.
In many ways this album typifies the sound of the band over the previous 12 albums. They probably won’t top my favourite The Mission, but this is very consistent and nothing short of massive in sound.
I can’t separate the songs into favourites – there are only 8 – so no fillers thankfully.
