Dystopia

Dystopia is an ambitious concept work on which Royal Hunt, using precise, gorgeous keyboard arrangement, thick guitar and multiple guest vocalists, draws an oppressive future image as one grand drama. Inspired by the sci-fi writer Ray Bradbury’s classic Fahrenheit 451, on it André Andersen’s keyboards beautifully bind classical, gorgeous grandeur and progressive metal’s taut tension. A record that valued narrative as much as possible. The story, beginning from the opener “Inception F451,” is tightly placed as fragments of one long story, from the powerful “Burn” and the drama of “The Art of Dying” to cuts like “The Eye of Oblivion,” “I Used to Walk Alone” and “Hound of the Damned.” As the singer changes from scene to scene, the viewpoint also moves vividly. Yet the big melody and Royal Hunt’s deep shading are consistently kept throughout. A work whose true value clearly comes into view by deeply immersing in its grand world throughout the whole album, rather than single songs’ immediate accessibility. It beautifully draws the heavy theme of dystopia with sure playing and dramatic songs. An engaging, powerful work again displaying Royal Hunt’s outstanding skill as a concept author.