Fear

Fear is a work on which Royal Hunt, using thick keyboard orchestration, hard guitar and soaring vocal melody, builds dramatic melodic metal. Made after the departure of the flagship D.C. Cooper, welcoming the powerful John West as the new vocalist, it is the first work of the new lineup. The songs have progressive, complex developments, yet the clear catchiness of their choruses always firmly supports the work’s center. From the drive of the tense opening title track “Fear” and the drama of “Faces of War” to a cut like “Cold City Lights,” every song is engaging, while cuts like “Follow Me” and “Sea of Time” convey the work’s fullness. Tense, powerful rhythm and gorgeous, beautiful harmony intersect, and the album has a sure scale like one grand stage work. A record that splendidly answers listeners seeking both outstanding technique and rich songcraft. John West’s powerful voice gives the band an appeal different from Cooper’s. A engaging, fulfilling work on which Royal Hunt powerfully maintained its musicality, overcoming the great change of a vocalist swap — a record announcing the start of the new lineup.