Moving Target

Moving Target is the third album on which, around D.C. Cooper’s soaring, dramatic singing, Royal Hunt showed keyboard-centered structural beauty at extremely high polish. Further refining the symphonic style established on the first two albums, it reached one of its peaks. André Andersen’s precise, gorgeous arrangement beautifully turns classical, beautiful melody into weighty, powerful metal. A fulfilling work counted among the band’s representative works. From the powerful drive of the opener “Last Goodbye” and the drama of the dramatic epic “1348” to the lyricism of “Far Away,” the songs deftly move between short, striking hooks and long, grand developments, giving the whole album a sure epic feel, while cuts like “Step by Step” and “Makin’ a Mess” convey the work’s fullness. In particular, it was highly popular in Japan and solidified the band’s name. A record that defined the band’s symphonic/progressive character by fusing outstanding technique, gorgeous symphonic color and memorable melody at a high level. Cooper’s overwhelming singing and Andersen’s outstanding songwriting mesh beautifully. An extremely polished masterpiece symbolizing the golden age of early Royal Hunt — an essential record for fans.