Royal Hunt--Fear

Royal Hunt--Fear (1999/Rondel) Rating--8.2

John West (formerly of Artension) takes over the vocals following the departure of D.C. Cooper, and his voice and style is very similar---all of the old songs should come across live without a hitch, and the band itself sounds pretty much the same in the studio as well. West doesn't have quite the high-end clarity of Cooper, but that's a rather unfair comparison to try and ask of a singer.
An extended, spoken intro to the title track lends to the building atmosphere, and then it kicks in with the band's patented symphonic flare. "Cold City Nights" has a nice drive, and a swift pace drives "Voices."
One of the more complex tunes is "Lies," which features a raw opening distortion backbone, and then shifts from brief backoff moments to pickup sections---including a punishing chorus.
In all, another strong offering from Andre Andersen and company. Royal Hunt is one of the best examples of a symphonic/prog/power mix to be found.
TRACK LIST: Fear/Faces of War/Cold City Lights/Lies/Follow Me/Voices/Sea of Time

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