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Blog Categories Review Royal Hunt - Land Of Broken Hearts - Reviewed By All Around Metal!

Royal Hunt - Land Of Broken Hearts - Reviewed By All Around Metal! Sunday November 14 2021, 1:51 PM

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Royal Hunt - Land Of Broken Hearts - Reviewed By All Around Metal ! Check it out here at this link: https://www.allaroundmetal.com/component/content/article/26-releases/8981-ristampa-per-il-debutto-dei-royal-hunt-quando-il-passato-era-rock

"Ahhh the fantastic 80s", someone would say in recalling a decidedly controversial decade, praised by many, but, perhaps, for the wrong reasons. In the musical field we clearly saw the explosion of many "easy and radio" phenomena and in particular the renewal of a certain melodic Rock son of the Arena Rock model of the previous decade, which influenced both bands already in vogue (even of different genres such as Prog or Heavy Metal), and many exponents who contributed to forming the Hair / Glam Metal. In the chaos of bands that came out appeared on the scene a small Danish group led by André Andersen, or royal Hunt. This "Land of Broken Hearts", the debut, came out in those years and to celebrate the anniversary of thirty years it was decided to reprint it with a full-bodied booklet full of vintage photos plus five bonus tracks.

Attention. What you will hear on this album is not exactly what the band currently is. If today the group is dedicated to a symphonic Prog/ Power, at that time things were very different both for sound and for the presence of Henrik Brockmann, a singer much more raw and rocky than the different singers who were part of the line up. The sound of this album is very square and focused on choral refrains of impact, instead of looking for elegance and majesty despite the fact that there are still small signals. To get an idea of what Royal Hunt were, listen to the opening track "Running Wild", a concentrate of melodic Hard Mock and very ruffian and glossy keyboards that act as a carpet for a chorus full of stadium choirs focused on henrik's voice, reminiscent of Jon Bon Jovi. To complete the picture could not miss guitar solo from shredder as well as technical keyboard passages. A mood therefore virtuoso and melodic, certainly questionable choice but still daughter of those times and echo episodes such as the AOR of the neo-classical "Flight" or the unraveled techniques of "Martial Arts" and "Freeway Jam", to turn also towards sounds daughters of Magnum for certain interludes "fantasy" of the celestial semi-ballad "Gone Age Wild", up to indulge in a ride back in the guitar sabers of "Heart of the City" and epic temptations to Europe in "Kingdom Dark". So far the work does not offer who knows what innovation, but only a handful of songs certainly well done but that loses the comparison with the most quoted groups that, personal tastes aside, probably had better means and an extra gear. The same bonus tracks are again based on keyboards and pompous backing vocals, but to really hear a small distinctive sign you have to go on two tracks, namely "Easy Rider" and the title track "Land of Broken Hearts", which are distinguished by more elaborate parts that would then give a rosy future to Royal Hunt.
A discreet debut, made of simplicity, easy choirs, very "pop" sounds and a lot of mainstream
Rock. An ideal reprint to understand the genesis of a large group too underestimated, but you know what you will encounter. A product mainly for completists and rockers dedicated solely to the melody in the foreground. - All Around Metal

Release Date: October 29, 2021

FFO: Helloween, Iron Maiden, Blind Guardian

ROYAL HUNT DEBUT CD TURNS 30 YEARS – COLLECTORS EDITION IS DUE IN OCTOBER

The re-mastered version of ROYAL HUNT’s debut album – ”Land Of Broken Hearts” will be released on the 29th of October 2021 via NorthPoint Productions. It includes an extended booklet with rare pictures, “the making of” – story written by André Andersen and 5 bonus tracks. “Land of Broken Hearts” has previously been reissued on vinyl (Night of the Vinyl Dead) CD, and all digital platforms (NorthPoint Productions) in 2018.

Message from the band: “Dear friends,

We´ve been totally overwhelmed by the amount of requests reg. “Land of Broken Hearts” – re-issue of 2018 – which was then quickly sold out mostly at the stage of pre-orders.

We didn’t expect that much interest in our older albums – BUT – if that´s the case – we might try to continue re-issuing those albums in the same fashion: with extended booklets, bonus tracks and more inside info on each release.

The re-run of “Land of Broken Hearts” is due in october 2021. If you missed your copy in 2018 – you can now reserve one here “.

Add to your playlists / listen to “Land Of Broken Hearts” on all digital platforms:

Spotify https://bit.ly/land-of-broken-hears-spotify
iTunes https://bit.ly/land-of-broken-hears-itunes
YouTube https://bit.ly/land-of-broken-hears-youtube
Amazon https://bit.ly/land-of-broken-hears-amazon

Tracklisting:
1. Running Wild 5:08
2. Easy Rider 4:59
3. Flight 4:00
4. Age Gone Wild 4:32
5. Martial Arts (Instrumental) 1:51
6. One by One 4:34
7. Heart of the City 3:43
8. Land of Broken Hearts 4:41
9. Freeway Jam (Instrumental) 1:32
10. Kingdom Dark 4:28
11. Stranded 4:41
12. Day in Day Out 3:23
13. Land of Broken Hearts (Acoustic Version) 3:58
14. Age Gone Wild (Acoustic Version) 4:06
15. Bad Luck 3:16
16. What Goes Around Comes Around 3:42

The official video – “Land Of Broken Hearts”

While going through the archives in search of bonus material in 2018, some raw video footage was found which was shot all the way back in 1992 but never used: the band performing “Age Gone Wild” from their debut. The film has been restored/edited and finally published, giving all ROYAL HUNT fans a unique opportunity to re-discover this once lost and now – fortunately – newly found gem: