Sunday, March 27, 2016

ROYAL HUNT: "Cargo"

Rating: Live
Label: Frontiers 2016
Review by: Urban "Wally" Wallstrom

Cargo is a low-key live return to the fray for the original vocalist DC Cooper and the venues are ProgPower (USA), Loud Park (Japan), Rockingham (England). They come out bursting onto one of three stages (no idea really) like a group of Marvel Superheroes with the super power of super harmonies and super background vocals (did you say f-a-k-e?), as they kick off with "The Mission".  The double disc recorded during 2015 festival appearances, 90 minutes of Royal Hunt where the concept album Paradox takes place on disc one.

The instrumentation is very smoothly performed and the vocals are spot on. Honestly, it's one of those live albums which you can't take too seriously, since they've been too generous after wards in the studio. Every thing spark and shine like the newly polished metal arse of Bender the Robot. I definitely enjoy my Royal Hunt albums and it's great fun to have DC back behind the mike. But by the time they finish things off with "May You Never (Walk Alone)" and the pile-driving "A Life To Die For", I thought to myself, is it worth playing again? I already have the studio versions and there's hardly any difference. There's just no point at all, really. Too polished, too bloody unbelievable.

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