SHOW ME HOW TO LIVE

It's been less than two years since Denmark's Royal Hunt released their last studio album X (oddly, their ninth full-length) but amidst much fanfare here comes Show Me How to Live, featuring the return of American vocalist D.C. Cooper, whose work was an essential part of some of RH's best work (Moving Targets and Paradox). Anticipation ran high amongst the melodic prog-metallers' fan base...could the new record possibly equal the Hunt's best work of the 90s?

They needn't have worried. Show Me...is a stunning album, so full of energy and melody and great compositions that it actually requires a second spin just to confirm its instantaneously epic stature. From the cinematic opening of One More Day to the final powerful sweep of Angel's Gone, Show Me...is an exhilarating listen. The production is crisp and full, the backing vocals create harmony and momentum at the same time, and the songs all hit that sweet spot between  prog wankery and melodic metal.  DC's vocals do not disappoint...he sounds positively re-energized throughout.  Jonas Larsen's guitar work is quirky and dramatic...witness his solo on the undeniable and downright delightful Half Past Loneliness. The whole band plays with a sense of purpose and joy you've never heard from them before...maybe it wasn't present in the studio, but it suffuses this album on every tune. Even the long epic moments like the title track have a confidence and spirit that belies the dramatic lyrics ("Show me how to live...there's a thousand ways to die").

If you like great hard rock or prog metal, you'd have to try really hard not to love this album. And you'd still fail. At 42 minutes, it's too short, but like classic albums of our youth, it flies by and you're ready to queue it up again. Royal Hunt have managed to exceed the high standards of their best work and  throw a little metallic joy into the lives of even the most cynical music fans.

(also posted to metal-archives.com)