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Biografie : Royal Hunt

History of "Royal Hunt" starts one cold December"s day, when in snowful Russian city of Moscow boy named Andrey Andersen was born. I don"t know, did "lucky musicians star" exists on our sky, but Andrey was born with deep touch of music in his heart. Years gone by, Andersen walks by his life, perfecting his musical talents and trying to find himself, and eventually found himself in Kingdom of Denmark, which becomes his second Motherland.

After emigration, Andrey soon starts thinking about music as a serious life-time business, and after one year in Denmark he formed his own band, called "Trace". In writing his own music and struggling thru Danish musical scene Andre (who cut last letter of his name in Denmark) spend some more time, rename his band into "Apart" and build his own musical studio. With such solid base he was ready to serious musical business more than ever in his life.

In 1992 Andre starts to look for talented musicians to recruit for his new project - "Royal Hunt". In one of Copenhagen studios he meets bass-guitar player Steen Mogensen and show him demo-type with Andre"s new songs. Steen was very impressed by the music and decide to join Andre"s project immediately. So Andersen found himself a Best bass-player he ever can dream about, and that was just a beginning... Next mission was to find a good singer, and it"s solved rather fast, with sign up of Henrik Brockmann as RH first vocalist. But luck of Andre doesn"t stop at this and soon he finds last guy needed to start serious recordings. This lucky was Kenneth Olsen, a drummer...

After half-year of intensive recording process in the middle of 1993 year all fans of metal/rock music was deeply impressed with strong and beautiful debut-album of RH - "Land Of Broken Hearts". From all point it was flawless work - even from quality (which are hardest point on debut"s) side LOBH was something heavenly supreme. From that day on starts glorious flight of Andre Andersen and his friends...

In late 1993 Henrik shows Andre his friend Jacob Kjaer, who was supposed to add more fast and rhythmical style into RH with his perfect guitar playing. And although I don"t catch more guitar riffs in second RH album - "Clown in the Mirror", it was total gem in terms of quality. Album was more slow in melodies than LOBH, but with such hits as "Epilogue" and "On The Run" that was serious attempt of Andre to make not a one-day band but a serious music collective with strong future.

"Clown in the Mirror" was last recording of Henrik Brockmann in the band. I don"t know what stands between him and Andre, and I don"t think it"s a good idea to try to understand those deeds of the past, but from that point american singer DC Cooper becomes a front-man in RH. And in the 1995 Andre releases new RH album (third in a row!!!) - "Moving Target". About this album one musical critic said - "It was first true album of RH, not a collection of songs".

After first serious try of DC"s voice in MT, first RH tour was started. It was huge and successful concert tour, with almost 40 shows in 2,5 month"s (!!!). What about success? Anyone who view RH "Live Video "96" (recorded in U-Port, Japan and some other locations) never forget this perfect show with outstanding live-quality of music and total unity with public... But someday bad things must pop up, and later this year in Switzerland Kenneth Olsen caught a heavy double pneumonia, which cause serious damage to his hearing, and for end of tour he was changed for Andre"s friend Allan Sorensen (former drummer in another Danish band - "Narita")

Year of tour and fame ends fast and guys seal themselves up in studio for fourth full-album - "Paradox". It was released in the middle of July "97 and was immediately called "Best RH album ever". Style of melodies was changed completely to more slow-goin" music, and with utterly pessimistical lyric of Andre album was more USA-rock oriented then ever. But anyway once again RH receive huge success, and US-recording company "Magna Carta" even starts to re-publish old recordings of RH to fill hunger of army of US-fans...
�� was the year of solo activity for the all of "Royal Hunt" members. Andre in the end of the year release his brilliant "Changing Skin" album, which shows that his talent is neverending. DC plans to release his solo in the end of the year too, and Steen Mogensen also decide to record his own album... Releasing of "Paradox" in USA-variant brings RH another thousands of fans, and with the older RH fans they all waits for another full-lenght album. Next year, for sure...

Definitely. With such talented friends and his own experience future of Andre and "Royal Hunt" seems shiny and cloudless. But will he return to power and aggressive (in good meaning of this word) music, which he write in the timesof "Land Of Broken Hearts"? In 1993 Andersen shows all people true meaning of "melodic". He invented his own style of beautiful melodies and clever lyric. So let"s pray for that he will not turn from that road. Let"s pray and hope... (Source: Flight With The Melody - Fanpage)