Here we have the first full length album of The Royal, a metalcore band from the Netherlands. They also released an EP “Origins” in 2012 and a single “Blind Eye” in 2013. Although I am from the Netherlands myself, I have to admit, to my shame, that I never heard of them before. Don’t ask me how that is possible. I started a (white) metalcore group on facebook some time ago and I posted a song of The Royal in this group and to my surprise, and relief, a lot of the members already knew this band and also liked it very much.
The album starts with an instrumental track ‘Hymn’ which sets a dark spherical mood, directly followed by the second song ‘Spirit Walker’ where we can instantly hear with what kind of band we are dealing with. Aggressive raw metalcore with a sound that can easily be compared with large label American bands. Don’t look for clean vocals on this record because you won’t find them. And I have to say that it isn’t missed. Than the fourth track ‘Earth Gazer’ starts with a beautiful pianosound. Also something to mention is that Ryan Kirby of Fit For A King is featured on this song. The album is full of classical breakdowns and riffs but it doesn’t get boring beacause it is full of beautiful melodic guitarwork. Than the titlesong ‘Dreamcatchers’, an energetic uptempo song with again melodic guitarsolo’s and sometimes a bit of a middle eastern sound. Followed by the instrumental track ‘Haven’, if this song doesn’t give you goosebumps than I don’t know what will…. Than followed by a short song ‘Mad Deuce’ where lies my only point of critisism. It is not that the song is not good, because it is, but I don’t like it when there is cursing in the lyrics. Some tracks further we have ‘Defender’ again a song which is very uptempo, interspersed with an almost classical sound, and it shows what these guys are capable off. Than the song ‘Halfhearted’ which features Shawn Spann of I The Breather. And so the album goes on to end with again an instrumental song, but don’t expect loud guitarwork but a beautiful quiet classical ending.
As you probably have noticed already, I realy love this album and it’s sound. It’s fresh and original which is very hard in metalcore nowadays.
Rating: 8/10
Written by: René Woning
Tracklist:
1. Hymn
2. Spirit Walker
3. The New Breed
4. Earth Gazer (ft. Ryan Kirby of Fit For A King)
5. Dreamcatchers
6. Haven
7. Mad Deuce
8. Lilith
9. Defender
10. HalfHearted (ft. Shawn Spann of I The Breather)
11. Skyler
12. Arga
13. Origins (orchestral version)
Band members:
Semuel Pisarahu – Vocals
Dick Van De Kamp – Guitar
Pim Wesselink – Guitar
Loet Brinkmans – Bass
Tom Van Ekerschot – Drums
Discography:
“Origins” EP (2012)
“Blind Eye” (single) (2013)
“Dreamcatchers” (2014)
Record Label: Unsigned, July 2014
Weblinks: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Bandcamp
Buy the album here:
Holland: First Paradox
Norway: Nordic Mission
Lyric video ‘Earth Gazer’ (ft. Ryan Kirby of Fit For A King)
Video below ‘Dreamcatchers’