Holy symphonic rock music Batman: Royal Hunt are back!! I know Robin, stay calm and let the pioneering neoclassical Danish masters take you to a place only a few should go.

This lot have sold millions, are considered by many as forerunners of powerful, high end, melodic, complex music and are intricate song writers..yet I seem to have missed them. Having never heard of them and never seen them on the mighty Uber Rock before, I investigated further to realise.....I'm not the only one.

Considering that they've sold millions, there isn't exactly a massive amount of info about them out there in www. land. Having listened to this 'best of' I'm at a loss as to how this is metal? They make Dream Theater sound like Napalm Death. The Great Kat, if she's still alive, must be thinking "Why not me??" (Answer: because you were even more shit and came from Swindon). This reminds me of grandiose '70s plod rock combined with the Eurovision Song Contest. Do I have to listen to this all the way through?? Jeez, the things I do for you lot.

Okay, you get that I don't understand this style of music. It's neither exciting, fist punching, angry, sexy or dangerous - all the things that I believe make rock and metal what it is. This is for twiddlers of guitar who dabble in a bit of cello playing. Whilst thinking of the benefits of solar power in hybrid cars. If they actually drove cars because they seem like nasty contraptions.

I'm at a loss to why any rock and metal fan would get off on this? I can understand why people may not like Faster Pussycat, Napalm Death, Korn or NIN but I also can understand WHY people like aforementioned bands but this, I've no idea.

War Of The Worlds, Jean Michel Jarre, Mike Oldfield, Prog and Tottenham Hotspur - all names of things that I've got no interest in and I'm reminded of all of them when listening to this. It's so pompous and up its own arse that the film The Human Centipede was probably formulated after listening to this. They probably have three keyboard players and have pictures of Rick Wakeman in the toilet to whack off to, but only shoot their load on the critical 3rd cymbal of a song.

For those that give a shit, this is a best of to celebrate the 20 year anniversary of the band (taken from '92-'99) and is 10 songs from the band's first 5 albums featuring 'Legendary' singer DC Cooper and comes in a limited edition digi pack. Like I care.

Royal Hunt will be touring the world very soon so watch out for train spotters, cardigans, dry ice machines, beards and dandruff all descending on a venue near you soon.

Possibly the hardest thing I've had to endure listening to. Ever.

www.royalhunt.com