Back On The Hunt

It had been three years since Hunt released their critically acclaimed self-titled debut album in 1977, and in that time, internal strife and changing musical trends lead to personnel changes within the band and marked their return as a trio. Back on the Hunt is a radical departure in sound from the debut album, and the power trio of Paul Dickinson, Brian Gagnon, and Paul Kersey opted for the heavy metal hard rock sound and a powerful live performance to attract fans rather than the progressive sound and intricate instrumentation of the debut. This second album for the Daffodil Records label was released in 1980 and while the band did find a small fan base in Canada, international success was not in the cards and the band's sound was not in tune with musical trends of the day. Back on the Hunt featured ten original hard-driving guitar-fronted compositions that reflected the sound of their live act. Stadium rock in the style of bands such as Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Kiss, or many of the mid- to late-'80s hard rock or heavy metal acts categorized the sound of the band this time out, and if this album had been released ten years later it may have been a hit. It seems that Hunt was about a decade ahead of its time for such style of music. This reissue by Unidisc features nine bonus tracks that include seven original tunes as well as superb covers versions of the songs "The Mexican," originally by Babe Ruth, and a hard-rocking version of the Spencer Davis Group hit "Gimme Some Loving." This release also reproduces the original album graphics and is available at a budget price.
-Keith Pettipas, Allmusic