Huntsmen – American Scrap (Review)

Huntsmen are a US post-metal band and this is their debut album.

Huntsmen mix doom, stoner, and progressive American metal into their textured post-metal melting pot, resulting in 41 minutes of engaging material.

This is quite the eclectic and varied release. In many ways it’s what you’d get if you cross classic American rock with a more modern, post-metallic take on heavy music. This combination of nuanced, progressive rock with heavier, stoner-influenced post-metal is largely done very well, but could I can imagine it leaving some people cold due to its mix of styles that are frequently not encountered together.

This is story-driven music that reflects the band’s love of Americana, stoner metal, and Black Sabbath. The vocals are wide ranging and performed very well whatever they are doing, although it’s the clean singing that probably showcases the best delivery.

In some ways this reminds me of The Lion’s Daughter & Indian Blanket’s sterling 2013 release A Black Sea, which, if you know that album at all, is a huge recommendation for Huntsmen’s album. Also, athough stylistically quite different, its essence also reminds me of Panopticon’s 2012 release Kentucky.

This is an engaging album that works well on many levels. I like the reflective aspects of the band’s sound, and the textures they create across their music are mostly well-formed and very palatable. The heavier aspects are a welcome mix of stoner, doom metal, and a more modern Neurosis-ish post-metal influence with a rough, earthy veneer.

An intriguing and layered journey. American Scrap is a recommended listen, especially for seekers of the less-standard.