Huntsmen – The Dry Land (Review)

Huntsmen are a US progressive metal band and this is their third album.

Leaving a lasting mark with 2018’s striking American Scrap, Huntsmen made a strong first impression with their debut record. They followed this up with 2020’s Mandala of Fear, which saw the band go big in many different ways, living up to their early promise. It’s now four years later and here we have The Dry Land, which gives us 42 minutes of new material. What does the Huntsmen of 2024 provide us with?

Well, for a start, The Dry Land is basically half the length of Mandala of Fear, which is no bad thing, allowing Huntsmen to concentrate on each of the six tracks in intricate detail. The music’s harsh edge blurs seamlessly into the texture of the music’s whole. It’s a multifaceted experience that’s gripping in its fullness. Huntsmen have produced a very well-rounded record. The band succeed in making the most of their strengths and adding some new ones too.

The Dry Land showcases a band in continued ascendance. Their hybrid sound expertly blends the worlds of progressive, doom, sludge, and post-metal with folk and Americana influences to great effect. There’s also a blackened element to this new material in places, which I wasn’t expecting, but feels surprisingly natural.

The songs are full of personality and driven by a fierce passion that shines through potently. The melodies are rich, the Americana well-realised, and the riffs effective. The vocals are as diverse and well-performed as every other part of the music. With five band members contributing vocals, and the full integration of the singer that joined the band just in time for the last record, it’s a formidable recipe, and tastes damn good. The songwriting ties everything together with impeccable skill.

Underpinning The Dry Land is a wellspring of emotion. This bubbles through all parts of the music. Sometimes it’s a slow trickle, sometimes a burst dam, while at others a gradually building tsunami. Whatever Huntsmen do, it’s with great emotive power and a keen sense of affecting impact.

The Dry Land offers a compelling mix of sounds that merge together aspects of acts such as Dvne, Lord Dying, Sunnata, Brume, Wayfarer, Cult of Luna, and Neurosis. Basically, if these bands hit the spot for you, then Huntsmen are an essential listen.

Holy crap, Huntsmen! The Dry Land has no business being this damn good.

Just wonderful.