“Static” marks album number 3 for Huntress,
and it is by far their strongest effort to date. The record doesn’t display a
drastic change in sound; in fact, it’s largely similar to the first two
Huntress records in style, but it does show a substantial improvement in
several areas, most notably in the songwriting and the individual performances. The first
of those two areas is where the biggest leap has been made. The first couple Huntress albums were good, but they only had a few truly memorable songs each,
while the remainder of the material was simply good. By contrast, the entire
first half of “Static” is incredible, ranging from the high-speed opener,
“Sorrow”, to the stalkerish “Brian” (admittedly this is without reading the
lyrics, and just picking up certain lines by ear), to the lengthy slow number,
“Mania”. The last of these tracks reaches almost 9 minutes, but it took about 4 spins
of this record before I realized that it was longer than anything else, which
is a testament to just how great the song is.
These songs excel because they’re driven by
incredibly strong vocal performances and an improved performance from
frontwoman Jill Janus. Even though she can hit some high notes, her voice is at
its best when it is a bit more mid-range, and she definitely displays more restraint
on this record. In the past, she did occasionally fall prey to wailing
syndrome, but that is largely non-existent on “Static”. Similarly, the harsh
vocals that were sometimes present in the band’s past (moreso on the first
album) make only a couple of appearances on this record. There’s nothing wrong
with her growls, but the album is better without them because it makes the
release more coherent and consistent. Though I don’t pay too much attention to
lyrics, the lines I have caught during this album make it seem like many of
these songs are about varying mental health issues, which is a bit more
interesting than some of the band’s earlier themes.
The second half of the album doesn’t differ
in terms of approach, but it’s more of a mixed bag when it comes to
memorability. The riffs and solos are definitely very competent, as are Jill’s
vocals, but there’s quite as infectious as “I Want To Wanna Wake Up”, for
example. Still, you have to respect progress, and “Static” is an excellent showcase
of it. The album is unlikely to win over new fans, but this record will sway
anyone who was on the edge beforehand. As someone who could appreciate the band
even at their weaker moments, “Static” is a huge winner in my book!
Highlights
"Flesh"
"Brian"
"I Want To Wanna Wake Up"
Final Rating
4.4/5 or 88%.
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