ALBUM REVIEW: Mandala of Fear – Huntsmen

While concept albums are nothing new, it does take a certain type of band to pull off such strong and compelling storytelling that can keep the attention of the general music listener of today. Luckily for the Chicago based HUNTSMEN, their latest offering is a sprawling 85 minute 2LP post-apocalyptic sci-fi epic that welds together different styles of doom and Americana metal that sends you on a journey through trauma, recovery and survival.

Building on 2017’s American Scrap, the band have added another layer to their sound in the addition of vocalist Aimee Bueno who is used sparingly, but when she does make an appearance the results are quite magical. The intro to God Will Stop Trying is a perfect example of why she was brought into the line-up with her haunting breathy vocals majestically floating on top of a building guitar line that eventually gives way to a dirty heavy riff that is sure to make you slowly throw your head back and forth with a pleasantly disgusted look on your face.

From the opening minutes of roaring first track Ride Out you can tell HUNTSMEN have set you on course for a musical voyage that bridges melody with crushing doom-laden riffs and progressive elements which the band have expanded on from their last release. The grand sludgy riffs scattered across the album within tracks such as Colossus and Awake at Times End will satisfy doom metal fans but the band add moments of folk and country that really make them stand out from your average doom metal act. Think PALLBEARER going 60’s prog sprinkled with Americana.

Second single released A Nameless Dread is one of the heaviest tracks on the album with its high levels of distortion and rapid-fire drum beats which showcases the talent of the HUNTSMEN‘s rhythm section which can sometimes be overlooked in doom metal acts. Another example of this would be the middle section of The Swallow that again puts the spotlight on the bass and drums in an impressive display of musicianship.

The story itself follows a soldier a mission to protect her country during a future desert war. Due to numerous nukes, there has been a constant threat of electrical storms (sandstorms) which our lead character and her team succumbs to causing her team to be wiped out, leaving her severely wounded and suffering from amnesia. Running from the threat of capture, she is taken in by a small group of riders from a nearby village but she is still in great danger and must survive the harsh wastelands. The music is the storyteller here and takes you through her many emotions throughout her journey. While it can be a little hard to follow, the music allows the listener to feel every bit of her mindset changes, spread throughout infectious riffs, heart-pounding drumming and powerful vocals. Using the different passages of music and tempo changes has allowed the band to use their musicianship to tell her story making sure every high and low felt by the protagonist is felt. In every raw and heavier sounding moments, there is a feeling of pain and suffering. In every sweeping and more melodic moment, there is a feeling of redemption and triumph. This is American metal storytelling at it’s finest.

There is a change of pace for instrumental track Loss which as you can tell from the title is quite a solemn number. While it’s the most chilled track on the record musically, where it stands within the story actually makes it even darker than some of the grittier and sonically heavier songs. It’s at a point where the protagonist has hit the lowest point mentally so far in her journey, thinking that she has seen the end of her struggles only to be pulled back into the harsh reality of failure and grief.

What HUNTSMEN have created is more than just an album. It’s a full body of work that even includes an accompanying 32-page graphic novel. It’s a complete musical package that needs to be more than just listened to. It needs to be consumed and breathed. While it could have done with chopping down a few tracks here and there and a more forefront appearance from their new recruit, Mandala of Fear is certainly an album worth putting the time and effort into.

Rating: 9/10

Mandala of Fear is out now via Prosthetic Records.

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