US progressive doom/post-metal band Huntsmen presents third full-length album »The Dry Land«; out now via Prosthetic Records!

Chicago, Illinois based progressive doom/post-metal band Huntsmen presents their third full-length album, »The Dry Land«, out on June 7th, 2024 via Prosthetic Records.

Tracklist:
01. This, Our Gospel
02. Cruelly Dawns
03. Lean Times
04. In Time, All Things
05. Rain
06. The Herbsight

Courtesy of Prosthetic Records:

Emerging from the shadows and plumes of smoke, Chicago, IL ensemble Huntsmen are set to make their return in 2024 with their third album, »The Dry Land«, released via Prosthetic Records on June 7.

On their first full-length in four years, Huntsmen’s »The Dry Land« traverses the liminal space between the living and the dead by lifting the veil of the abyss itself. Born of suffering and hardship, »The Dry Land« unifies the dark and light that resides in all of us through allegories of purgatorial strife and human spirit.

Following the release of their sophomore full-length, »Mandala Of Fear«, in 2020 and »The Dying Pines« EP in 2022 Huntsmen’s intervening years between studio albums were marked with devastatingly contrasting highs and lows. Whilst their body of studio work continued to garner acclaim from fans and critics alike, chronic illness would become a recurring uphill battle for the ensemble. As these jarring mixed fortunes reached their apex towards the end of 2022, the band reached towards each other outside of their craft as old friends. Taking stock of four years of tribulations led to a reevaluation of what it is to be creatives and, in turn, ushered in a collective rebirth.

Photo by Sam Porter

Writing sessions for »The Dry Land« saw a number of artistic firsts for Huntsmen, most notably with the first full collaborative inclusion of vocalist Aimee Bueno-Knipe. Additionally, they’ve added guitarist/vocalist Gavin Cushman to their lineup. The creative process soon saw Huntsmen adding more black metal influences into their Americana and folk tinged doom, evidenced most overtly on tracks such as »This, Our Gospel« and lead single »In Time, All Things«. Elsewhere, Huntsmen’s knack for finely crafted and richly layered melodies offer moments of resplendence on the slow burning »Lean Times« and closer »The Herbsight«.

Mirroring the circumstances and environment that led to its creation, »The Dry Land«’s pacing is one rooted in the art of rise and fall dynamics both musically and lyrically. Tales of escaping religious violence, malevolent apparitions and death incarnate all play key roles throughout the album’s narrative thread. Huntsmen treat each tale as both exorcism and exaltation, adding a pervasively unsettling quality to »The Dry Land« that is sure to stick long after the runtime is over.

»The Dry Land« was recorded and mixed by Pete Grossmann at Bricktop Studios before being placed in the hands of Brad Boatright for mastering, with the resulting sound adding a towering grandiosity to the album whilst simultaneously highlighting Huntsmen’s newfound corrosive qualities. »The Dry Land«’s striking cover art was created by Derek Setzer, depicting an immolating dancer in high contrast black and white amongst rusted gold.

Through the fire, Huntsmen find themselves reborn on »The Dry Land«.

Order »The Dry Land« HERE!

Huntsmen is:
Chris Kang – Guitar and Vocals
Aimee Bueno-Knipe – Vocals
Marc Stranger-Najjar – Bass and Vocals
Ray Bueno-Knipe – Drums and Vocals
Gavin Cushman – Guitar and Vocals

Kirill Orlov – Guitar (on »The Dry Land« studio recording only)

Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well