Back in 2012 the hype surrounding Huntress was substantial, especially around the release of its debut record, Spell Eater. The first single was “Eight Of Swords”, a blazing and memorable traditional metal track that hinted that all the positive talk about Huntress might be legitimate. In the end, the rest of Spell Eater was respectable, but Napalm did a good job in choosing “Eight Of Swords” as the first impression. It’s without a doubt Spell Eater’s strongest song. 

The issue with Huntress has always, from the beginning, been the same, and that’s consistent songwriting. This band is clearly talented and, in its best moments, develops the sort of throwback material that reminds of underrated groups like Onward, Crescent Shield (RIP Michael Grant) and a lot of the Cruz Del Sur roster (combined with the swagger of Motley Crue’s Too Fast For Love), but just as the listener senses that Huntress is about to artistically take it to the next level, the group recedes back into the middle ground. A record where this band truly lets loose would be a marquee event, and here’s hoping it happens one day. 

As you’ve probably guessed, today is not that day. Though Static opener “Sorrow” hints at grandeur by being an effective, high-energy album opener, it’s followed up by “Flesh”, a track whose true home is probably on No Prayer For The Dying (not exactly Piece Of Mind or Powerslave, right?). That said, “I Want To Wanna Wake Up”, despite the awkward title, is a good example, along with “Sorrow”, of what Huntress is capable of at its highest levels. It’s an attitude-on-attitude take on all that made early-‘80s metal so essential, and that sentiment is equally echoed by the soloing all over the title track. These songs are examples of Huntress’ immense potential.

There’s no doubt that Huntress is a hard-working, road dog collective that’s paying its dues on the road. Usually, that kind of intense touring produces records that are lean and mean, the live environment having showed bands the type of energy that works with, and grabs, crowds, especially if you’re opening and playing to another group’s fans. Huntress is, literally, on the cusp, and within grasp of that coveted next level. Can the band get there?