I was really hoping Huntress would continue the upward trajectory that began with their second album, Starbound Beast, after the plastic, paint-by-numbers debut Spell Eater. Static is the band's third album and it isn't a regression from Starbound Beast nor is it an improvement. Rather it is a band treading water. The riffs are decent, the songs are varied from the speedy "Sorrow" to the moody, simmering "Mania," and the choruses are fairly catchy. Vocalist Jill Janus sounds a little more propped up by studio effects (distortion, multitracking) but hasn't reverted to the annoying banshee sound of the debut. Where Static spins its wheels is the songwriting. There's nothing significantly better than the last album though "Four Blood Moons" does stand above the rest with a speedy riff and Janus sounding more organic in the verses.
Static is not going to hurt Huntress in the fan department but it probably won't gather too many new ones. If you liked Starbound Beast you'll like Static just fine as long as you aren't looking for anything different.
