Soma (2LP) ~ Vinyl ~ Windhand

WINDHAND’S debut Relapse full length is nothing short of transcendent. On its surface it is a top 5 of all time doom record, but this record is for more than just doom-metal fanatics though—this is an epic record for all fans of guitar driven rock and roll. On Soma WINDHAND successfully make syrupy slow, downtuned doom hooky and anthemic. Propelled by singer Dorthia Cottrell’s be­autifully haunting bellow, WINDHAND’s dual guitar attack sounds like the glorious misfit offspring of Black Sabbath and Nirvana. An easy candidate for heavy music record of the year. Review: Windhand return with a dose of hypnotic and murky doom on their sophomore effort, Soma, named for a drink whose consumption is often described as a religious experience. Where the soma of legend is more of an invigorating experience, the album takes listeners in an altogether different direction, entrancing them with a monolithic wall of impossibly dense, distorted amp worship whose sheer enormity can barely pass through mortal speakers. Living up to the implications of its title, though, Soma is an album that feels almost ritualistic, deriving power through repetition as the songs build a steady momentum that leaves them feeling unstoppable once they've gotten up to speed. Setting Windhand apart from the scores of beardy doom merchants looking to push their Matamps to sonic extremes are the vocals of Dorthia Cottrell. Effortlessly weaving their way through the band's massive output, Cottrell's singing feels like a spirit conjured by Windhand's musical séance. Set against the sludge created by the rest of the band, the vocals take on an ethereal quality, feeling as though any slight disturbance might cause them to dissipate like a wisp of smoke. Windhand also aren't afraid to step away from extreme volume, occasionally letting things quiet down with stretches of acoustic guitar that give listeners time to catch their breaths amidst the suffocating fog of doom the band is so adept at creating. Clocking in at over an hour, Soma is by no means a brief experience, but Windhand's ability to craft doom that actually feels dynamic makes the album the sort of meditative journey that metal fans would be foolish not to embark upon. All Music Guide – Gregory Heaney Track Listing: Side A: Orchard Woodbine Feral Bones Evergreen Cassock Boleskine