Windhand have emerged from the depths of some Lovecraftian
landscape to deliver an album dripping in doom, portent and
heaviness.
"Soma" delivers 75 minutes of subterranean hymns weighed
down with atmosphere and foreboding.
The guitars are wickedly fuzzed and low-end, giving the songs
a decidedly enveloping sonic envelope on which the band can
run riot. The tracks are (and I'm gonna use words that have been
overused to such an extent that they are now common place in
reviews and are in danger of being just lazy cliches but in this
case they are well deserved)... epic, monolithic and majestic
with their length and breath of vision and sheer brooding
riff mongering!
Dorithia Cottrell sound like the weight of the world is on her shoulders.
The vocals have passion and soul but never resort to just screams, instead
the melodic chants give a plaintive feel - buried down in the mix, are
they pleas for help or a softly spoken curse?
Solos are not fretboard wanking but slow, unhurried notes that
carry real purpose and meaning and fit in perfectly with the song
passages. The track "Evergreen" is an acoustic track of tenderness
and peacefulness which gives a calming effect before the descent
into darkness continues.
The last track is 30 minutes long and is their "Dopesmoker". Wind
effects, slower passages and one almighty circular riff that just kills
got me nodding until the end.
This is Doom at its best.
Thanks to Bob at Relapse for sending this.
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