Have you always wanted to get into doom metal, but never quite known where to start?
That may sound like a strange question, but think about it this way. Next month, Black Sabbath are playing a farewell show at Villa Park that could have sold out many times over, in spite of ticket prices being the equivalent of a nice sunny holiday somewhere that isn’t Birmingham. Unquestionably, it will be one of the music events of the year. Most would agree that the entire genre of metal really started with Ozzy Osbourne’s band. Beyond that, though, you would also have to say that the sub-genre of doom metal is the one that is most characteristic of Sabbath’s music. If you like Tony Iommi’s legendary opening chords to ‘Black Sabbath’ – famously inspired by Holst’s ‘Mars, the Bringer of War’ – from their debut album, then there must be a piece of you that likes a bit of doom metal.
Yet, if you asked the average music fan on the street to name another doom metal band, most would probably struggle, and some would be outright horrified at the insinuation that they are inclined towards worshipping the devil in their spare time.
As a genre, though, doom metal has certainly evolved, moving well beyond such satanic cliches. Kyuss, the former band of Queens of the Stone Age‘s Josh Homme, were amongst a number of groups who evolved the doom metal sound into stoner/desert rock in the early nineties, primarily by adding distortion, while Seattle bands like Alice In Chains and Melvins also incorporated doomy elements into their sound.
The end result is a genre that has a strong and devout following, even amongst many who wouldn’t consider themselves metalheads.
Which brings us to Windhand. The Richmond, Virginia four-piece have been mainstays of the genre since their formation in 2008, and remain very popular, as evidenced by tonight’s show in London having sold out within a few hours, despite the band not having released an album since 2018.
Windhand are definitely a band that appeal beyond metal’s traditional boundaries, and the main reason for this is the sumptuous, soulful vocals of singer Dorthia Cottrell. Do not get the impression for one second, though, they aren’t as loud as other bands on the scene, though, because they really are. The opening chords absolutely tear through you, like jumping into an ice bath, the body taking a moment to adapt to this sudden change in conditions.
Once you adapt, though, the effect is incredible. The underlying guitar rumble is just so powerful, yet curiously smooth, never jarring. Where the solos come in, they flow wonderfully with the rest of the noise. The drumming isn’t abrasive either, giving a perfect base, relatively low in the mix.
Cottrell’s vocals, though, are the star of the show. She has a voice that would be amazing in any genre, as proven by her performing a solo folk set in tonight’s support slot. The way that her voice melds with the guitar noise, though, is just sensational.
The overall effect just puts you into a total trance. The music envelopes this author tonight, in a way I don’t think I have ever experienced before. For close-on 90 minutes tonight, It’s like you are on a totally different level of consciousness. It’s quite astonishing. Looking around, the crowd are just absolutely transfixed.
There isn’t a huge amount of variety, of course, but nor would you want there to be. Like their albums, this is designed to be an immersive experience, with nothing to break the spell. Within that context, it’s tough to pick out favourite moments, but ‘Grey Garden’ is welcomed with particular enthusiasm, and ‘Cassock’ is just phenomenal too.
This is music taken to its logical conclusion. There’s nothing that can top this. Ultimate noise, ultimate beauty.
Black Sabbath changed the world, of course they did. But there is much more to their legacy than the bands playing Villa Park next month. If you think you’ve seen everything that music can be, then give Windhand a listen. It might just change your life.
