Well, this is it. It’s here. The long-awaited follow-up to my undisputed #1 album of 2015, by, in my honest opinion, the best Stoner Doom band currently walking this ball of grass, dirt, chaos and stupidity we call a planet. I’ve been foaming at the mouth for this one ever since it was announced and for good reason. Windhand have always been one of my top-tier acts of the Stoner Doom and Doom Metal genre as a whole, but they made their biggest impact on me 3 years ago with Grief’s Infernal Flower, which I could not let go of for months after hearing. That album was one of the best and most captivating works of smokey, psychedelic and crushing as hell Doom Metal, with so many tricks, tropes and nuances that gave it it’s own identity and showcased Windhand at their peak. I still, to this day, deem that album as nothing short of fucking incredible. Fast forward to 2018, they made a splash a few months back with their split with fellow Doomsters, Satan’s Satyrs, which was pretty damn good and surely served as a sign of other things to come. Sure enough, a few months later, we get the announcement of this stoned, tripped out monster of an album and I threw my hands up and shined up my number 1 spot for the year and got it ready, because it’s very possible that they could become repeat holders of the spot. I thought this, because if you listen to Windhand and they don’t make you want to give up on society, join a hippie cult, sit in a drum circle, load up on some shrooms and other psychedelics, lay on the grass and become one with the universe, then you’re fucking up.
So, does Eternal Return hold up? Well, it certainly is the same majestic, smokey and super thick and bassy Doom that these guys and gal have been belting out for nearly a decade now and I was still just as enthralled and riddled with chills on my first listen, as I was the first time I heard their last 3 albums. The crushing chords, catchy grooves, searing riffs and the harmonious, cloudy voice of Dorthia Cottrell, that serves as the centerpiece of the puzzle, are all very much present and still show no signs of slowing down or losing touch. As the crunchy chords of Halcyon kick in to start things off, like any good Windhand song, they make sure you can feel the rumbling bass, vibrating through your brain (or your whole body if you’re listening on a quality stereo system) as the groove begins and Dorthia’s signature crooning voice echoes through the foggy air and paints itself onto your brain, to be stuck on for as long as it wishes to be. Even on that small section of bass picking in the middle of the track, you can feel it rumbling through you. Great opener that lets you know straight away that this is still Windhand at their fullest. Grey Garden follows with more of those droning, rhythmic chords and thick, patterned drums, under that smokey, trippy atmosphere. The verses are particularly catchy on this one. Dorthia’a affectation, coupled with the psychedelic riffs, really make you feel a sense of euphoric calm, the same way eating a shroom or taking some acid would. Just 2 tracks in and I was already getting chills.
Things switch up a bit with Pilgrim’s Rest, which is slower and strips away some of the thick, chunky chords and crushing grooves, in favor of a more Bluesy feel. Definitely one of the main standouts and one of the shorter tracks on the album. Another standout and the main highlight of this album for me, is the super catchy Red Cloud. Taking on a faster, more Hard Rock-ish tempo, this definitely the most fun track of the bunch, with it’s bouncy, upbeat groove and energetic flow. It reminds me a little of The Mortician’s Flame by Acid Bath, being the most upbeat and flowing song on and album of slow, Doomy chaos. Pretty refreshing and surprising track. Diablerie follows the same formula; also a really good track, though I enjoyed Red Cloud a bit more. It’s not the first time they’ve gone into Stoner Rock territory, but it’s always nice to have a switch-up of tempo every now and then, to add some semblance of variety, that’s where I feel a lot of Stoner Doom bands fail and that’s why I consider Windhand such a favorite. Versatility matters, especially in a genre like this. The 13-minute closer, Feather also has a good deal of seasoning to it, starting off slow, with some light, brushing chords and slowly building into that chunky, smoke-filled array of rumbling guitars and muddy drums, with dreary croons sweeping over them and continuously pounding it all into you until the last second drains out. Excellent closer!
So overall, can I say this was as good or better than Grief’s Infernal Flower? Ehh, not quite, but that doesn’t mean that this isn’t another exceptional outing by these guys, because it absolutely is, just in it’s own way. In a genre where very few bands have a style and sound of their own and most channel Black Sabbath far too excessively, Windhand have something special, that stands out like a bright star that you notice while gazing at the night sky, stoned off your ass. Dorthia really adds to that uniqueness too with her voice (and it’s not just because it’s a female voice rather than a male one). This is trippy, heavy, riffy, atmospheric and crushing all at once and it has all kinds of elements to it, from Doom, to Sludge, to Blues, to Hard Rock and whatever else you can pick up on. They really have a wealth of tricks up their sleeve and can blend it all in while staying true to their core sound, and that’s what makes them a favorite of mine, when it comes to Doom, Stoner and Metal in general. A true anomaly in a genre riddled with clones and creative stagnancy, with very few exceptions, and they are the biggest and best one, without question.
Thy Kingdom Scvm 