Alright doom heads, tune your guitars down to the underworld and light something herbal (incense or otherwise, we wonโt judge) โ because Windhand are here to drag your soul through the sludge in the most beautiful way possible. ๐๐ฟ๐ธ
They donโt scream.
They donโt sprint.
They drone, crush, and enchant like a coven of witches jamming in a cathedral during a thunderstorm.
This is DOOM METAL at its most hypnotic, haunted, and HEAVY AS HELL.
๐ WHO THE HELL ARE WINDHAND?
Genre: Doom Metal / Stoner Doom / Psychedelic Grunge Sludge
From: Richmond, Virginia, USA ๐บ๐ธ
Formed: 2008
Known For:
- Atmospheric, fuzz-drenched riffs that feel like being buried in velvet lava
- Dreamy, witchy vocals from frontwoman Dorthia Cottrell
- Merging Sabbath worship with shoegaze sorrow
- Making misery sound mystical
Windhand are equal parts Electric Wizard, Mazzy Star, and a haunted tree stump.
Their music doesnโt just play โ it hovers, haunts, and hypnotises.
๐ฉธ THE LINE-UP OF LOW-END SORCERY
- Dorthia Cottrell โ Vocals / Ethereal queen of doom
- Garrett Morris โ Guitars / Tone wizard and riff conjurer
- Ryan Wolfe โ Drums / Ritualistic thunder
- Parker Chandler โ Bass / Left in 2018 (ex-Cough)
- N/A: Current bassists may vary live โ it’s all about the fuzz anyway โก
Letโs be real โ Dorthiaโs voice floats above the chaos like a ghost singing a lullaby while Garrettโs guitar sounds like itโs been buried in moss since the ’70s.
๐ฟ DISCOGRAPHY โ SLOW BURN MASTERPIECES
๐ Windhand (2012)
๐ง Black Candles, Heap Wolves
Vibe: Raw, riffy, ritualistic.
The debut dropped like a cauldron of syrup onto the doom scene.
Murky and mystical โ not for the faint of patience.
๐ฎ Soma (2013)
๐ง Orchard, Woodbine, Cassock
Vibe: The doom breakthrough. Slow. Epic. Devastating.
The 14-minute track โBoleskineโ is an occult odyssey.
Woodbine? Sounds like a foggy dream where Sabbath meets Sleep.
A doom classic.
๐ฏ๏ธ Griefโs Infernal Flower (2015)
๐ง Two Urns, Crypt Key, Tanngrisnir
Vibe: Lusher production, deeper emotion, more psych.
Two Urns kicks off with a groove to die for.
Dorthiaโs voice is a funeral hymn from another realm.**
This one cements Windhand as top-tier doom sorcerers.
๐ฉถ Eternal Return (2018)
๐ง Grey Garden, Diablerie, First to Die
Vibe: Doom with grunge DNA and shoegaze mist.
Produced by Jack Endino (Nirvana, Soundgarden), so itโs got Seattle sadness with southern sludge.
Grey Garden is both beautiful and brutal.
๐ป Split EPs & Extras:
- Windhand / Cough (2013) โ DOOM VS. DOOM, FIGHT!
- Windhand / Satanโs Satyrs (2018) โ A stoner showdown with freak rock flair
๐ง THE RIFF REPORTโS ESSENTIAL WINDHAND SPELLS
๐ฎ Orchard โ Slow build. Big doom. Haunting vocal hooks.
๐ Two Urns โ Like being buried alive in velvet.
๐ซ๏ธ Grey Garden โ Easily one of the best doom tracks of the 2010s.
๐ธ๏ธ Woodbine โ Stoner lullaby for witches and wanderers.
๐ฅ First to Die โ Grungy riff gloom with cathartic release.
๐ WHY WINDHAND MATTER
Because they:
- Refuse to rush โ every riff is a ritual
- Make doom thatโs both crushing AND beautiful
- Channel grief, witchcraft, and groove into pure sonic sorcery
- ***Are ***perfect for late nights, long walks, and loud-as-hell headphones
- ***Give you โmetal for melancholy soulsโ without ever sounding soft
Windhand arenโt chasing trends โ they’re riding the smoke trails of their own spellcraft.
๐ค LIVE SHOWS โ HEADBANG IN A HAZE
Windhand gigs feel like:
- ๐ฅ A sรฉance with stacks of amps
- ๐ฏ๏ธ Smoke, shadows, and sorrow
- ๐ธ Each chord hangs in the air like incense
- ๐ง More meditative than mosh-heavy โ but still loud enough to melt your fillings
If youโre expecting windmills and crowd-surfing, look elsewhere.
This is slow, heavy communion for the doom faithful.
๐ค FINAL VERDICT FROM THE RIFF REPORT:
Windhand are doom metalโs dreamlike prophets โ haunting the genre with beauty, patience, and otherworldly weight.
Want riffs that feel like ancient roots wrapping around your soul?
Want vocals that drift between lullaby and lament?
Want doom you can FEEL in your bones โ and your broken heart?
Then step into the fog. Kneel before the amp. And let Windhand drag you to the other side.
๐ซ๏ธ The Riff Report lowers the lights, raises the smoke, and solemnly declares:
WINDHAND โ THE SLOW BURN THAT NEVER DIES.
DOOM, DREAMS & DRONES FOR THE DAMNED. ๐๐ฅ๐ฏ๏ธ
Michael is the founder, editor, and chief riff wrangler behind The Riff Report, an independent Welsh rock and metal publication built by fans, for fans. With a lifelong passion for loud guitars, unforgettable live shows, and the incredible community that surrounds rock and metal, he created The Riff Report to celebrate everything that makes the scene specialโfrom legendary headline acts and grassroots venues to rising bands that deserve to be heard.
A familiar face at festivals across the UK, Michael spends much of the year covering events including Download Festival, Bloodstock Open Air, Steelhouse Festival, Firevolt, Plumpton Revival, and many more. Whether heโs battling the Welsh weather on a mountainside, surviving a weekend in a muddy campsite, or squeezed against the front barrier with thousands of fellow fans, heโs always searching for the next great story to share.
As editor of The Riff Report, Michael writes festival guides, breaking news, album reviews, gig reviews, interviews, opinion pieces, nostalgia features, and behind-the-scenes stories from across the rock and metal world. His writing combines honest opinions, humour, and a genuine love for live music, bringing readers closer to the bands, festivals, venues, and people that keep the scene alive.
Michael is particularly passionate about supporting independent artists, local venues, charities, and the wider UK rock and metal community. He believes every band deserves a chance to be discovered and every festival has a story worth telling. Through The Riff Report, he aims to shine a spotlight on both the biggest names in rock and the future stars waiting to break through.
When heโs not writing or interviewing artists, youโll probably find him exploring festival campsites, photographing live shows, chatting with fellow fans over a pint, or planning the next road trip in search of more riffs, bigger crowds, and unforgettable moments.
Above all, Michael believes rock and metal are about more than musicโtheyโre about community, friendship, and creating memories that last a lifetime. Thatโs exactly what The Riff Report exists to celebrate.
Proudly Welsh. Proudly Loud. Always chasing the next great riff. ๐ค
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