"Woodbine"

Here’s one to test your speakers: “Woodbine” is the second cut from Soma, the second LP by astral Richmond, Va., doom projectors Windhand. The nine-minute march takes shape around a bulging rhythm section, with bass buzzing and cymbals splashing in forceful lockstep. The dual guitars bolster the low-end rumble, their thick riffs lingering like dense smoke clouds. Somehow, bewitching frontwoman Dorthia Cottrell is strong enough to push above it all; her haunting tone is a curling finger, beckoning the listener dangerously close to the backing band’s maul. Windhand moves slowly but steadily and unapologetically, too, treating this stretched span only as an excuse to hit harder for longer. Relapse releases Soma on September 17.