Northwinds

Not to be confused with a short-lived American speed metal band, France's Northwinds traded in doom metal throughout their obscure, three-album career. For starters, although they began taking shape as early as 1987 -- no doubt inspired by the rise of Sweden's all-conquering Candlemass -- the group only got around to issuing its first demos in the mid-‘90s, and then recorded its debut album, Great God Pan (containing epic-length originals and an interesting cover of Black Sabbath's "A National Acrobat"), through the small Black Widow label in 1998. At this time, Northwinds con...