The forum is lucky enough to play host to a resurrected and updated version of the Scott “Wino” Weinrich: Buyer’s Guide that was originally posted on (the still-missed) StonerRock.com. The Wino buyer’s guide is a proven resource, and author Throatwobbler provides insight, context and real guidance on a release-by-release — and in the case of Wino, band-by-band — basis. If you’re new to Weinrich‘s work, or even if you want an interesting read, I highly recommend it. I have it and Throatwobbler‘s also-updated Pentagram buyer’s guide bookmarked for future reference, and I’ve copied the Wino one after the jump here for ease of access. It’s huge.

As I was reading through it looking for inspiration for this week’s Wino Wednesday post, I was reminded of Place of Skulls‘ excellent 2003 album, With Vision. It turned out to be little more than a blip in Weinrich‘s storied career — that is, it was Victor Griffin‘s band even before Wino added his profile to it and he only stayed on board for that one record — but the Weinrich/Griffin pairing resulted in some truly landmark tracks, among them “Last Hit,” on which (as Throatwobbler notes in the guide), they trade vocals.

Here’s that song for your YouTubular pleasure:

Extra special thanks to Throatwobbler for his hard work writing the guide, posting it on the forum and for allowing me to host it here. Please click “Read more” below to view it in its entirety.

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As ever, I thank Walter and the Roadburn crew for their generosity in allowing me to host the links to the official streams from Roadburn 2011. As we Americans get ready to celebrate Memorial Day, I can think of few better complements for a barbecue than The Machine‘s Hendrixian take on heavy jamming, or, as the evening wears on, drinks are imbibed and fists are raised in triumph, Black Pyramid‘s doomy gallop. And, of course, just in case the universe comes to a crashing end (as my work email account just did), there’s Ufomammut playing Eve in its entirety for sonic complement. You can’t ask for more than that. From life. But there’s more anyway, so enjoy the aural hubris:

Black Pyramid
http://3voor12.vpro.nl/speler/ondemand/44772202#ondemand.44772202

Dragontears
http://3voor12.vpro.nl/speler/ondemand/44772206#ondemand.44772206

The Gates of Slumber
http://3voor12.vpro.nl/speler/ondemand/44772216#ondemand.44772216

Place of Skulls
http://3voor12.vpro.nl/speler/ondemand/44772220#ondemand.44772220

Sourvein
http://3voor12.vpro.nl/speler/ondemand/44772226#ondemand.44772226

Spindrift
http://3voor12.vpro.nl/speler/ondemand/44772231#ondemand.44772231

The Machine
http://3voor12.vpro.nl/speler/ondemand/44772239#ondemand.44772239

Ufomammut
http://3voor12.vpro.nl/speler/ondemand/44772244#ondemand.44772244

These and all Roadburn audio streams were recorded by the vigilant Spacejam team headed by Marcel van de Vondervoort (also of ass-kicking rockers Astrosoniq), so if you see him, please say thanks for all the hard work. Roadburn 2011 took place April 14-17 at the 013 Popcentrum in Tilburg, The Netherlands. If you’d like to read more than you could ever possibly want to read about it, click here.

5:45PM — Friday — Hotel Mercure, Tilburg

Well, there was some sleep to be had, but not much. I got to bed at around three and gave up trying at nine this morning, after nodding off and waking up, putting on headphones to try that, pillow over the head and the rest. I’m notoriously a light sleeper anyway, and Tilburg is short neither on hustle nor bustle. I slept for about 90 minutes solid this afternoon, and that in combination with the 20 minutes here, 20 minutes there, has been enough. I’m not at just this moment, but if I wanted to, I could still be standing.

Place of Skulls started their set with my favorite song of theirs: “Silver Chord Breaks” from With Vision. That felt good to hear. In a little while, Winter will be on in the main stage area, and I want to be there for that, so I don’t know if I’ll post this now or later on in the night like yesterday, but we’ll see how it goes. After missing them in Brooklyn, it’s definitely something I want to catch this time around.

Beyond that, the night has SunnO))) and Voivod on offer, along with Earth, who switched places with Circle with Pharaoh Overlord owing reportedly to a flat tire on the way in, putting the latter on the main stage now and the former in the Midi Theatre at 8:30PM. I’d like to catch some of that.

Funny story: I was headed the photo pit to shoot Circle with Pharaoh Overlord, and security stopped me and told me I needed a photo pass. I said I didn’t think that was the case, since I had a “working” wristband (the same thing happened to me at Metalliance at Irving Plaza a couple weeks ago). Security disagreed, and I said, “Really? You’re going to make me leave and get a photo pass and come back?” and he said, “Really.”

So I went back around to where I first checked in and asked for a photo pass. Walter, who runs this show literally and figuratively, was there, but it wasn’t something I wanted to bother him with, so I asked the girl behind the counter could I please have a photo pass, and she asked me how big was my camera. I took it out, and she scrutinized its size, and said okay. I felt like I was having my junk measured. Glad to have passed muster.

I’d also like a sit-down meal, though, which is something I haven’t had in a couple days. Probably I could hit up any number of the pubs in what I’ve come to (lovingly) refer to as Weirdo Canyon — stay tuned for more on that — but time, etc. Scheduling is an issue in more ways that just trying to see bands. I haven’t talked to The Patient Mrs. since Wednesday morning Jersey time, and I miss her.

Today is SunnO)))‘s curated day, and though I’m still disappointed they didn’t take my suggestion and call it SunnO)))burn, it’s been pretty good. I got to see the one-man drone/noise oddity of Keiji Haino — easy to see the influence he’s had on the day’s curators as he played through three full Marshall stacks and an Ampeg bass rig — and a couple minutes of Year of No Light‘s live soundtrack to the film Yampyr, which was cool in its way. You know how sometimes when you sing along to a song you don’t know that well, the words remind you of the different parts of the song as you go? You finish the line, and so forth? They were kind of finishing the line of the silent movie. Cool to watch, and it synched up to varying degrees, but a bunch of skinny French dudes droning out has its own appeal, at least judging by the crowd it drew.

I didn’t get to see Mamiffer or Trap Them, and I tried to catch a couple minutes of Aluk Todolo, but as usual, the Green Room was impenetrable. Hopefully I’ll have better luck and/or timing when Beaver starts up at 7:15.

Interesting mix so far. Right now it’s more allergy meds for me and then back over for Winter. More to come later.

Legendary American doom guitarist Victor Griffin — of Death Row, Place of Skulls and Pentagram — and I spoke over the course of two consecutive nights. When I called the first night for the interview, he was in the car, listening to an early mix of Last Rites, the new album by Pentagram — whom he rejoined earlier this year — and though that wasn’t the intended topic of the discussion, it was bound to take up some of the time.

What instigated the conversation was the newest record by Place of Skulls — Griffin‘s priority band. Dubbed As a Dog Returns, the album is unquestionably a reboot for the trio of Griffin, bassist Lee Abney (also of Death Row, who reunited for this year’s Roadburn festival in The Netherlands) and drummer Tim Tomaselli. In addition to getting back to their doomed roots, As a Dog Returns also revitalizes Griffin‘s lyrical explorations of his Christian faith, songs like “Breath of Life” and “He’s God” as open and honest in their subject matter as I found Griffin to be in our talk.

The second night of the interview, Griffin was in his studio working on some solo overdubs for Last Rites, and as we moved from Place of Skulls and his beliefs to his return to Pentagram and working once again with vocalist Bobby Liebling, whose sobriety has been discussed here in the past, Griffin took a step back to take a look at both bands’ overall place in doom, and his as well, opining on why in its 30-plus years as a genre, doom has never really hit the mainstream in the way of some other styles, and whether or not he’d even want it to.

Fact of the matter is this: I could go on and on about what Victor Griffin said or whatever, but what it rounds out to is this is one of the best interviews I’ve ever done. For The Obelisk or any other outlet. Victor Griffin was more sincere in his answering my questions than I could have possibly asked, and at the end of the second phone call, I felt like I genuinely knew more about his perspectives on life, music, and God. I hope that as you read through the 7,400-word exchange (with a centered photo to differentiate between the two days), that comes across more than anything else.

Q&A is after the jump. Please enjoy.

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Well how do you like that? Looks like Giddy Up! Records has picked up none other than the mighty Place of Skulls for their roster. This is killer news not just for the band, who’ve secured a US release date for their new album, As a Dog Returns (review here), but also for the label, because Victor Griffin is a fucking legend. Congratulations to all parties involved.

Here’s how the PR wire tells it:

Giddy Up! Records is pleased to announce the addition of Tennessee doomers Place of Skulls to their expanding artist roster, which currently includes Moth Eater, Black Water Rising and Demonica. The New York City-based indie imprint will release Place of Skulls‘ fourth full-length, As a Dog Returns, in North America on Nov. 9, 2010.

Says Giddy Up! label head Steve Seabury: “To me, Victor Griffin is a legend in the doom scene. I am like a little kid at the doom store. It’s an absolute honor and privilege to have Place of Skulls join the Giddy Up! Records family. This record is just amazing. I love it.”

In related news, the band will kick off a two-week European tour with Eternal Elysium this Saturday. As a special bonus, Place of Skulls fans in or around Berlin are eligible for a free pass to Hammer of Doom 4 in Wurzburg and a free copy of As a Dog Returns. Contact placeofskulls@msn.com for more info!

Place of Skulls European Tour 2010
w/Eternal Elysium
10/23 Posthalle, Hammer of Doom 4 Festival – Würzburg, GER
10/24 Gebäude 9 – Köln, GER
10/25 Le Klub – Paris, FR
10/26 Little Devil – Tilburg, NL
10/28 Loppen – Kopenhagen, DK
10/29 Rockefeller/ John Dee – Oslo, NOR w/Orange Goblin
10/30 Tribute Sandnes, Stavanger, NOR w/Orange Goblin
10/31 TBA
11/02 Hafenklang – Hamburg, GER
11/03 Mau – Rostock, GER
11/04 White Trash – Berlin, GER
11/05 Falkendom – Bielefeld, GER
11/06 JH De Lochtink – Eeklo, BEL
11/07 Baroeg, Dutch Doom Days 9 – Rotterdam, NL
11/08 Rosenkeller – Jena, GER

Four years have passed since Place of Skulls released The Black is Never Far, their third album, which was in many ways the culmination of a tumult that brought the band many changes, highs and lows. Guitarist/vocalist Victor Griffin — best known for his work in Pentagram contributing to the Maryland/D.C. doom legacy, though he actually lives in Knoxville, Tennessee these days – has always been at the helm, and that remains true as he brings together the original Place of Skulls trio for their new album, As a Dog Returns. Drummer Tim Tomaselli and bassist/vocalist Lee Abney have both been back in the band for a couple of years, replacing the likes of Pete Campbell (Sixty Watt Shaman) and Dennis Cornelius (ex-Revelation), but As a Dog Returns marks the first studio output the trio has released since Southern Lord put out Nailed in 2001.

And for those who haven’t heard Place of Skulls since then, or for those who perhaps are stuck on 2003’s epic With Vision — on which Griffin united with Scott “Wino” Weinrich (The Obsessed, Saint Vitus, etc.) to release one of the finest traditional doom albums of its decade – you should know a lot has changed. Of course, Griffin is still a master riffer. He has been since the days of Death Row, but sound-wise, Place of Skulls is a much different band than they were nine, seven or even four years ago. In 2010, their sound is still rooted in doom, but as the lead songwriter, Griffin doesn’t shy away from balladry either. The third track on As a Dog Returns, “Though He Slay Me,” is essentially a power ballad about Jesus, and the follow-up, the “Planet Caravan”-esque “Psalm,” isn’t far off that either, at least for the first two and a half minutes. It shouldn’t be much of a surprise that after a career touching five decades (Death Row formed in 1979) Griffin’s songwriting should have matured, but the doom on As a Dog Returns isn’t miserable, isn’t downtrodden. It seems to rise up to its challenges. It has hope.

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It’s too bad that “In a world…” movie preview voice-over guy is dead, because he’d be perfect for this trailer. “In a world where scrunchy hardcore kids think they know something about playing doom, one man stands apart from the pack…” and so forth. It would be awesome, but fortunately the music speaks for itself when it comes to Victor Griffin‘s Place of Skulls. Their new album, As a Dog Returns, is due out late September.

I don’t care if he is a Jeezaroo, Victor Griffin plays DOOOM. And that ain’t your standard variety two ‘o’ doom either, it’s DOOOM, all caps, three ‘o’s. This guy’s the fucking king of it.

Place of Skulls, who once upon a time released one of the greatest doom albums of all time in the form of With Vision, are back in September with the new album, As a Dog Returns. It’s their first record in four years, so you know Mr. Griffin‘s been putting riffs in his back pocket for a while now.

For those willing to pick it up, here’s what the PR wire’s puttin’ down:

Knoxville, Tennessee doom metallers Place of Skulls are pleased to announce the upcoming release of their long-awaited fourth full-length, As a Dog Returns. The follow-up to 2006’s The Black is Never Far was recorded at Lakeside Studios in Knoxville by Travis Wyrick and founding guitarist/vocalist Victor Griffin (Pentagram, Death Row, Cathedral, Joe Hasselvander) with drums recorded and engineered by Mike Dearing.

Said Griffin of the band’s latest output: “The new album As a Dog Returns picks up dynamically where The Black is Never Far left off. Where The Black… album had a bit more of a depressive theme lyrically, the new album tends to look to a brighter outcome. Musically we’ve gone further than ever before with dynamics and production. Though all the Place of Skulls’ brand of heaviness you would expect is certainly there, there’s a nice ebb and flow with quieter parts which tend to set a very dramatic and melancholy mood at times to the overall album.

“With every album we’ve done,” he continues, “our growth and progression has been evident, and this new release is no different. I’m really enjoying the growth of my songwriting as time goes by. I don’t feel as if I have anything to prove so I think the writing gets more open, honest, and genuine with every release.

We’re very excited to finally get a new album out and hit the road again! Look for As As a Dog Returns to be available in late September!”

As a Dog Returns track listing:
1. Timeless Hearts
2. Breath of Life
3. Though He Slay Me
4. Psalm
5. Dayspring
6. The Maker
7. He’s God
8. Desperation
9. As a Dog Returns