Place of Skulls – As a Dog Returns
Exile on Mainstream Records – 2010
Four years after their last release, The Black Is Never Far, doomsters Place of Skulls returns with As A Dog Returns. Victor Griffin (vocalist/guitarist), Lee Abney (bass) and Tim Tomaselli (drums) give us a tight sounding album with lots of heaviness that even a non-doom metal listener will enjoy. What’s interesting about this album is that it’s not just straight doom – it has some blues influence (the use of harmonica in the opening of “Timeless Hearts”) as well as some Southern metal influence. Another difference with As A Dog Returns is the openness of the band’s Christianity as well as the use of biblical references. The song “Though He Slay Me” takes its lyrics from the Book of Job.
“Though He slay me,
Yet I will hope in Him”
Job 13:15
And just after that reference, the vocalist asks: “Jesus, will you teach me to deny myself? Jesus, will you show me how to die to myself?” Songs like “Breath of Life” and “Though He Slay Me” show not only a spiritual maturity but also a musical maturity. The music blends various musical influences – such as the bluesy guitar solo in “Though He Slay Me”. And while the opening song, “The Maker”, is full-on doom metal groove from start to beginning, the rest of the songs are a bit different. The majority of the songs start of softly with usually just the guitar playing for about a minute before the level kicks up with the rest of the band joining in to bring on the doom groove. In the song “Dayspring”, clocking just short of 10 minutes, the band takes the listener on sonic rollercoaster – bombasting you with a groove and then bringing you back down just before slamming you again with another groove. Place of Skulls has really taken things up another notch with this gem of a release. As A Dog Returns is definitely an album for all doom aficionados as well as any metalhead.
[rating:7/7]
Reviewed by Jeff de los Santos
