Place of Skulls

"Nailed"
(Southern Lord Records) 

If a picture paints a thousand words, theirs speak volumes in contradiction, while their words venture deeply into benediction, housed in a blustery, bleary Sabbath-like setting poking, plodding and prying with Crowbar-like efficiency. "Nailed's" visual impact is disturbing yet biblically referential, suggesting something of a bit more damning intent. Rather, it's a forceful listen, contemplative in a Christian calling, thoughtfully inquisitive, and quite opposite the standard black forest formula. "Nailed" is an easier listen on a level with late model Cathedral boosted by high doses of spiritualism without preachiness or painful self-indulgence. So unlike the many Sludge-Rock and Doom types who've made a living out of beating a bass line to near death or burning the riff to ashes of redundancy, "Nailed" opens the wound forcefully enough while the songs search for answers over and above a low E in a rumbling, troubling and emotionally compelling return to earth. Featuring the renowned riffing of cult-rock kingpin Victor Griffin, previously heading up the likes of Death Row and later Pentagram, his brief refuge giving way to his true calling, he leads a trio bred on Blue Cheer, Black Sabbath, black clouds and smoky mountains. "The Fall," "Never Die," "Feeling Of Dread," all standing out from the usual crowd of loud low lying bump and thud techniques, full of volume, feeling and unprecedented harmonic highlights, not unlike Zakk's brew crew in certain respects. "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood," a chugging version of the old Animals classic speaks volumes from where they came from and where they're headed with this new project one that should turn a lot of heads in the Doom Rock community if not twist them off completely.

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