PLACE OF SKULLS (Love Through Blood) MCD
At the beginning of 2005 it looked as if "Love Through Blood" would be the farewell release of PLACE OF SKULLS. As if it wasn't tough enough for the band to find a label for this four remaining songs from the "Nailed" recording sessions, they lost the drummer and after more struggle, Victor Griffin finished this musical chapter. But to all our luck, everything turned out well, the band is together again, and Outlaw Recordings released "Love Through Blood", because it would've been a real loss, if this recordings had never seen the light of day. So, what could I write about the quality of this songs, that I haven't written before in another review...... Not much, because there isn't anything I can complain about. To talk about the differences to the "Nailed" album it's helpful to take a look at the lyrics, that are giving an stronger insight in Victor Griffin's spiritual beliefs, as the first album did. No matter if you share is views and emotions or not, but it's definitely a shame that Southern Lord banned the four songs from the "Nailed" album, due the lyrical content.
And although the debut is a timeless masterpiece, it's hard to imagine how awesome it would've been with this cuts on it!!! "Love Through Blood" sounds very personal and emotional, included all the band's significant trademarks like the unbelievable massive and soulful guitarsound and a perfect playing rhythm-section, while Victor Griffin has grown to a charismatic vocalist. If I would go into details about the songs, this review could be endless, because "Consuming Fire", "Cornerstone", Days Of Trouble", and "Blood Of Jesus" are marvelous, passionate compositions and a class of its own, a perfect combination of 70's Hardrock sensibility and Doom-drenched heaviness that is nowadays very hard to find. Although it's no full-length, "Love Through Blood" belongs to my favourite top-ten of 2005, and if music was ever going to touch your soul, this would be the kind of music that does. The kind of passion that goes into making music like this, I think very few can reach.
(KK)