Caravan of Skulls Tour
Spirit Caravan/Place of Skulls/Throttlerod/Frankenhookers/WickedtranSt. Louis, Missouri (USA)
(April 23, 2002)
First in the band lineup was Wickedtran, a drum-bass duo who produced an interesting brand of heavy art noise. They played while the audience arrived, then packed up quickly and left. Next up was Frankenhookers, a young group playing some noisy metal with vocals that reminded me of Burning Witch on speed. I'll let you judge the merits of that. The biggest surprise of the evening, really, was Throttlerod. I had not heard these guys before, although I knew they were supposed to do that heavy southern rock thang. Well, let me tell you, these guys slay!! Only the most morose of doomsters could fail to be moved by their high-energy, twin guitar attack. Their songs were fast, driving, and tight as hell. These guys could form their own "dream team" as part of a bill with, say, fellow Richmond, Virginians ATP, and maybe Dixie Witch or Gideon Smith & the Dixie Damned.
Place of Skulls took the stage next, and it was time for the very best in trad. Doom. Although my expectations were high after seeing these guys at SHOD 3, they put that show to shame as they blew the audience away. Doom legend and former Pentagram and Death Row guitarist Victor Griffin's guitar tone was thick and deceptively smooth; it was only after listening for a few minutes that you realised that he was pounding the stage to splinters and loosening your fillings at the same time. Death Row bassist Lee Abney pounded what remained of the room to splinters, and drummer Tim Tomaselli was incredible, playing some amazing fills without ever being obtrusive. The set included three Pentagram tunes as well as most of their superb debut album. You'd best believe that the crowd was full of bobbing heads and doomsters throwing the horns! And you'll never meet nicer guys: bright, friendly, unpretentious and articulate.
Place of Skulls set list
Dead
Too Late
Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
Feeling of Dread
Sinister
Days of Trouble
Never Die
The Fall
Song of Solomon
Relentless
Frankly, I had my doubts that Spirit Caravan could hold up their end after Throttlerod and Place of Skulls smoked the bar. But of course, they did. Wino, Dave, and Gary proved - as if there were any doubt - that they are at the top of the riffing doom heap. Their set included a number of new tunes, and dammit, this stuff is some of the heaviest music they've ever done! The new album, tentatively entitled 'Brainwashed', and due out this fall, will be their best if it even captures a fraction of the energy I saw. Their set also included some Obsessed songs as well, and the whole thing just defined "heavy." The only sour note was when Dave's bass amp went out during the last song, 'Dreamwheel,' but drummer Gary Isom saw the humour in it, as he played through the song with a huge grin on his face. As the smoke from the cleansing sage that a roadie had burned on stage dissipated, we headed back to the car and a very, very late drive home.
There are some good shows coming up in this area, most notably ATP and Orange Goblin. Motorhead, the week before Caravan of Skulls, was a killer show. But for my money, this is the tour of the year so far.
Spirit Caravan set list
Undone
Powertime
Skybone
Sunstoned
Last Embrace
Dove-Tongued Agressor
The Way She Fly
Sealegs
Mourning
Brainwashed
Matter of Time
So Mortal Be
Elusive Truth
Departure
Dreamwheel
Throttlerod Website: http://www.throttlerod.net/
Place of Skulls Website: http://www.placeofskulls.com/
Spirit Caravan Website: http://www.spiritcaravan.com/
- Kevin McHugh
(09 May 2002)
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