Revered outfit assembled in the late 90's by the legendary Doom Rock personality of Scott 'Wino' Weinrich, former front man for two of the Doom movements most influential acts THE OBSESSED and ST. VITUS. When THE OBSESSED folded in 1995, following the much lauded 'The Church Within' album, Wino, having took time out to rid himself of acknowledged addictions, travelled from California to his native Maryland to create SHINE. After a demo entitled 'Powershine' and a solitary 7" vinyl single release during 1997 SHINE duly evolved into SPIRIT CARAVAN with ex-HEAVY SOUL and WRETCHED bassist Dave Sherman and drummer Gary Isom. The latter boasted an illustrious career path streching into the annals of pedigree Doom with such acts as HEAVY SOUL, IRON MAN, UNORTHODOX, WRETCHED and PENTAGRAM.

As SPIRIT CARAVAN the group debuted with a low key 7" vinyl single shared with SIXTY WATT SHAMAN. The 'Dreamwheel' five track EP and full length album 'Jug Fulla Sun' arrived in 1999, both reaping heavy praise from the Doom / Stoner community. February 2000 gigs across the USA were dubbed the 'Wretched determination' tour.

The 'So Mortal Be' 7" vinyl single was another typically underground release, only made available through mail order. After a run of dates thoughout North America during April of 2002 in league with former PENTAGRAM guitarist Victor Griffin's new outfit PLACE OF SKULLS Wino disbanded SPIRIT CARAVAN in May. By July he would be found in PLACE OF SKULLS, acting as second guitarist. Subsequently he would forge a fresh venture dubbed THE HIDDEN HAND, this unit debuting with a 7" single 'De-Sensitized' in 2003. Sherman, billing himself 'Lord Shermos', would join forces with Black Metal band BLACK MASS for their 'Voices Of Fate' 2003 album. The following year the bassist hooked up with retro Rockers KING VALLEY.

Wino would also record with the high profile retro-Metal PROBOT project, mentored by NIRVANA and FOO FIGHTERS man Dave Grohl. This band put in a one off live performance of 'My Tortured Soul' on 28th January 2004 at the MTV studios in New York City. Joining the Grohl and Wino for the occasion would be Greg Anderson of Southern Lord Records and FOO FIGHTERS mixer Nick Raskulinecz.

Weinrich forged SHRINEBUILDER in 2008, a project that featured in its ranks Scott Kelly, of NEUROSIS, Al Cisneros, of OM and SLEEP, and Dale Crover of MELVINS. The group entered the studio with producer Toshi Kasai from 9th January 2009 through to January 11th for a full-length album release on Neurot Recordings.