Knoxville based PLACE OF SKULLS, named after the Biblical reference to Golgotha, are the spiritually motivated Doom act of the esteemed VICTOR GRIFFIN, veteran of PENTAGRAM, CATHEDRAL and DEATHROW. Griffin had broken away from PENTAGRAM in sad circumstances indulging in a self imposed purgatory of drink and drugs after the shock of the death of family members. When he had finally got through this ordeal the guitarist, a newly found Christian, created PLACE OF SKULLS in early 2000. Bass player Lee Abney was a former colleague from DEATHROW days whilst drummer Tom Tomaselli was located after auditions.

PLACE OF SKULLS issued a three track demo to secure a deal with Man's Ruin Records. In July of 2002 the band would be joined on second guitar by the almost reverential figure of Scott Weinrich, better known as THE OBSESSED, SAINT VITUS and SPIRIT CARAVAN frontman Wino. By August the 'Doom elite' quota of the band had been elevated even further with the addition of erstwhile TROUBLE bassist Ron Holzner. However, Holzner would back out within a matter of weeks and Greg Turley, of COUNTERSHAFT and PENTAGRAM, took the position. By July it would be the OVERSOUL and REVELATION credited Dennis Cornelius manning the bass position.

In December 2003, struggling with maintaining an active band with members in different States, PLACE OF SKULLS announced Wino was to decamp in order to prioritise his other act THE HIDDEN HAND. Drummer Tim Tomaselli exited in August of 2004, being superseded for European tour dates by Minnesota Pete Campbell of THE MIGHTY NUMBUS and SIXTY WATT SHAMAN. However, Tim Tomaselli rejoined in November. That same year VICTOR GRIFFIN released a solo album 'Late For An Early Grave' through Outlaw Recordings. Issued as a vinyl pressing, only 525 copies would be manufactured.

PLACE OF SKULLS signed with German label Exile On Mainstream Records in early 2005 for a new studio album entitled 'The Black Is Never Far'. The band entered Lakeside Studios on August 1st with producers Travis Wyrick and Mike Dearing. These sessions saw Victor Griffin working with a band unit comprising Dennis Cornelius, Tim Tomaselli and original PLACE OF SKULLS bassist Lee Abney.

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.