Victor Griffin is a name that resonates deeply in the history of heavy metal, particularly within the subgenre of doom metal. As the longtime guitarist of Pentagram – one of the pioneering American bands in heavy and doom metal – Griffin helped shape a sound defined by crushing riffs, haunting melodies, and a heavy sense of atmosphere. More than just a sideman, his creative vision, distinctive guitar tone, and songwriting contributed significantly to the band’s identity. Examining his career, influence, and legacy provides insight into not only his role within Pentagram, but into the broader development of metal music over several decades.
Early Life and Musical Origins
Born November 28, 1961 in Morristown, Tennessee, Victor Griffin first picked up a guitar in his youth. His early exposure to music came through a family circle that had ties to country and rock – an unusual background for someone who would go on to influence doom metal. Despite those roots, Griffin gravitated toward heavy rock and experimented with tunings and sounds that diverged sharply from mainstream country or blues.
In 1978 he formed a band called Wizzard while still in high school, exploring raw rock and heavy riffbased music. Soon after, he cofounded a band named Death Row, which would become the immediate precursor to Pentagram. Through these early projects, Griffin honed his style tuning his guitar down to produce thick, doomladen riffs – a technique that would later greatly influence the sound of doom metal.
Joining Pentagram and Shaping Doom Metal’s Sound
Pentagram began in the early 1970s, but by the early 1980s the group had undergone various lineup changes. In 1983, when Griffin joined forces with vocalist Bobby Liebling, bassist Marty Swaney, and drummer Joe Hasselvander, the band re-emerged with new energy and direction. This lineup crystallized what many consider the classic Pentagram sound heavy, riffdriven, dark, and raw.
The early Pentagram recordings – initially under the name Death Row but later released as their debut album – show Griffin’s critical role. Released in 1985 as Relentless (originally Pentagram), the record featured coarse production, but its power lay in the weight of its riffs and the bleak atmosphere it created. Songs like Sign of the Wolf and You’re Lost, I’m Free blended slow, heavy guitar work with despairing vocals, setting a template for doom metal. Griffin’s guitar tone – thick, downtuned, and ominous – was instrumental in forging that style.
Notable Albums and Songs with Griffin
- Relentless (1985)The reissued debut that established Pentagram’s sound and showcased Griffin’s heavy guitar work.
- Day of Reckoning (1987)Featuring tracks like Evil Seed and Burning Savior, this album further refined the doom metal approach with tighter songwriting and dark lyrical themes.
- Later reunion worksAfter periods of inactivity and personal developments, Griffin rejoined Pentagram and contributed to albums such as Last Rites (2011) and Curious Volume (2015), helping to carry the band’s legacy into the modern era.
Through his guitar playing and songwriting, Griffin played a key role in defining not just Pentagram’s sound but the very aesthetic of doom metal – slow tempos, heavy distortion, melancholic atmospheres – influencing countless bands in the genre’s future.
Periods of Departure and Other Projects
Despite his influence, Griffin’s relationship with Pentagram was not always continuous. In 1988, due to frustration over lack of support, touring, and changes in direction, he left the band. In the years that followed, Pentagram went through multiple incarnations, but none quite matched the early impact of the Griffin era.
In 2000 Griffin formed Place of Skulls, a doom metal band rooted in Griffin’s spiritual conversion and Christian beliefs – a meaningful pivot from the occult and darker themes associated with Pentagram. Through Place of Skulls, he channeled heavy riffs into a different lyrical and spiritual direction.
He also led other projects, including InGraved, and released a solo record under his own name. These projects allowed him to explore a variety of musical approaches – still grounded in doom and heavy rock, but with personal artistic freedom.
Return to Pentagram and Later Years
The 2000s saw a broader resurgence of interest in traditional doom and early heavy metal, aided in part by reissues and renewed critical attention. In 2010, Griffin rejoined Pentagram for good. This reunion was more than nostalgic – the band signed with a major metal label Metal Blade Records and released Last Rites, their first full album together in 17 years. The comeback reaffirmed Pentagram’s place in the metal world, with Griffin’s riffs once again at the core.
In 2015, Pentagram released Curious Volume, another album that upheld the heavy, doominflected style fans associated with the band. Reviews praised the album as an authentic continuation of Pentagram’s legacy – rough, powerful, evocative – and a testament to Griffin’s enduring talent and relevance.
While Pentagram’s lineup changed over time, and Griffin stepped back at points, his influence remains unmistakable. Even when absent, the influence of his tuning, riff style, and songwriting continues to shape the band’s identity – and the broader doom metal landscape.
Musical Style, Innovation, and Influence
Victor Griffin’s guitar style blends raw heaviness with a sense of melody and doom-laden atmosphere. He often employs down-tuned guitars (notably Drop B tuning), which gives his riffs a thick, lumbering weight that feels both oppressive and hypnotic. This sound contrasted with much of what heavy metal was doing in the 1980s – faster tempos, flashy solos – and helped define a qualitatively different, darker path.
His approach emphasizes mood over speed, texture over technical showmanship, and emotion over virtuosity. Many bands influenced by Pentagram cite Griffin’s riffs as foundational. The combination of slow tempos, sustained chords, downtuned guitar, and emotional vocal delivery helped cement doom metal as a major subgenre, influencing later acts that explore despair, melancholy, and existential themes through heavy music.
Songwriting and Lyrics
While Griffin is chiefly known as a guitarist, he also contributed significantly to Pentagram’s songwriting. His compositions often explore dark themes existential anxiety, betrayal, inner turmoil, and spiritual struggle. Through his music, listeners hear sorrow, anger, and a brooding sense of fate – qualities that resonate strongly in doom metal’s tradition of emotional weight.
Legacy and Cultural Importance
Victor Griffin’s career is remarkable not just for longevity, but for consistency and impact. Over forty years of playing, across multiple bands and personal phases, he helped define a musical style that gives voice to darkness, resilience, and raw emotion. As part of Pentagram, he helped birth what is widely regarded as one of the earliest and most influential doom metal bands in the United States.
Moreover, his later work – with Place of Skulls and other projects – demonstrates artistic evolution. He didn’t remain trapped in one image or sound; instead he allowed his personal growth – including spiritual changes – to influence his music, giving fans a sense of authenticity and depth.
In a genre often associated with darkness and despair, Griffin’s journey stands out for its complexity a musician who battled internal and external challenges, who left and returned, who transformed both personally and artistically. His influence on guitarists, songwriters, and metal fans across generations remains strong. Many consider him one of the defining riffmakers in doom and heavy metal history.
Victor Griffin is more than just the guitarist for Pentagram – he is one of the foundational architects of doom metal. His thick, downtuned riffs, brooding atmospheres, and unwavering dedication contributed to albums that still resonate decades after their release. From his early days with Death Row, through the chaos and turbulence of Pentagram’s numerous iterations, to his own bands and solo work, Griffin’s creative voice has remained powerful and consistent. For listeners seeking music that combines weight, emotion, and raw honesty, Victor Griffin’s discography offers a journey into the darker corners of rock – but also a testament to the enduring power of heavy music shaped by sincerity and craft.