Pentagram are an American doom band formed in the early 1970's by vocalist Bobby Liebling.
Pentagram - Relentless (Peaceville) 1985/1993/2005
1. Death Row (4:14)
2. All Your Sins (4:38)
3. Sign of the Wolf (Pentagram) (3:10)
4. The Ghoul (5:14)
5. Relentless (3:50)
6. Run My Course (2:46)
7. Sinister (4:33)
8. The Deist (3:48)
9. You're Lost I'm Free (2:18)
10. Dying World (4:00)
11. 20 Buck Spin (4:20)
"Relentless" has a long and convoluted history about it. Pentagram are an American doom band formed in the early 1970's by vocalist Bobby Liebling. Their original line-up consisted of Bobby Liebling - vocals, Geof O'Keef - drums, Vincent McAllister - guitar and Greg Mayne - bass. The band's classic line-up, which recorded this release, consisted of Bobby Liebling, drummer Joe Hasselvander and bassist Martin Swaney. Though they never saw huge commercial success in the 70's, the did end up gaining a cult following. The band broke up for a spell at the end of the 1970's, at which time Joe Hasselvander hooked up with Victor Griffin, a teenage guitarist from Tennessee. Griffin had been writing songs and trying to put together a band called Death Row. After some time, Griffin and Hasselvander hooked up with Swaney and Liebling and Death Row was a fully functioning doom metal machine. Death Row were known for their theatrical and bizarre shows. The band recorded their 1982 cassette demo "All Your Sins" that was recorded in two sessions. (Side One in ’81, Side Two in ’82. They also recorded a second, 3-song demo in 1983 called "Whore".). At some point before the first album Bobby convinced his band mates to change the band's name to Pentagram. The album that is now known as "Relentless" was issued on wax as Pentagram's eponymous titled album by Pentagram Records in ’85. The album was eventually picked up and re-issued by Peaceville Records in 1993 with a new mix, altered track listing, new cover and a retitled as "Relentless". As such, Pentagram’s full-length album came out under a different title four years after the first songs were recorded under a completely different moniker, and nearly 15 years after Liebling formed Pentagram, and then again under another different title eight years after that. Sheesh! Quite the history lesson.
Pentagram's sound is firmly based on 1970's heavy metal and is a cross between Blue Cheer and Black Sabbath, though they certainly recall Sabbath more so than any other band. The music is slow, thick, dark and heavy. Heavily distorted guitar riffs are the catalyst for the sound. Guitarist Victor Griffin having studied at the Tony Iommi school of power-chord sludge. However, some of his riffs are more melodic and less discordant than Sabbath's. Griffin is responsible for a little more than half of the music and lyrics on "Relentless". Vocalist/founder Bobby "Plugie" Liebling is credited with writing the other half of the music. His voice is charismatic and distinctive, though not overly aggressive, nor does he exhibit a wide range. However, he does lay down some nice vocal melodies to bring the sludgy music to life. The rhythm section of bassist Martin Swaney and drummer Joe Hasselvander basically sticks to the groove of the song, giving the album it's underlying thundering quality. As might be guessed by the band's moniker and their overall image, the song lyrics are rather dark, though not nearly as occult-ish as one might imagine. Sabbath may be the roots of doom and stoner rock, but Pentagram defines it.
Victor Griffin went on to form Place of Skulls. Joe Hasselvander has played with many different bands, but is most known for his work with Raven.
Pentagram - Day of Reckoning (Peaceville) 1987/2005
1. Day of Reckoning (2:43)
2. Evil Seed (4:38)
3. Broken Vows (4:37)
4. When the Screams Come (3:42)
5. Burning Savior (9:08)
6. Madman (4:17)
7. Wartime (5:25)
"Day of Reckoning" is the second full length album from Pentagram. On the original vinyl issue, Joe Hasselvander only played drums on one track, "Burning Savior". Stuart Rose recording the drums on all the rest. However, Hasselvander re-recorded drums on all tracks, except "Burning Savior" for the 1993 Peaceville Records re-issue. As such, the CD version is a completely different mix than the Napalm Records LP.
The music contained herein is in much the same vein as "Relentless", dark, sludgy, walls of doom metal. Pentagram's sound is much more minimalistic than many doom bands. Rather than progressive songwriting or melodic tendencies, the music is moody, sedate and heavy. Opener "Day Of Reckoning" is the most up-tempo number on the record and is also the shortest, clocking in at less than three minutes long. The Victor Griffin penned "Evil Seed" is one of the band's signature tracks, in my opinion.The song is a funeral dirge the explores depression, despair and desolation. The song is heavy as a steel girder, but moody accentuated by Bobby Liebling's subdued and often whispered vocals. The song ends with an Iommi-inspired guitar solo. Liebling's "Burning Savior" is the album's opus, and the longest song on the album. The song starts off with an ominous acoustic intro and quickly builds into a wall of glorious electric doom. The nine minute long song never drags and includes a wicked guitar solo towards the end of the song.
As with the debut, the lyrics are dark. The band seems to have a fascination with mysticism and religion. The songs seem to focus on the never ending fight between good and evil, sin and virtue, the divine and the demonic. "Burning Savior" explores the subject of a soul being dragged to hell. "How long can you keep pretending, you can't live by the rules you're bending. All your prayers do no good, when you don't do what you should. Lucifer lives, it's no illusion, your mind is in confusion, thoughts denied all come true, when he takes you soul from you."
"Day of Reckoning" is considered by many fans to be the band's finest hour and I wouldn't necessarily disagree. With "Day of Reckoning" Pentagram set the standard of how traditional doom metal should sound.
A couple of facts about "Day of Reckoning":
1) the tracklisting was slightly different between the original vinyl release and the later Peaceville re-issues, and...
2) there have been 3 different covers for this album between 1987 (mortuary photo with black logo), 1993 (black and gold baphomet cover) and 2005 (mortuary photo with white logo).
Victor Griffin & Bobby Liebling, 2011Related collections:
Place of Skulls | Victor Griffin | Raven
