PENTAGRAM "Show 'Em How" LP Black Widow
It's the year 2004 and PENTAGRAM is still alive, delivering its own heavy/doom.
The line-up is new, vocalist Bobby Liebling being joined by guitarist Kelly
Carmichael, bassist Adam Heinzmann and drummer Mike Smail. This lp offers
ten songs, eight new ones and two re-recorded old ones. The highlights are
the three solid rippers ("Wheel Of Fortune", "Starlady", "Show 'Em How"),
the hot thrilling ride of "Elektra Glide", "Last Days Here" which combines
doom and emotion, the walking trance of "City Romance". There is also second
rate material with the heavy and rolling "Catwalk", the dark rocker "Goddess",
the two doomy semi-ballads ("Prayer For An Exit Before The Dead End", "If
The Winds Would Change"). These four songs are good but not as exciting as
the six other ones. All in all, this is a very good offering from these doomsters.
Patrick Lefevre
PENTAGRAM “Sub-Basement” LP Black Widow
This new album of PENTAGRAM shows again the genius of two musicians and songwriters
: Joe Hasselvander and Bobby Liebling. Incredible and pure metal madness
with opener “Bloodlust”, the evil speed of “Drive Me To The Grave”, the devastating
“Target”, the insane ritual of “Tidal Wave” and the catchy “Mad Dog”. This
album also reaches an high level in talented doom metal with “Buzzsaw”,
the spell of “Sub-Basement”, the desperate “Out Of Luck”, the mindblowing
“After The Last” (very heavy) and “Go In Circles” (enter the realm of doom
!). This album is totally great ! Don’t miss it !
Patrick Lefevre
PENTAGRAM "A Keg Full Of Dynamite" LP Black Widow
The official release of an early PENTAGRAM show for those who were asking
for. This is a live recording from 1978. If you don't know this band and
wonder "what is PENTAGRAM ?", you will have a clear response straight in
the face after listening to their music : first class doomy heavy metal !
This vinyl just contains amazing songs (listen to "Mad Dog", "Day Of Reckoning"
or "Earth Flight") and diamonds that easily blow away all seventies BLACK
SABBATH stuffs (listen to "When The Screams Come", "20 Buck Spin" or "Review
Your Choices"). The musicianship is excellent and the tunes are memorable.
There is also the 7'' from 1979 ("When The Screams Come" and "Livin' In A
Ram's Head", originally released on High Voltage Records) to end the lp.
This album come in black vinyl and blue vinyl editions. An absolutely wonderful
release !
Patrick Lefevre
PENTAGRAM "First Daze Here" CD Relapse
When I bought this cd to a french mailorder, it was written in their catalog
: death/black precursors from Chile (I guess a guy of Osmose was drunk).
When I received it, I had the surprise to see it was the american band I
only knew the name (and now the story, thanks to Snakepit). Second surprise
was to see the name of the label releasing this cd, as for me Relapse means
shitty grind/death bands. I am not a lot into the bands of the seventies;
when I say I like Black Sabbath, it means with Dio. But I put the cd in the
stereo. I was not prepared for this unforgettable experience. What I have
experienced is the hypnotic trance of "Forever My Queen", the disturbing
mood of "When The Screams Come", the godly (I found no other word!) "Walk
In The Blue Light", the fascinating hurricane of "Starlady", the insistent
"Lazy Lady", the haunting "Review Your Choices", the assault of "Hurricane",
the fury of "Livin' In a Ram's Head", the astonishing "Earth Flight", the
mindblowing "20 Buck Spin", the threatening ballad "Be Forewarned" and the
magic fire of "Last Days Here" (another godly song). These tracks recorded
between 1972 and 1976 are pure shining jewels of dark heavy metal. And now,
it looks like I have no other choices : I must try to find the PENTAGRAM
albums!
Patrick Lefevre
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