The legend of Pentagram is a tale of two bands. On one hand, you’ve got America’s answer to Black Sabbath, one of the earliest metal bands not just in the country, but the world, influencing scores of bands to follow. On the other, you’ve got a band riddled with bad luck, drug addiction, ever-changing personnel, and worse. To say the last 54 years have been a rocky road for Pentagram would be an understatement. And yet, against all odds, they stand defiant and strong, offering up their first full length platter in a decade, Lightning in a Bottle.
Of course, when I use the words “Pentagram” and “they”, I’m referring to the singular being that is Mr. Bobby Liebling, the sole constant of the band from day one. Joining Liebling for this latest foray are guitarist Tony Reed and bassist Scooter Haslip of stoner rockers Mos Generator, as well as veteran drummer Henry Vasquez who’s played with nearly every doom band under the sun. Together, these four make up doom metal godfathers Pentagram in the year of our lord 2025, fusing their talents to craft an album that’s one part ’70s psych freak-out, one part ’90s doom throwback, and all parts Pentagram.
From the murky guitars, wicked grooves, and unforgettable vocals of Liebling that dominate the opening “Live Again”, we know we’re in store for a heavy, doomy affair. Being the oldhead that I am, the ’70s flavored cuts speak to me the loudest, particularly the Sabbath meets Stooges romp that is “I’ll Certainly See You in Hell”. Other songs channeling these sounds of the stoned age are the psychedelic “Dull Pain”, bruising “Might Just Wanna Be Your Fool”, and hard jamming title track. These, as well as a few others scattered about, boast the raw honesty of the band’s demo/single era, when they searched high and low for a major label deal.
When they aren’t taking us back in time to the days of Watergate, Pentagram treat us to tasty hook-laden doom rockers like “I Spoke to Death”, “Thundercrest”, and “Solve the Puzzle”, all of which boast riffs and arrangements reminiscent of their unsung ’90s era. Admittedly, I feel as if I’ve heard the “Solve the Puzzle” riff before, perhaps on a Trouble or King’s X album, but by no means am I docking this album points for that. The only real downside of this album are that some of these songs sound less like Pentagram and more like *insert any old stoner/doom band here*. In particular, “Spread Your Wings” feels like a ’90s COC throwaway, while darker songs like “Lady Heroin” (a woman Liebling knows well) and “Walk the Sociopath” lack the character this band is synonymous with, lumbering and droning about without direction.
While Lightning in a Bottle doesn’t scratch the level of brilliance that Pentagram’s ’70s, ’80s, or ’90s output does, it is far more invigorating than one would expect for a band this far into their career. It’s also far more fulfilling than your average doom metal album, give or take a few of the aforementioned songs above. If nothing else, Lightning is a doom metal battle cry, signaling to all the naysayers that Pentagram lives, whether you like it or not. And when their time does ultimately come, just like the song says, they’ll certainly see us in hell.
7 out of 10
Label: Heavy Psych Sounds
Genre: Doom Metal
For fans of: Black Sabbath, The Obsessed, Saint Vitus