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Pentagram

Biography

One of the most enduring and influential underground bands in heavy metal history, Pentagram's career was almost 15 years old by the time they finally managed to record their first album. Though invariably led by mysterious frontman Bobby Liebling, the band's volatile membership made it difficult to maintain any kind of momentum and kept them confined to metal's outer fringes. But interest in Pentagram's convoluted history continues to grow and their crucial contributions to the development of heavy metal seem at last to be receiving some of their late, lamented due.

Pentagram first came into existence in 1971 in Woodbridge, VA, when singer Bobby Liebling met guitarist/drummer Geof O'Keefe. In the coming months, the duo played with a variety of local musicians, including guitarist John Jennings, bassist Vincent McAllister, and drummer Steve Martin, but by early 1972, McAllister had switched to guitar, O'Keefe took over on drums, and Greg Mayne joined on bass guitar. This lineup of Liebling, McAllister, Mayne, and O'Keefe would remain intact for the next six years, and though they occasionally performed under different names, including Virgin Death, Stone Bunny, and Macabre (the last of which graced their first single, "Be Forewarned," in 1972), they always inevitably returned to Pentagram. Another element of stability was their musical direction, which never strayed too far from the distorted psychedelic hard rock of heavy metal pioneers like Blue Cheer and the Groundhogs. A set of independent 7" recordings, "Human Hurricane" and "When the Screams Come" (this last was never released) preceded their first live performance on December 15, 1973, by which time a visible Black Sabbath influence had begun to take hold. Second guitarist Randy Palmer joined their ranks mid-1974 and his addition coincided with Pentagram's most prolific period of the decade, including close calls with record deals from both Columbia and Casablanca Records. But by 1976, Palmer was out (briefly replaced by Marty Iverson) and all of the band's professional prospects had dried up, leaving Pentagram to grind to a halt at the end of the year.

After years of silence, Liebling was finally encouraged to resume his career in mid-1978, when he met a musical soul mate in local drummer Joey Hasselvander, but it wasn't until Halloween 1981 that Pentagram was truly brought back from the dead. By then, Hasselvander had joined a new group called Death Row, which featured a young, Black Sabbath-obsessed guitarist named Victor Griffin. When Liebling stopped by for a jam, creative sparks flew almost immediately and with the addition of bassist Martin Swaney, the group officially assumed the Pentagram name once again. More years of hard work playing in clubs and composing new material followed, but in 1985, Pentagram finally recorded a full-length, self-titled debut (minus Hasselvander, who was replaced at the last minute by drummer Stuart Rose). Later retitled Relentless, the record may have been dedicated to Blue Cheer, but its contents owed an almost singular stylistic debt to Black Sabbath and along with its even more accomplished 1987 successor Day of Reckoning, it helped set the stage for the looming doom metal movement. Not fast enough for Pentagram to capitalize, however, and following another lengthy hiatus, a new contract from Peaceville Records finally led to another comeback via 1994's Be Forewarned LP (featuring a reinstated Hasselvander). But the musical climate of the time was very unfriendly to heavy metal of any kind, and the doom scene had never managed to coalesce as expected, leading Pentagram to another, seemingly final breakup.

Then in 1998, a clandestine, unauthorized collection of early Pentagram demos and live bootlegs, entitled Human Hurricane, was unexpectedly released, prompting Liebling and Hasselvander to take action. Both 1999's Review Your Choices and 2001's Sub-Basement combined new compositions with updated versions of the band's ancient classics and featured Hasselvander playing every instrument. The controversy also sparked greater interest in Pentagram's music and its substantial impact on the heavy metal genre, culminating in the priceless (and this time fully authorized) collection of long-lost '70s recordings entitled First Daze Here (The Vintage Collection). Another compilation, Turn to Stone, arrived later in 2002, compiling material from their Peaceville albums that had gone out of print in the late 90's. ~ Ed Rivadavia, All Music Guide

Continued…

Selected Discography

First Daze Here Too
2006

Turn To Stone
2002

First Daze Here (The Vintage Collection)
2002

Be Forewarned
1995

Relentless
1985

Similar Artists

Black Sabbath
Witchcraft
Electric Wizard
Bedemon
The Sword

bistromath says:

06-05-2009

even if Pentagram didn't get around to actually recording an album till the 80's, they were writing music around the same time that Sabbath started. They're not wannabe's, they were just part of the same scene.

ale93 says:

05-13-2009

I wouldn't call them black sabbath wannabes so much as a tribute to and continuation of Sabbath's style. Its very well done classic/doom metal. so what if they sound a lot like sabbath, that a good thing, and I wish there were more bands like them.

Firmus Arma says:

edited on 04-09-2009

I love the tone of the guitar!

angel of anarchy says:

11-21-2008

when you hear witchcraft it makes you appreciate pentagram that much more.pentrag r a m made beautiful music.

angel of anarchy says:

11-17-2008

black sabbath wanna be-so there i said it-i can follow directions-i t doesn't make a bit of sense tho.

Ben Tish says:

10-21-2008

Can you say: Black Sabbath wannabe?

shackbigdadd y says:

08-04-2008

My friend's house was behind Joey Hasselvander ' s place, and we used to listen to Pentagram jam all night long, it was great! I got to see them play at a place called the Silver Fox in Woodbridge, great metal! I even drew a flier for them once for one of their show's at the Fox. -Leo

metalhead439 says:

06-20-2008

doom metal is the best kind of f**kin' metal

chuck anthony says:

06-10-2008

hey idiot they were around way before pantera read the bio if u can read dumbass

sedridor25 says:

06-08-2008

NOBODY SHOULD SPELL BANDS LIKE "KoRn" "MetallicA" "PanterA" "SlIpKnOt" or anything like that

i love this band, awesome name, creepy rhyming structure, riffs like Classic Sabbath, but the guy's voice is too high for doom metal (no offense)

KATON W. DE PENA says:

06-03-2008

Pentagram total HEAVY DOOM METAL KINGS...
KATON
http://www.h i r a x . o r g

sig0797 says:

01-25-2008

I grew up in Woodbridge, VA and used to see this band under the name of Death Row at places like the Happy Pickle in Dumfries, VA. This was in the 1981-1984 time frame. They rocked. I knew Stuart Rose who played drums on the Relentless album. He used to be in a band called Crucifix with a bass player named Tim Carruba. I remember many a night at the Happy Pickle watching a full pitcher of beer bounce across the table while Death Row/Pentagra m rocked. Thanks for the memories guys.

Ben says:

01-20-2008

"PanterA"? Whoa buddy, who let you out of the group home?

derringer72 says:

12-07-2007

Yeah, probably since Phil has laid his praises, time and time, again at the feet of Pentagram.

jclark18 says:

11-20-2007

BOO this band....Nice name, do u think it had anything to do with PanterA

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