Bobby Liebling and his band Pentagram have a very long and confusing history. A review is not the place to tell that tale, but to put Last Rites in it’s proper context, knowing a small bit of that history is essential. You see, before Pentagram became one of doom metal’s corner stone bands in the mid 80’s, Liebling spent the better part of the 70’s cranking out cutting edge hard rock and metal tunes. All the while, Liebling’s own instability doomed Pentagram to toil in obscurity, the man’s gift for song writing confined to piles of demo tapes and a few rare singles. The band that could have been a legendary 70’s act didn’t find their niche until Victor Griffin joined in the early 80’s, bringing his lead weight guitar tone with him. Of course many of you know this already, but it is of particular importance here because it helps to explain the dual nature that I see on Last Rites.

Last Rites is not a pure doom metal album, it is more of a 70’s style hard rock/metal album that happens to feature Griffin’s massive guitar tone. This wasn’t what I was expecting at all really, especially with Griffin returning to the ranks. The first three albums of the Liebling/Griffin collaboration produced some of the most pure doom metal ever recorded, and while that 70’s vibe was always there, it had never had such a strong presence in the songs. Of course this brings me back to my point about the dual nature of both the band and Last Rites in particular. Pentagram is a doom metal legend, but also a 70’s could-have-been. Last Rites seems like a cleaner, more stable Liebling’s attempt to slay the demons of his past, a chance to show the world what could have been if he had gotten his act together thirty years ago.

If that was Liebling’s intent, Last Rites has to be looked at as a success. The album’s first two cuts, “Treat Me Right,” and “Call The Man” are both big riffy rockers, with hooks to spare. It isn’t a stretch to think that either of these songs would have been well-received if they had been released when they were written in the 70’s. “Into The Ground” and “8” are more in the traditional doom vein, and both very well executed. “Windmills and Chimes” is a true ballad, and will undoubtedly be a bit of a turn-off to some of Pentagram’s core fan base. Really though, this is a very well put together song. I think that this could have been a big hit if it had been properly released in the 70’s. It is later in the album where a few cracks start to show. “American Dream” is just a generic doom song, and pure filler, while “Death in 1^st Person” is just plain weird. It actually sounds like a discarded Rollins Band song (seriously) and it doesn’t fit with the rest of the album at all. Thankfully, the tail end of the album is salvaged by “Horseman,” and “Walk in The Blue Light.” The latter, features a strong Black Sabbath vibe, and is one of the albums stand-out tracks.

Griffin’s guitar tone is the glue that ties all of these songs together. He brings a massive, distinctly metal quality to the table that allows the more rock-focused songs to stand along side the traditional doom songs. Liebling‘s compelling vocal performance provides yet another connecting thread, allowing the album to sound truly cohesive. The man’s voice has aged like a fine wine. The years seem to have tempered his voice with a sense of world-weary regret that give these songs an honest, believable quality.

Last Rites probably won’t be a big shock to people who have spent time with their compilations of 70’s material that have been released over the years. Those are the sort of albums that only the diehard Pentagram fans go out of their way to get though. Most of us have not spent a lot of time with them, and as such, have had little exposure to this side of Pentagram.  In a nutshell,  Last Rites just has a lot more in common with Blue Öyster Cult than it does with Black Sabbath.  It took a few spins to really sink in, but Last Rites is a really good album. I have mainly listened to Pentagram’s first four full-length albums, and all of them very much doom metal albums. I feel like I learned a lot about where this band came from by listening to Last Rites, and I have certainly gained a new respect for what Liebling was doing in 70’s. These guys really could have been big if things had worked out differently. With bands like Witchcraft and Graveyard getting bigger and bigger, it might just be that Pentagram still has a shot.

TRACK LISTING

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*Comments:

1.  Treat Me Right
2.  Call the Man
3.  Into the Ground
4.  8
5.  Everything's Turning to Night
6.  Windmills and Chimes
7.  American Dream
8.  Walk in Blue Light
9.  Horseman
10.  Death in 1st Person
11.  Nothing Left

Total playing time:  45:16

Release Date: April 12, 2011
Label: Metal Blade Records

Pentagram - Last Rites

Reviewer: Garett

June 13, 2011

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