Pentagram
Day of Reckoning
[Peaceville]


Pentagram's second album saw a refinement of the doom metal approach the band took on their first album. The trademark 'lackidaisical' vocals of Bobby "Plugie" Liebling are still in place, and sound-wise not a lot has changed, but this album definitely does not sound like just a 'part two' of their debut. Overall the feel of the album is more oppressive and sinister than the debut; the band forays more into the slower tempos and the riffs themselves are a lot more 'doomy' sounding. The high point is definitely the track "Burning Saviour," the nine-minute-plus centerpiece of the album. It starts with dirge-like clean electric arpeggios which explode into a 'heavy' version of the same progression - and even though the song builds and changes, it still manages to re-incorporate different versions of this main riff several times later in the song.

Just like the first album, the 1993 Peaceville issue is a reissue - this album originally came out in 1987 on Napalm/Dutch East India. Definitely a worthy purchase if you're into Sabbath-inspired 'vintage' doom.


© 1999 lord vic