Pentagram Lightning In A Bottle CD Review

Next to Death and taxes, there are but a few things in life that are certain. One of the sure-fire things for me is being excited about new music from the American Doom Metal band, Pentagram. If you’ve clicked on this review, you probably know a great deal about the band already, so I’ll spare you all a LONG diatribe of self-inflicted wounds the band has had to endure. I’ll just quickly mention this, take an hour or so and watch the documentary “Last Days Here” and you’ll get the backstory on the band.

To date Pentagram has released 9 studio albums, countless singles and a few killer compilations that a lot of us consider to be some of the best releases in Metal. Or at least that’s how I view it, the first Pentagram album is ridiculously underrated and it’s just as important as the Self-Titled release from Sabbath. Of course, that’s just my opinion. Lead vocalist Bobby Liebling has led this band back from the brink of disaster more times than the band has found success it seems, yet they continue to find themselves fighting the odds at every turn.
 
The last time Pentagram released an album was 2015’s “Curious Volume” and it wasn’t up to par to me, the production was slack, specifically in the drum department and Bobby’s righteous voice was drowned in the mix. Now here we are ten years later, and the band is on the cusp of releasing a new album entitled “Lightning in a Bottle”. I was saddened to find out that the lineup had changed, most notably, finding out that guitarist Victor Griffin was no longer in the band. Griffin has always been a main stay and a sincere reason for the band’s success, his sound and approach is undeniable. Thankfully, Bobby was able to land a phenomenal replacement in Tony Reed of Mos Generator and Stone Axe as well as others. I should also mention that Reed is an accomplished producer which makes this pick smart. It also means this album packs a serious punch of HEAVY! The band is rounded out by Bassist, Scooter Haslip also of Mos Generator and Drummer, Henry Vasquez of Saint Vitus.
 
Digging into “Lightning in A Bottle”, I can safely say right from the start, this album is far better than the band’s previous effort, it’s congruent, pointed and doesn’t jump all over the place musically. Since I’m a fan of Reed’s previous music releases, I hear his influence instantly. Opening track “Live Again” swings hard with big Riffs and melodies while vocalist, Liebling drops right in the pocket of the groove with his cool snarling vocals. Liebling’s delivery here is powerful, at 70 years old the man still has it despite all he’s been through. Reed’s guitar work is also prominent, he’s a terrific player, his lead work is nice! “In The Panic Room” carries on in the same manner until the bridge and then it breaks off into a psychedelic tiptoe through the tulips, then drops headfirst into what could only be described as Tony Iommi worship. “I Spoke to Death” also hearkens back to the early days of Pentagram and Sabbath, very similar to the 70’s vibes of Heavy Metal. If you’re into Doom or Sabbath, this is an essential piece of music that should only be played at maximum volume. There’s also a bit of Heavy Blues type riffs/tracks here specifically on “Dull Pain” and “Spread your Wings”. This has always been prominent in this type of music, but it isn’t talked about enough – the blues aspect simply can’t be denied on these tunes. My favorite track off the album has more to do with the lyrics than anything – “I’ll Certainly See You in Hell”. While I’m sure it’s Liebling’s biography, I feel the same and I relate to it deeply. And Reed’s lead work here is outstanding, he really captures the feel of the song. Lead single “Thundercrest” is a legit Riff fest, it’s another of those tune low, play slow and obliterate everything within sight type songs.

It's been a few years since I’ve enjoyed a Doom album this much and while I know Liebling doesn’t consider or like for his music to be referred to as such, I must call it like I see it. This is Doom Metal at its finest and you’re not going to find anything this close to Sabbath without it annoying you. I’m not into Sabbath worship at all; I want to hear a band have their own voice. Pentagram does, they always have, they’re similar because they were turning heads when Sabbath was current. “Lightning in a Bottle” will be released on Heavy Psych Records in several different vinyl pressings as well as CD format, so there’s something for everyone. Currently, this album is a dead ringer to be the best album of 2025 for me. I’m stoked to see that Bobby Liebling is out there still doing it. Let’s hope he stays on the straight and narrow and continues to give us fans more great Pentagram music. Much love and congratulations are warranted for this effort to the band and Heavy Psych for this release. Grab one as soon as you can!

~Black Angel