Pentagram are more than just a part of the history of gloom and doom. They have helped shape the genre’s construction since their inception in early 1970s Virginia. Known as part of the Doom Big Four with Candlemass, Saint Vitus, and Trouble, their influence is large. With Lightning In A Bottle, their ninth studio album, Pentagram make it clear that they still have fire in their blood rather than simply reminding us of their legacy.
Pentagram – Lightning In A Bottle
Release Date: Out Now
Words: Ash Nash
Leading the assault with a voice still heavy with menace and personality is the always iconic frontman Bobby Liebling. Supported by Henry Vasquez on drums, Scooter Haslip on bass, and Tony Reed (of Mos Generator) on guitar, the current line-up is fixed and deadly. From the first note, you might tell the chemistry; this is not a band merely phoning it in.
Live Again has an instant effect: all gnawing and swagger. Bobby growls, “Like a cat with Maine Coon claws,” and he sounds as if he means it. The abrupt ending, which seems to cut off the momentum of the song, only slightly ruins the vibe of the song in some ways. Nevertheless, it is a clear expression of intent.
This album shines in its capacity to mix the old with the new, fresh and raw in places and also very cathartic to the real world. Lady Heroin is a highlight because it is profoundly personal and brutally honest; Bobby bravely confronts addiction with a rawness that is both lived-in and therapeutic. The band backs him up with a musical onslaught that includes strong guitars, thumping drums, and no concern about how it will be viewed.
And then there’s Thundercrest, a riff beast that hammers into you as does a freight train. Unfiltered, heavy, and implacable, it is the most basic of doom.
With its free, groove-driven tempo, the title track, Lightning In A Bottle, highlights the band’s ability to keep things original while retaining their roots.
Elsewhere, I Spoke To Death evokes their early days with an eerie flare, while Dull Pain gets into the weary misery that has always underlaid their sound—a slow-burning reminder of why fans have stayed with them for decades.
And then there is the unforeseen turn: the meme resurgence. A viral video of Bobby’s off-the-wall stage presence rejuvenated online band interest and exposed them to an entirely new audience.
Pentagram welcomed the interest and used it as motivation rather than withdrawing from it. The result of their album is one that honours their antique nature while pushing something more modern and cutting edge.
More than a resurgence, Lightning In A Bottle is a rebirth. Gloom-laden, groove-saturated, and attitude-packed, it showcases a group not happy to lie about history. They have bottled something pressing, weighty, and definitely alive instead.
This album hits hard. If you have been following Pentagram from the start or just came upon them on the internet, raise it. Five minutes, let it breathe and allow it to utterly devastate you entirely.
Pentagram – Lightning In A Bottle is out now via Heavy Psych Sound Records. For more info, including the deluxe version of the album, visit Bandcamp.
