Pentagram -- San Francisco, CA -- July 2nd, 2009

[ADD]

This isn't some "Oh, well they're still around so might as well catch em while you can" reunion, this is a band in peak form. I'm talkin about Pentafuckingram of course. Bobby is the best frontman I've ever seen (Bruce Bruce...? take more drugs ), the band is in top form on all levels, go see this show and check out the new album Last Rites, coming either late this year or early next. They played 2 new songs "Takes No More" and "South of the Swamp", both DESTROY any of the new Heaven & Hell songs, this is real old school heavy metal doom rock n roll.

Got inside in time to watch the last couple Hammers Of Misfortune songs, they ended with "Trot Out The Dead." Good. Hella people in attendence, an the most fine women I've ever seen at an underground metal show by far. Discounting them I also saw Matt Pike, two dudes from Saviours, drummer for Asunder/Ghoul, drummer for Ludicra/Agalloch, drummer from Annihillation Time, and hella other Bay Area folks who frequent the good shows. Duh. It's Pentagram.

Nachtmystium were Ok, they think they're rock stars but whatever. "Hellish Overdose" was the best obviously cuz it has the best riffs, they didnt quite get right the effects on the guitars for the middle part melody on "A Seed for Suffering" but yeah they're good. Whatever. I like em better on the CD. This is what they played:

Your True Enemy
Ghosts of Grace
Life of Fire
Chosen By No One
Hellish Overdose
A Seed For Suffering
Assassins


Pentagram brought the house down. Bobby Liebling was born to be on stage. The sound was great, bassist had some problems with his amp cutting out, but the guitars and drums held shit down consistently. And Bobby is just an ancient toothless maniac who you can't understand what is coming out of his mouth except when he's belting out the jams. The jams were as follows:

Wheel of Fortune
Forever My Queen
Review Your Choices
Walk In The Blue Light
Take No More
Petrified
All Your Sins
Earth Flight
South of the Swamp
20 Buck Spin

------------------------

Sign of the Wolf
When The Screams Come

I heard they were gonna play "Relentless" from some dude when I was waiting in line but they didn't They also dropped "Lazy Lady" which SUCKS cuz its one of my faves but whatever, the performance was excellent. "Forever My Queen", "Walk In The Blue Light", "20 Buck Spin", and "Sign of the Wolf" were fuckin heaviest "Earth Flight" was sick too. Great show

[Elvenking]

Originally Posted by ADD

Nachtmystium were Ok, they think they're rock stars but whatever.

Tell me about it.

[ImmortalEmperor]

They brought the house down here in Seattle as well. Hopefully the great response they are getting on this six city mini-tour will lead to a full U.S. tour later in the year. Everybody needs to see Bobby on stage at some point in their lives - the man can entertain.

[ADD]

Originally Posted by Elvenking

Tell me about it.

Well they came out and soundchecked for about 10-15 minutes annoyingly (the drums sound fine, you don't need more reverb on the vocals you're just screaming anyway, I wanna hear the Angel Witch song blasting over the PA, etc), then they walked off backstage for another several minutes before the "intro tape" or whatever came on and the lights went down, only then could they make their grand entrance and start playing Iron Maiden can have an introduction, Nachtmystium? Huh? Especially compared to Pentagram who just came out and let it rip with no pretense bullshit. Not a big deal but I noticed it. They're certainly professional as fuck and can really play, I dunno if their music is really suited for the live setting though, they need more songs with variation like "Hellish Overdose" otherwise their speed is just set on either 'Blastbeat' or 'Mid-tempo'. Never caught it before in their music but actually some of the guitar melody parts reminded me of Amon Amarth the way they tremolo pick the single notes with the mid-pace beat in the back.

[lakebod0m]

Originally Posted by ADD

Well they came out and soundchecked for about 10-15 minutes annoyingly (the drums sound fine, you don't need more reverb on the vocals you're just screaming anyway, I wanna hear the Angel Witch song blasting over the PA, etc), then they walked off backstage for another several minutes before the "intro tape" or whatever came on and the lights went down, only then could they make their grand entrance and start playing Iron Maiden can have an introduction, Nachtmystium? Huh? Especially compared to Pentagram who just came out and let it rip with no pretense bullshit. Not a big deal but I noticed it. They're certainly professional as fuck and can really play, I dunno if their music is really suited for the live setting though, they need more songs with variation like "Hellish Overdose" otherwise their speed is just set on either 'Blastbeat' or 'Mid-tempo'. Never caught it before in their music but actually some of the guitar melody parts reminded me of Amon Amarth the way they tremolo pick the single notes with the mid-pace beat in the back.

I think he was agreeing with you not challenging you.

[ADD]

Originally Posted by lakebod0m

I think he was agreeing with you not challenging you.

Oh.... Did you go to the show?

[metal_wolfxii]

My only regret this year so far is that I missed this gig last night, but it would've been a 5 hour drive to Austin and I had work to do this morning. What made it sweeter was that Minsk and Wolves In The Throne Room were tossed into the bill since they were in town the same night.

*hits himself repeatedly* stupid stupid stupid

[IrritatedTrout]

Saw them a few months ago in Baltimore, Bobby is awesome.