Review by Vladimir on June 22, 2025.

Pentagram is one of those bands that I deeply love and greatly respect for many reasons beyond the fact that they are one of the godfathers of doom metal, apart form Black Sabbath, as well as an awesome band with an everlasting legacy that stood the test of time. Whether that is due to their withstanding heavy and gloomy sound, or the story of their vocalist Bobby Liebling which was depicted in Last Days Here documentary, that is entirely up to your interpretation, but I think we can all agree on the fact that Pentagram has released albums which are considered stone-cold classics that stood the test of time. In any case, their reputation is indeed deserved, and we all think that this band deserves more love and recognition than it gets. As a testament to their legacy is their tenth official studio album, Lightning In A Bottle, which we have been patiently waiting for the last 10 years and the immense build-up towards its release has greatly surpassed some of its predecessors. Expectations for this one have certainly went over the roof, especially since we got a first couple of singles that were just a glimpse of its fully fledged majesty, so it's no surprise that the fan and critical feedback for this one was overwhelmingly positive and for a multitude of reasons.

The unholy tradition of heavy and groovy riffs which have always been the integral part of the band's DNA are back in a more menacing and badass fashion, fully dominating alongside the oldschool blues rock style vocals of great Bobby Liebling, which managed to set the bar high from the very first track 'Live Again' and then continues to slay all the way through. Though the band's range of ideas throughout their career has always varied in terms of catchiness and "doom n' gloom" as we like to put it, where this album already takes the lead is the instant hooks in the songs and the constant flow of "hook after hook", which hasn't been this good or as strong for the last 30 years. This feels like a proper return to form for Pentagram and I believe this easily surpasses the efforts of other finest works such as Review Your Choices and Sub-Basement, which were hard to top for years as the new albums came by, but they managed to achieve the impossible. Noteworthy examples such as 'Lady Heroin', 'Solve The Puzzle' and the ominous doom metal banger 'Walk The Sociopath' are some of the personal standouts for me, as well as a real "breath of fresh air" which I think the general doom metal community needed in this day and age. If you just thought that Lightning In A Bottle couldn't be a more fun and joyful thrill-ride all the way through, the real ace in the sleeve is the additional treat that the band prepared for us, the two bonus tracks 'Start The End' and 'Might Just Wanna Be Your Fool' that strike the final fatal blow before the conclusion.

What stands out from the very get-go about Lightning In A Bottle is the band's display of leaning stylistically towards a more contemporary musical direction, which in essence comes closer to some of the bands they've influenced, particularly in the more modern doom, stoner and sludge branch. The overall songwriting and riff work focuses more on the groovy aspects than the evil atmospheric vibe that laid the foundation of the band's early albums, additionally broadening the horizon of their musicality and strengthening the band's core foundation. Although this comes of as no surprise considering that it's the natural evolution of Pentagram's sound, it is apparent that this is a result of the band's recent line-up changes, which obviously had big shoes to fill-in and were yet to prove their worth, but I think that the new line-up have brought something quite significant to the table, which was more than enough to provide for the fans to enjoy. Pentagram being more like the bands that they've influenced shows that they did not only come full-circle, but also proves that they are not stuck in the past and just trying to re-hash/recreate the magic of the notable works in the band's discography. As for Bobby's vocals on the new album, I must admit that it's a real miracle to hear that his voice is still holding up and that it has not aged a day since the man himself came back in full swing almost 20 years ago. Although the addition of Tony Reed as the band's new guitarist and producer for the new album has proved that he was indeed more than just the right choice for Lightning In A Bottle, I firmly believe that we should all give credit where credit is due. Apart from his awesome guitar riff all the way through, Tony did not only manage to give us such as sweet and crunchy sound production for Pentagram's latest addition in their discography, but he also proved that he is one of very few exceptional people that understands exactly what the band is all about and what the band needs, and his baptism by fire shows that he is more than welcome to be a part of the gang. Anyone like me who wholeheartedly knows that the band has never relied on studio trickery and such in order to polish their sound and make the music more presentable like many other tend to do these days, will tell you that Pentagram is one of the rare breeds that still like keep things real while maintaining their raw energy and emotions. Simply put, when it comes to Pentagram, there is no bullshitting, just rock and roll.

If the title and the score of this review weren't enough to express my final verdict for Pentagram's new album, then I guess I will just have to put it into words. Without a shadow of a doubt, Lightning In A Bottle is by far Pentagram's best work since their first three albums and a mesmerizing work of art that deserves one great seal of approval. I don't think the band could have found a better way to celebrate their 50-year legacy, and the overwhelmingly positive reactions from fans and critics are absolutely justified. This will definitely be one of my top 5 albums of 2025, and I just can't thank Pentagram enough for this masterpiece, because they truly managed to once again capture the lightning in a bottle!

Rating: 9.5 out of 10