Pentagram and Today Is the Day

Originally comprised of singer Bobby Liebling and guitarist/drummer Geof O’Keefe in 1971, by 1972 Pentagram consisted of Liebling, guitarist Vincent McAllister, bassist Greg Mayne, and Geof O’Keefe on drums. This lineup would prove to last six years during which time the band underwent numerous name changes including Virgin Death, Macabre, and Stone Bunny. The 7” single “Human Hurricane” arrived in 1973 lending influences from Blue Cheer and the Groundhogs, before Pentagram made their debut performance in December that year. Second guitarist Randy Palmer joined in 1974 however departed by 1976 following which the group struggled with raising its profile and courting labels.

In 1978 Liebling became acquainted with local drummer Joey Hasselvander and the two began a fruitful musical relationship. Bassist Martin Swaney joined shortly afterwards and Pentagram returned to performing live and writing new material. After almost 15 years of Pentagram’s existence, the band issued their debut, self-titled full-length album in 1985, the style of which was heavily indebted to Black Sabbath. Despite Pentagram’s doom metal follow-up, 1987’s “A Day of Reckoning”, the group was unable to generate any momentum and failed to acquire another recording deal until 1994. Issued by Peaceville Records, the group released “Be Forewarned” in 1994, however with the rise of grunge, the record failed to find an audience anywhere.

In 1998 an unauthorised collection of rarities and bootlegs arrived, leading Libelling and Hassalvander to capitalise by issuing “Review Your Choices” in 1999 and “Sub-Basement” in 2001. The releases led to an upsurge in popularity for the group who finally received their due as pioneers of the heavy metal genre. An authorised collection of long-lost recordings arrived in 2001 entitled "First Daze Here (The Vintage Collection)", after which the band rereleased their earlier albums including “Relentless” and “Day of Reckoning”.