Pentagram

Pentagram stands as one of the most significant 'what if' stories in heavy metal history. Formed in 1971 in Arlington, Virginia, they are the primary architects of American doom metal.

While they shared the same Sabbath-inspired DNA as their UK counterparts, Pentagram infused it with a gritty, hard-rock sensibility and a distinctively American street-level perspective. The band's history is inextricably linked to frontman Bobby Liebling, whose tumultuous life and career-long struggle with substance abuse both fueled the band's dark aesthetic and hindered their commercial ascent. Despite forming in the early 70s, they didn't release a full-length album until 1985's 'Relentless,' making them a bridge between the proto-metal era and the 80s doom revival. Their influence is foundational; without Pentagram, the stoner rock and traditional doom scenes of the 90s and 2000s would lack their blueprint. Critical consensus views them as the 'Big Four' of doom alongside Saint Vitus, Trouble, and Candlemass, though Pentagram is often cited as the most 'rock and roll' of the group due to their bluesy swing and Liebling's charismatic, albeit erratic, performance style.