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Rating: Probably in 1994, even the most devoted and hopeful of fans would have thought the members of Pentagram had met a grim end. Years of flirting with hard drugs, various hallucinogens, and less than reputable dealings with the occult would have produced devastating effects on anyone's psyche. But Pentagram are not normal individuals in the common sense of the term, and after seven years of oblivion, they are regurgitated from the bowels of hell that had swallowed them after the release of "Day Of Reckoning" to gift the followers of Tony Iommi's riff cult a new delivery of funereal and grinning Doom Metal: "Be Forewarned".
The long inactivity spent outside the musical environment (only Joe Hasselvander gives updates in this regard with the Raven) does not diminish the fervor with which they subject the unwary listener to exhausting pours of putrid, sulfuric, and sluggish Rock'n'Roll, and indeed the result is among the most inspired and diverse in the Pentagram's discography.
The first thing that stands out is the clarity and power of the sound, thanks to a modern production that gives the guitar a tone even akin to the panther-like Thrash that was so popular in those years. The sound gains in aggression, but unfortunately, the atmosphere is less decayed compared to works from the past decade.
In the hour that constitutes the CD, "Life Blood" and "Ask No More" represent the sinister and wild spirit of the American band, while "Live Free And Burn" is groovier. Still, tracks like "Vampyre Love," so melodic it could, if appropriately cleaned, hold its own on MTV, or "Frustration" and the title track (a kind of Led Zeppelin blues violated by Black Sabbath after they ingested large doses of Peyote), with their acoustic inserts, represent new facets in the group's career, as does the breakneck speed (by their standards) of "Nightmare Gown." Furthermore, alongside the charismatic leader Bobby Liebling, lascivious and mocking as usual and excellent at giving each track a distinct imprint, and the malevolent riff-forging machine known as Victor Griffin, the star of drummer Joe Hasselvander shines bright, who, besides branding the compositions with blows as gentle as an ogre stuck in traffic and adding a touch of class with his punctual fills (not for nothing does he have a jazz background), significantly contributes to the songwriting with at least two gems: "The World Will Love Again" featuring a messianic Liebling and the hypnotic "Petrified".
"Be Forewarned" may not be on par with the previous two masterpieces, although many consider it the best work of Pentagram, but it undoubtedly represents the last significant chapter in the discography of the indomitable Doom Metallers from Washington, who would go on to produce good but not transcendental chapters, nevertheless characterized by that honesty that has never faltered over the years.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
09 Bride of Evil (04:34)
In the pitch
The black of night
I perform my unearthly rights
Your soul cannot be saved
I'll begin so please behave
Your fate is mine
Now behold this hypnotic stare
Look even closer if you dare
Your virgin skin so young and sleek
Penetrating bellows deep
Your fate is mine
Bride meets evil
Dark thoughts run through your head
Bride of evil
You shall live amongst the dead - ha!
(I said) the priest he can do no good
You live in my realm it's understood
And for my services there's a special fee
My unholy slave for all eternity
Your fate is mine
Bride meets evil
Dark throughts run through your head
Bride of evil
You shall live amongst the dead
An angry mob with stakes tonight
They're discovered my burial site
Weeping goddess take me away
Unto the killing light of day
Your fate is mine
Bride meets evil
Dark thoughts run through your head
Bride of evil
You shall live amongst the dead
Bride meets evil
Dark thoughts run through your head
You're a bride of evil
You shall live amongst the dead!
13 Be Forewarned (07:16)
As i wake
In the darkness
And i look around
There is no sound
It's so tranquil
It's so calm like you
But now i hear a noise
Is there any way to out of this nightmare
Baby i'm alone now
And you're laughing at me
But i take life
In a way that you could never see
So if you're leaving
You better let me know
Cause i've already started my plan
And i'm never gonna let you go!
I've lived on the dark side of the moon
And i've been to the heart of the sun
I've had my time with many ladies
And i've killed many men
Before my sixteenth year was done
So you be forewarned
I'm coming after you
About the time i catch up to you
I'll never
No i'll never
I'll never let you go - no!
Some people thinki'm an advocate of lucifer
And some say i'm a child of god - yes they do
Some people think i've got the nine lives of a cat
And others say i'm filthy as a dog
So you be forewarned
I'm coming after you
About the time i catch up to you
I'll never
No i'll never
I'll never let you go - alright
So you be forewarned
I'm coming after you
About the time i catch up to you
I'll never
No i'll never
I'll never let you go - alright
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