Having waited more than a decade to finally wax their excellent debut,
Pentagram
wasted little time in preparing its follow-up, 1987's even more accomplished
Day of Reckoning
. Though it was dedicated to
Blue Cheer
, the album is arguably the most faithful tribute to the original spirit of
Black Sabbath
ever committed to tape. Vocalist
Bobby Liebling
always recalled
Ozzy Osbourne
with his uncultured, barely adequate vocal delivery, and even borrows a few lyrics on "Evil Seed" and "Madman." But on
, it's guitarist
Victor Griffin
's ability to replicate
Tony Iommi
's guitar tone and playing style which is nothing short of amazing. In fact, on the incredible "Broken Vows," he positively channels his spirit! Yet, this remarkable talent easily transcends mere imitation to become a loving re-interpretation of a well-known formula. Everywhere else, the quartet is in top form, whether charging through the galloping title track, or taking their time on the wonderfully melancholy, drawn-out doom epic "Burning Saviour" -- very reminiscent of Swedish doomsters
Candlemass
. All things considered,
remains
's best all-around effort, and provides an ideal first glimpse at this very influential, but seriously overlooked group. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia