First Daze Here

Frontman Bobby Liebling’s notorious bad behavior cost Pentagram just about every opportunity they had to break through (including a recording session with Gene Simmons), but his wild-eyed, drug-fueled howl helped give these proto-metal legends a chaotic energy that out-crazied even Ozzy. While he’d release rerecorded versions of a lot of these songs on proper albums with a different lineup in the eighties, this previously-unheard collection of tapes from the original crew has that raw, unformed seventies charm to it. “Starlady” feels like Deep Purple’s machine head breaking down, “Forever My Queen” swings from Leslie West’s mountain climbing gear, and the Jay Hawkins screaming of “Be Forewarned” still chills. It’s an essential listen for students of heavy metal’s development.