With the success of the Anvil film, you had the feeling there would be quite a number of movies about obscure metal bands.
Where at least Anvil were somewhat known in the metal underground, Pentagram were very obscure, and didn’t get any notoriety in the underground until the doom metal scene started taking off in the early ‘90’s.
For those who aren’t versed in the sub-genres of heavy music, doom metal is usually ultra slow, like a Black Sabbath album on the wrong speed, and when metal was obsessed with who was the fastest band around, it was a welcome breath of fresh air.
Pentagram, who have been around since the early ‘70’s and who were very influential in the doom scene, are still around touring and recording.
Pentagram Bobby Liebling is lucky to still be around, period. He had years of major drug problems, which is the primary focus of the documentary, Last Days Here.
The band has gotten more attention in the press now than ever in their existence, with the movie, and major stories in recent issues of Spin and Decibel.
Liebling’s parents talked for the Spin story, and his mother said in spite of “some very hellish years because of the addiction, there’s a part of me that’s happy he followed his dream.”
Perhaps that’s ultimately why the Pentagram movie went forward, because the message in their story, and Anvil’s story, is don’t give up.
It can often take a long time for your dream to come true, a lot of bands don’t have the business sense to get their music out there, or the right connections to move up to the big leagues, as in the case of Pentagram. But maybe if you can stick around long enough, it will happen some day.
