Pentagram
First Daze Here (Reissue)

If you like Blue Cheer and early Black Sabbath, you'll love this. First Daze Here is a compilation album by doom titans Pentagram. On here, we are introduced to some of the earliest recordings by Pentagram, or Macabre, as they were called at the time (I think). In the 80s, many of the songs on this release had been re-recorded and made "doomier", so don't expect Pentagram's early recordings to sound anything like their "proper records", though, some of the songs are pretty much the same, just with a faster and thinner sound. This is pure bluesy hard rock! If you're more into the slow, heavy doom metal in the vein of Saint Vitus and Candlemass, then you'd probably enjoy the later recordings of these songs better. I am one of those people, but I'll admit that "Starlady", for instance, is MUCH better on First Daze Here than on Show 'Em How. Another example can be the song "Be Forewarned". Both this and the later version of the song are good. The original recording of that song, that you'll find on here, is much shorter and bluesier with a thinner sound, while the later recording of the song, which appeared on the album named after the song, is much longer, slower and "doomier", but still has a bluesy touch to it. Even though the production isn't that good, you'll have no problem enjoying the songs on here. Bobby Liebling is as flamboyant as ever, the guitars are quite simple, but play catchy hard rock riffs much inspired by Blue Cheer and with a tinge of early Black Sabbath, the bass has its moments, and the drums are pretty standard. First Daze Here is a great release by Pentagram. It will introduce you to a very underground and original sound from a young, enthusiastic band. The songs are short and easy to listen to, so you if you're a fan of filthy heavy blues, you could get through this album without a problem.