PENTACLE, a Death Metal band from the Netherlands, have been playing their music for over 25 years now. Through two full lengths, five EP's, two demos and four splits, this band have been making great music for all of that time. And their new compilation record, "The Fifth Moon…Beyond and Back", is a great example of their best work. Some of their best tunes, re-mastered and reworked, appear on this album, and it's a great way for the band to celebrate half a century as a band.
The song which kicks this double album off is "Black At Heart", a fast, harsh and violent sounding piece of Death Metal with a clear Thrash influence. The whole of the bands "The Fifth Moon" EP makes up the first half of the first disc. Although each of the four songs on this EP ("Black At Heart", "A Serpent in Blood Red", "The Flame's Masquerade (Her Sun is the Moon)" and "Adoring an Endless Dawn") were already great tracks, they have definitely benefited from being re-mastered, as it brings some of the better elements, like the sharp guitar work and powerful drumming, into focus. They all have a Thrashy quality to them, without abandoning the Death Metal side altogether. "Exalted Journey", the title track off of the band's 1995 EP, and the brilliant "Son of the Dawn" are the songs which close the first part of this album. Then it's on to disc two; The massive, near ten minute opener "A Dance Beyond" has an air of BOLT THROWER to it, and is absolutely brilliant. Like the songs on the first CD, they've all benefited from being re-mastered, and have survived this process without losing any of their original power and atmosphere. The highlights of this second CD are "A Mind in Flames" and the track which closes this eighteen song epic, "Belief From Below", both of which stand as perhaps the best tracks on this compilation.
This is really old school, Thrashy Death Metal that will leave you wanting more. Definitely check this out. Hopefully it won't be too long until this band release some more brilliant material. Here's to the next twenty five years.
Tracklist:
CD1 1. Black At Heart 2. A Serpent in Blood Red 3. The Flame's Masquerade (Her Sun is the Moon) 4. Adoring an Endless Dawn 5. A Serpent in Blood Red 6. Exalted Journey 7. Son of the Dawn
CD2 1. A Dance Beyond 2. Buried in Mankind's Sleep 3. Descending of the Soul 4. My Fall 5. Deepness of the Depths 6. Winds of the Fall 7. A Mind in Flames 8. Belief From Below 9. Son of the Dawn 10. Denial of God 11. Belief From Below
&p[summary]=PENTACLE, a Death Metal band from the Netherlands, have been playing their music for over 25 years now. Through two full lengths, five EP's, two demos and four splits, this band have been making gr…(Click to read more)&p[url]=http://www.metal-temple.com/site/catalogues/entry/reviews/cd_3/p_2/pentacle-the-fifth.htm&p[images][0]=http://www.metal-temple.com/uploads/catalogues/466185.jpg){kind=link}