First Daze Here (The Vintage Collection)

"My peace of mind depends on you"

In case with "First Daze Here", it depends on Blue Cheer. This is no secret that Blue Cheer's music was the main influence on Pentagram in early 70-ies, as is evident on here. This compilation features a dozen of songs from the early days of Pentagram, which are quite different from what the band is mostly known for, as they're much more garage rock/blues-oriented than the band's later opuses. And even though the blues influence sometimes shines through, it differs much from that of Black Sabbath.

First three tracks are from the "Bias Recordings Studio" (henceforth referred to as BRS) demo, which I've already reviewed, so I'll just skip them. The only thing that needs to be said is that the sound is almost identical to the original - no complaints here. In case you're dying to learn more about these songs, just read the aforementioned review.

The fourth track is one of my favourite Pentagram songs - "Starlady". It starts with a fast to midpaced hardrockish riff - the main riff of the song, which is as effective as simplistic. It goes on for about two minutes, transforms into a bit slower riff (in essence, a well-crafted sequence of guitar chords with the bass work behind them) and then finally makes way for a slow, calm section with a spacey feel and a soothing, lulling (in a good sense!) atmosphere. The bass, accompanied by the drums, plays the leading part while occasional guitar chord is struck once in a while, and all this makes a great buildup to the guitar solo. The solo. Words fail to describe what it conveys, but I'll try anyway. It isn't mind-numbingly complex, nor is it relentlessly beautiful, nay; but it is extremely evocative, though-out, atmospheric and soulful. It feels like gazing into a deep dark-blue sky gilded with the last shades of the fading twilight, when the sun has just sunk behind the horizon and the first stars awake, glimmering shyly, as the breath of night, first manifested as a tender evening breeze, mends its pace and is about to seize the land with shapeless hands of dense milk-white fog lying in low places and covering the fields in torn lumps, where the crops, not fully ripened yet - in early August, were swaying the breeze and basking in the last rays of the sun just an hour before. The rest of the song is the main riff playing for a minute and a half, and then the first part of the solo until the end. The lyrics are on par with the music. Of course, it isn't the greatest poem ever, but nevertheless it's quite beautiful, and that's a merit of phrasing and wording, not verse and rhyme.

Next we have a song about another lady - "Lazy Lady", which is interesting only as the song where the Blue Cheer influence is most evident. It's a bluesy psych rock tune with a laid-back atmosphere, so the guitar tone isn't very heavy, rather the opposite. Well, what else... it has a nice solo, well-crafted lyrics... the bassline really is the backbone of the song... and, when all is said and done, "she's such a lovely lady!". The next track is yet another one from the BSR demo, and there's nothing to say about it that hasn't been said before.

Three subsequent tracks demonstrate a nice variety in sound and songwriting approach, where all the different influences manifest themselves. "Hurricane" has the softest and warmest guitar tone on the entire release, and for a good reason - it's just plain rockin' fun, giving the listener a break after the first six songs. "Earth Flight" looks like "Hurricane"'s close relative in terms of mood and sound, but differs in the songwriting department. It begins with a cool bass intro and continues with sort of a power chord riff: it isn't a power chord riff, but it sounds like one (if you get what I'm saying). The second half of "Earth Flight" kind of makes me remember old westerns, particularly scenes of shooting in the bars and riding on the horses in the desert under the merciless white-hot sun, which is strange because it's typically W.A.S.P.'s debut album that reminds me of such things, and even stranger considering the fact that Pentagram is an East coast band. But whatever. "Livin' In A Ram's Head" is a classic, and rightfully so - midpaced, groovy, rolling over your sorry ass like a 100 ton bulldozer and (gasp!) doomy. Not doomy like on later albums, but like an insane maniac ready to cut the throat of yet another victim - menacing, thrilling and laughing. "I have no fear, the devil sets my course, livin' in a ram, said I'm livin' in a ram, yeah, alright!".

Finally, the fifth song from the BSR demo. And with this, the only thing about "First Daze Here" that really gets on my nerves is the way the demo was divided. There's really no sense in putting three songs one after another at the beginning, one in the middle and one at the end, because the atmosphere is completely lost. Either leave the demo intact or separate all the songs from each other.

The last two tracks, "Be Forewarned" and "Last Days Here" are also amid my favourite songs by the band. "Be Forewarned", presented in its original (three and a half minutes long) version, is the bluesiest song on here. When it gets close to the middle, it really starts to remind me "House of the Rising Sun" as performed by the Animals, although they're completely different in mood, instrumentation and performance. "Be Forewarned" sounds sort of cold and aloof, and the 'rippling water' guitar tone helps this greatly. Well, the whole song is kind of like rippling water in its flow. The lyrics are a bit obscure, but they might be somehow related to Charles Manson, I think. Anyway, Bobby does a hell of a job in this song, and his performance on "Be Forewarned" is the absolute highlight of the album. Now, on to "Last Days Here". It can be called the "title track", as "First Daze Here" is apparently a wordplay on "Last Days Here". The song starts rather calmly and then slowly but surely, gradually increasing tension, builds up to a climax... which never comes! Instead, the song seems to go on and on and on forever, but this neither bores nor disappoints the listener, because the flow is perfect and the ending, though abrupt, is logical. Overall, a great song with a "freezing in the winter wind" vibe to it.

When all is said and done, there are two things (?) that shine gloriously: the bass work and Bobby's vocals. The bass brings the songs together and often play the leading part in conveying the mood, while Bobby gives out a stellar performance and adds much power and energy to the music. Production-wise, "First Daze Here" is (of course) uneven, but the sound is clear, all instruments are easily distinguishable and nothing stains the listener's experience. The selection of songs is very good; however, they could include a few more ("Much Too Young To Know", for example). From historical perspective, this is an essential compilation crucial for a better understanding of doom metal as a whole and providing much insight into what was going on in the undeground heavy rock scene in early 70-ies. Recommended for any metalhead; a musthave for the fans of Pentagram. If you see it somewhere, don't hesitate to buy it (for a reasonable price, of course).

Highlights: "Starlady", "Be Forewarned", "Last Days Here"