This gig review is devoted to Ozzy Osbourne – the Godfather. Now a force ghost, his infernal voice and charismatic personality will echo across space and time forever. Rest easy, Ozzman. The astral force of you, Sabbath, and Randy Rhoads will always be with us.
The Brooklyn Paramount had a dark encounter with Acid Bath again on a fiery midsummer night in the megalopolitan part of Brooklyn, a historic evening stacked with can’t-miss talent. From the legendary Pentagram and rising stars in King Parrot, it was a lineup that a horde of metal maniacs sold out the venue for. Seriously, this day was special. Yes, as I ambled to the locale on a cloudy Friday afternoon—a blend of Birmingham and Brooklyn—after a quick meal at Stacked Burger near the concert hall, my nostrils caught the pungent aroma of the devil’s lettuce. It was as if the dark prince, Ozzy Osbourne, whispered loudly in the wind in the willows, Go fucking crazy and light up those joints! My intuition felt the papowing energy as if the day was sending an active message; this event was going to be something special even if other hell rats were puffing on the golden grass and passing it around, others waiting in line soaked in the wisping heat of late July until it was it time to purchase some merch like the wonderful looking Acid Bath silkscreen poster designed by Allen Jaeger for the occasion, or chill out with a few drunks before King Parrot ascended the gig with a half hour of acrobatic Aussie death metal.
What better way to fly off the night of sizzling music than with thirty minutes of Koel sounding grinding death metal from King Parrot? King Parrot bounces high, channeling the floating legacies of Napalm Death and Pig Destroyer. King Parrot fired up the crowd with ten supersonic bangers like Disgrace Yourself and Get What Ya Given. The band dedicated Shit on the Liver to Acid Bath and the Prince of Darkness himself, Ozzy Osbourne—and that’s when the moshketeers began to widen the pit. In an era where fans have become desensitized by music sounding the same, King Parrot stands out on another level, mirroring their influences and drawing on their heritage. King Parrot doesn’t do lazy. They do sensory overload style heavy metal: aggressive, barbaric, and louder than hell.
King Parrot was warmly received by those who showed up early, and the quintet was honored to share their love of hostile music while making some new American friends. AMAZING! They couldn’t have asked for a better start to their monstrous North American tour than firing off a night of oblivion with Pentagram and Acid Bath. In other words: they fucking ripped the Brooklyn Paramount apart. Dropping their set with Fuck You and the Horse You Rode in On, King Parrot sounded the metal charge for the dark void of Pentagram.
King Parrot
Photo Credit: Mathieu Bredeau
Don’t even try to pretend you don’t – THAT – meme. But there’s more to Pentagram than just goofy pictures of Bobby Liebling showing off his thousand-yard stare. Although there have been more refined doom metal bands over the years, such as Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats and Windhand, Pentagram defines the roots of doom metal, rooted in Black Sabbath, with Bobby at the helm. Pentagram is one of the first biting doom metal bands alongside Saint Vitus and Trouble. Pentagram’s style is defined by a gradual, heavy, ominous, and shady atmosphere. Although seventy-one, Bobby Liebling’s distinctive voice is aging like a fine wine. The heavily distorted guitar riffs from Tony Read lock in with the punishing rhythm section of bassist Scooter Haslip and drummer Henry Vanquet, essentially honing the snarling groove of the four-piece, giving Pentagram its underlying buzzing quality, which Bobby continues to honor, thereby cementing the cult status of the band.
Bobby and company amplified the reach of an expanding audience with forty quashing minutes of powerful music throughout their set, with songs like the hellish classic of the Ghoul and a fine new cut in Thundercrest. The most die-hard Pentagram fans were happy to see them again. It amazes me how, between the early seventies and 2025, a Pentagram performance becomes more of an event than a regular concert, either as an opener or a headliner, brought to life on July 25th, 2025, by a sphere of participants throwing down in the circle pit and a minor ripple of crowd surfers.
Pentagram’s billing for Acid Bath’s second Brooklyn takeover helps to bridge the gap further between the blackened past of doom metal and the assured future of doom-laced death metal, as exemplified by Acid Bath and King Parrot. Pentagram provided a thrilling exhibition of classic hyperspace music, devoid of fluff, and endless Iommi-inspired power-chord chug, masterfully crafted and drenched in throat-choking songwriting. The band presented thunderous energy. It was an excellent performance. Eclipsing their set with 20 Buck Spin with Tony and Henry crunching down a short hymn to the Sab four’s Wicked World, Pentagram flung 35,000 strong into the spectral, subsequent coming of Acid Bath.
Pentagram
Photo Credit: Mathieu Bredeau
Turning back the phantasmic hands of time twenty-three years from when they began to develop as one of the legends of doom metal in 1993 to 1970– one of the most influential songs ever in heavy metal named Black Sabbath shackled the rivet heads gathered in thier masses for six menacing minutes in remembrance of Ozzy Osbourne to get everyone wound up for an hour-long-nightmare of a freshly reunited Acid Bath. Born from the union of sledgehammer riffs and unapologetic malice, an Acid Bath gig is less a show and more about getting lost in a tenebrous bayou of terrifying music, as three-fifths of the revitalized Louisiana outfit cast a hex in New York for the second time in a very long time.
As the maelstrom unfolded with Tranquilized, the reunited Dax Riggs (vocals), Mike Sanchez and Sammy Duet (guitars) with new rhythm section recruits—drummer Zack Simmons and bassist Shane Wesly to fill-out the shadowy bottom end—their performance bled night shade and pulsated with a barrage of tricky riffs — a spectacle when the songs shifted into a phantom overdrive, self-control collapsed, and the all-out moshing to the eruption of the crowd sufers create a destiny bond best seen live– as if you’re trapped in a time loop of 1997. Acid Bath’s set was hefty – an elaborate and ethereal showcase of sound that melds the twisted qualities of four sickly cuts from When the Kite String Pops like Tranquilized and the Bones of Baby Dolls to six bloody bouts of Paegan Terrorism Tactics in Bleed Me an Ocean and Venus Blue. The sophisticated lyrics of Dax Riggs present a gallows-humor approach to drugs and insanity, akin to watching Layne Staley perform as Pagliacci.
Acid Bath hypnotized the legion of earthdogs into psychedelic trance for sixty alluring minutes: We lay asleep, trapped in a fantasy. The five wraiths created some metal-sounding bewitchment, a spell that didn’t curse, but charmed. It didn’t command, but compelled. The band arrowed down another spell in Brooklyn with Dr. Seuss is Dead, now to awaken something other than blackness: a charged anticipation of what’s next for the band.
We live in a time of questionable band reunions, which is a blessing for some and a rather a cry for help for others. Acid Bath, with their lucrative offers, may have reformed for profitable bookings, but they are making smart investments with sporadic appearances. Fortunately, a strong billing can support unique fly-in dates and weekend shows. These concerts even help the band draw larger crowds without the need for full-time touring. Having said that, when you see Acid Bath live, they stick to their pagan, Sabbath-driven roots while retaining their ferocious live energy. Their cult status showcases both grungy intensity and dark, melodic depth, a brutal swing reborn and composed to treat both old fans and newcomers alike. Acid Bath return not as a cash grab, but as a regenerative force in doomy, sludgy music—ready to de-liver the same soul-stealing sound that rolled out their notorious reputation in memoriam of their fallen bassist, Audie Pitre.
The gig was an overshadowing night of CHOAS AND CARNAGE that flared up in one of the most notable concert venues in New York, the Brooklyn Paramount. What did all three bands do? Take over the venue with heavy slams from King Parrot and the combined phantom menace of Pentagram and Acid Bath. Fucking legends. An iconic night of meteor-sized heavy metal under the influence of Ozzy Osbourne. Summer’s halfway over, but there’s still plenty of time to see a show. Whether you know about either band or haven’t seen either of them live, ya’ll enjoy a rapid-fire set from King Parrot opening for Pantera or during one of their headline shows. A starlight engagement from Acid Bath is all yours to experience if they’re in your area, and you can see Pentagram in December at the Whisky a Go Go if Bobby’s stare has you spellbound. If your year has been a little too relaxing, get your face melted and your soul sucker punched for a one-of-a-kind night out from Acid Bath. Think supercharged reunion, violent tunes, some unique support acts, and some treasured memories.
Acid Bath
Photo Credit: Mathieu Bredeau
Editor’s Note: At the request of Ian, a subtle “ghost” image of Ozzy Osbourne was added to the feature photo. We made this one-time edit as a gesture of respect and shared mourning, as we all continue to process Ozzy’s passing. All other images remain unaltered, captured as they were during the performance by photographer Mathieu Bredeau. Only one image was shifted slightly to accommodate the tribute. The rest reflect exactly what was presented on stage.
Photography: Mathieu Bredeau
Feature Image Photo Credit: Acid Bath Photo taken by Mathieu Bredeau, slightly modified by the editor to fit an image of Ozzy Osbourne
