Pentacle

Drawing from occult themes and the sinister essence of death and black metal acts like Venom, Mercyful Fate, and Hellhammer, among others, Dutch outfit Pentacle first took conceptual form in 1989. Multiple years and numerous demos elapsed before vocalist and bassist Wannes Gubbels, guitarist Mike Verhoeven, and drummer Marc Nelissen secured their initial opportunity, joined by recently arrived guitarist Edwin Folsche. The ensemble then inked a deal with Displeased Records, issuing debut full-length Fifth Moon in 1996 before reverting to a power-trio configuration for the 1998 follow-up Rides the Moonstorm. Neither album advanced the band's profile, and Pentacle slipped into the background once Gubbels accepted an invitation to collaborate with ex-Asphyx members on the new venture Soulburn. Even so, the later recruitment of drummer Robert Smissaert plus second guitarist Alex Verhoeven facilitated intermittent singles and EPs, among them the 2001 effort Ancient Death, confirming that the group had not yet disbanded.