Along with reissued albums by bands like Dust and Leaf Hound, the short-lived revival of proto-metal at the dawn of the 21st century also reignited the careers of more seminal groups like Blue Cheer and Pentagram. Last Rites is the 2011 album by the latter band. Producer Travis Wyrick did his homework and mixed the album to sound as timeless as the 40-year-old group's early work. Of course, getting Pentagram’s favored guitarist, Victor Griffin, helped make Last Rites an album that should have been released decades ago. “Treat Me Right” blasts sludge-coated riffs with blinding, white-hot, fuzz-guitar leads that have held up over the years as amazingly well as singer Bobby Liebling’s gritty and soulful rasp. The attention paid to the detail of period-correct guitar tones and vocal production in “Call the Man” is sure to make fans of vintage metal and vintage amplifiers salivate. Pentagram even dusts off a few old songs; the bluesy “Everything’s Turned to Night” and the Sabbathesque “Walk in Blue Light” each get a fidelity upgrade without sacrificing any classic tonality.