Pentagram (read Turkish version here | listen to music samples)
Introduction
Among the dark atmospheres of Turkey's heavy metal scene, the longest-standing name echoing since the mid-80s is undoubtedly Pentagram. The story of the group, whose foundations were laid in Bursa in 1984 as Thunders, has turned into a chronology witnessing the birth and development of the Anadolu heavy metal genre alongside the name it received in 1986. In its early periods, the group, carrying the effects of speed and thrash metal, established studio culture with its first studio album released in 1990, and with the "Anatolia" album released in 1997, it signed a turning point that allowed metal to meet with the local audience. This album, breaking a record in metal music with sales over 100,000, proved that Turkish lyrics could become a universal language in heavy metal and became the greatest power introducing the group abroad. The musical identity maintained despite lineup changes by founder Hakan Utangaç and Cenk Ünnü enriched the journey with vocalists added in periods such as Ogün Sanlısoy, Murat İlkan, and Gökalp Ergen. The discography extending from "Şeytan Bunun Neresinde" to "Makina Elektrika" maintains its relevance with its 8th studio album released in 2022, while serving as a living heritage carrying both the stage culture and collector music values of Turkey's metal music to the present day.
Biography
Pentagram, an undisputed pioneer actor of the Anadolu heavy metal genre and the metal scene in Turkey, traces its roots to the high school group Thunders established in Bursa in 1984. The group's name was determined in 1986, influenced by the song "Pentagram" on the Possessed group's 1985 album *Seven Churches*, and work officially began with this name. Its musical identity, which was weighted with speed and thrash metal effects in its early periods, formed its own unique "Anadolu heavy metal" sound over time by blending with progressive heavy metal.
The first serious experience in the group's stage life occurred in 1987 in Bağcılar. According to relevant records, during the first concert given in a wedding hall in Bağcılar, tables and chairs were broken and the members had to cover these damages. Afterwards, they attracted the attention of wide masses with the performance held and known as the "Legendary Moda Concert" (Efsane Moda Konseri). Their first studio album "Pentagram", published in 1990, consisted of songs that were completely in English lyrics at that time. The group's logo was drawn by hand by founder Hakan Utangaç for the Moda Cinema concert poster.
In 1992, the group took a step towards foreign publishing with the *Trail Blazer* album under the Nuclear Blast label, and with the "Anatolia" album they released in 1997, they experienced a turning point. The "Anatolia" album, where Turkish lyrics were used for the first time, made a sales record in metal music by selling over 100,000 copies and introduced the group abroad. The group continued its career with the "Unspoken" album in 2000, the "Bir" album in 2002, and the "Popçular Dışarı" album in 2005. Published in 2022, "Makina Elektrika" took its place as the group's 8th studio album.
Throughout the vocalist lineup, in addition to Hakan Utangaç, names such as Ogün Sanlısoy, Murat İlkan, and Gökalp Ergen were part of the lineups in different periods; names such as Tarkan Gözübüyük (bass guitar), Demir Demirkan, and Metin Türkcan (guitar) were also included in the lineup. Artists such as Şebnem Ferah, Mor ve Ötesi, and Athena have also been associated with the group through various memories and collaborations. Still active, the group continues its long-standing career with the 2022 release.
Style
Pentagram's musical signature is defined as one of the most authentic voices of the genre called "Anadolu heavy metal" in Turkey. The group's core musical character is shaped by blending speed and thrash metal effects in the early periods with progressive heavy metal that became heavier and had more technical depth over time. This stylistic journey creates a bridge between the metal roots, extending to the point where the group name was taken from the track on Possessed's "Seven Churches" album, and the atmosphere created by the Anatolian geography. The group, around the vocal and guitar leadership of founder Hakan Utangaç, offers a variable sound palette with contributions from different vocalists such as Murat İlkan, Gökalp Ergen, and Ogün Sanlısoy in periods.
The spirit of the repertoire is formed by dark, questioning, and local motifs. Along with tracks dealing with themes of Satan, mortality, and pessimism, the historical and geographical texture of Anatolia frequently appears in the lyrical world. One of the most prominent evolutions of the musical narrative is the breaking point in language preference. The process started with completely English lyrics in the first studio album turned to Turkish texts with the "Anatolia" album released in 1997, providing a deepening of the connection established with the local listener. The group, recording its eighth studio album with "Makina Elektrika" published in 2022, continues its career by blending this stylistic heritage with modern elements. Pentagram's style is not just a music genre, but a musical history witnessing the development process of the metal scene in Turkey.
Songs and Recordings
Pentagram's musical journey has played a decisive role in establishing the stage and studio culture of metal music in Turkey. In the discography starting with the first studio album "Pentagram" (1990), tracks such as "Rotten Dogs" and "Powerstage" reflecting the group's speed and aggression understanding of that period are included. While the first periods of the albums contained all English lyrics, the 1997 release "Anatolia" work created a breaking point musically and culturally. Titles such as "Anatolia" and "Gündüz Gece", where Turkish lyrics were used for the first time in this album, are considered among the defining compositions of Anadolu heavy metal. This work, making a record in metal music by selling over a hundred thousand, is also an important record of the period where themes like "Şeytanın Gözyaşları" (Tears of Satan) were processed.
Despite lineup changes over time, the group maintained its musical identity and continued its journey by signing the track "Bir" with the 2002 album "Bir". Pentagram, bringing its long-standing career to the present with the 8th studio album "Makina Elektrika" published in 2022, continues to process themes of pessimism, death, and faith in a musical language with works such as "Şeytan Bunun Neresinde", "Ölümlü", "Kam", and "Bu Alemi Gören Sensin". The track "Sonsuz", referring to the group's continuity as a name, holds an important place in the represented repertoire. The concert album "Live At The Trail" (1991), which records the group's live performance experiences, is also one of the other important records that took its place in the discography.
Context
Pentagram (Mezarkabul), one of the rare groups that stamped Turkey's heavy music history, is accepted as a leading representative of the Anadolu heavy metal genre. The group's foundations were laid in 1984 in Bursa as Thunders, and in 1986, work began under this identity by switching to the current name Pentagram. This name, chosen influenced by the song "Pentagram" on Possessed's 1985 *Seven Churches* album, reflects the group's global metal references of that period, while musically followed a line where Speed and Thrash metal effects were heavy in the first years. This voice, mixed with Progressive and Anadolu heavy metal tones over time, played a key role in the transformation of the local metal scene.
Throughout its career, the group followed a view appealing to both local and foreign listener audiences. While the first studio album Pentagram focused on English lyrics, the prominence of Turkish lyrics with the 1997 release *Anatolia* album and achieving sales over 100,000 is accepted as an important turning point in metal music. This process solidified the group's foreign recognition and contributed to the meeting of metal music with the mainstream listener in Turkey. After the first serious stage experience in Bağcılar and live performances known as the Efsane Moda Concert, the group also began to be known for its stage discipline and energy.
The membership lineup shows a structure that seasons with Tarkan Gözübüyük, Demir Demirkan, and vocalist changes (such as Ogün Sanlısoy, Murat İlkan, Gökalp Ergen), besides the stable stance of founders Hakan Utangaç and Cenk Ünnü. The group continuing its career with the Bir published in 2002 and the 8th studio album Makina Elektrika released in 2022 has shown uninterrupted productivity from the underground culture of the late 1980s to the present day. Of course, while there are differences in sources regarding the founding year, first album date, and exact timing of the last studio work, Pentagram's position in the corporate memory of Turkey's metal music and in the international definition of Anadolu metal remains unchanged.
Legacy
Pentagram has been etched into memories as one of the rare names where heavy metal music in Turkey became not just a movement but a local culture. The group played a key role in the social acceptance of metal music in Turkey and meeting with the local audience by forming the defining sound of the Anadolu heavy metal genre. Especially the "Anatolia" album published in 1997 and achieving sales over 100,000 is considered a turning point in metal music. Along with this work, the group, while producing compositions with all English lyrics in its early periods, entered the path of addressing the established listener base of metal with Turkish lyrics and provided an important leadership in this field.
Starting from the laying of foundations in Bursa in the mid-1980s, since adopting the name Pentagram in 1986 by taking its name from the track on Possessed's *Seven Churches* album, the group has displayed a long-standing career. The structure where founder Hakan Utangaç was present and names like Murat İlkan and Gökalp Ergen accompanied the vocals in periods enriched the group's voice over time while managing to preserve its musical identity. Moments like the legendary "Moda Concert" experience and the first stage performance in Bağcılar continue to live in the group's memory as the most important parts of the formation story of the Turkey metal scene.
Although differences are seen in sources regarding founding and first album dates, it is seen that the group continues its career with the 8th studio album titled "Makina Elektrika" published in 2022 and maintains its freshness on stages. Lyrics blending Satan, mortality, and pessimism themes with Anatolian geography have acquired an inter-generational listener base by restructuring the universal themes of metal music with local context. The connections and collaborations established by names from different genres such as Şebnem Ferah, Mor ve Ötesi, and Athena with the group indicate that Pentagram has a respected place not only within the metal community but also in general Turkish rock music. This group, which has established the studio and stage culture of metal music in Turkey, is currently the living representative of the Anadolu heavy metal heritage with its still active career.
Frequently Asked Questions
How and when was the Pentagram group founded? The group's foundations were laid in 1984 in Bursa under the name Thunders. In 1986, the name was changed influenced by the song "Pentagram" on Possessed's *Seven Churches* album, and work officially began with this name.
Which names have been part of the lineup as vocalists? Along with founder Hakan Utangaç; vocalists such as Ogün Sanlısoy, Murat İlkan, and Gökalp Ergen have been part of the lineup in different periods. Names such as Tarkan Gözübüyük (bass guitar), Demir Demirkan, and Metin Türkcan (guitar) have also been in the lineup.
Which album was the turning point that allowed the group to meet with the local audience? The "Anatolia" album published in 1997 is the work where the group used Turkish lyrics for the first time, and it signed a sales record in metal music by selling over 100,000 copies. This album is pointed out as the greatest power enabling the group to be recognized abroad.
Are there any uncertainties in the sources regarding timing in the group's history? Of course, there are differences in sources regarding the founding year, first album date, and exact timing of the last studio work. However, general sources show that "Makina Elektrika" published in 2022 is the group's 8th studio album and the career continues.
What is Pentagram's musical style and song themes? The group is defined as one of the authentic voices of the genre called "Anadolu heavy metal" in Turkey. The spirit of the repertoire is formed by dark, questioning, and local motifs. Along with Satan, mortality, and pessimism themes, the historical and geographical texture of Anatolia frequently appears in the lyrical world.
When and in which language was the first studio album recorded? The first studio album "Pentagram" was published in 1990. All songs at that period consisted of completely English lyrics. The breaking point in language preference occurred with "Anatolia" in 1997 with the transition to Turkish texts.