American doom institution Pentagram have pulled the plug on their first‑ever Australia/New Zealand run just weeks before the August kickoff, after promoter Hardline Media placed the trek “on hiatus” citing unspecified “current allegations.” The decision effectively wipes the entire routing—previously billed as the band’s long‑awaited Down Under debut—off the calendar for now.
Hardline Media confirmed the pause in a July 18 statement, writing in part: “Due to the current allegations surrounding the Pentagram Australian/New Zealand tour – Hardline Media have decided to put this tour on hiatus. To be clear, no VISAs have been granted, as has been stated previously by other media. No venues or any staff hitherto are party to these allegations.
“With great respect, we appreciate your patience and understanding while we manage this situation.
“All ticket holders will be contacted directly, as information becomes available.”
The move followed an online outcry led by Australian anti‑violence advocate and journalist Sherele Moody (Australian Femicide Watch / The RED HEART Campaign), who highlighted frontman Bobby Liebling’s 2017 abuse/neglect case and urged venues to reconsider hosting the shows amid what she described as a national “male violence epidemic.” Hardline Media engaged with Moody’s post before issuing its formal announcement.
Before the halt, the August 2025 itinerary was expected to sweep major capitals and key markets across both countries, including Canberra, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Wellington, Christchurch, and Auckland—marking Pentagram’s first trip to the region.
In 2017, Bobby Liebling was arrested in Maryland and later entered a plea agreement: he pleaded guilty to abuse/neglect of a vulnerable adult custodian—believed to be his then‑87‑year‑old mother—while pleading not guilty to a first‑degree assault charge. He received an 18‑month jail sentence (minus time served) and three years of supervised probation upon release, according to court records cited in multiple reports at the time.
Pentagram’s live plans have been rocked before. In 2016, opening acts Wax Idols and King Woman abruptly exited a tour with the band, alleging they’d been “treated really poorly & harassed in gross ways” and citing inappropriate comments attributed to Liebling; Pentagram disputed the characterization, calling the situation “unfounded” and tied to poor communication.
The following year, as Liebling grappled with personal and legal issues, Pentagram fulfilled shows without him—guitarist Victor Griffin stepped in on lead vocals for a run of U.S. dates after the band announced the frontman’s absence was due to his “personal actions.” Additional performances went ahead with Griffin handling the mic while the case played out.
Formed in Virginia in the early ’70s, Pentagram are routinely cited among doom metal’s so‑called “Big Four” alongside Candlemass, Saint Vitus, and Trouble—an influence that stretches from tape‑trading obscurity to decades of cult reverence.
