Argus
Boldly Stride The Doomed

An unnoticed release for this 2011, little noise, little publicity. Yet the previous and self-titled debut CD by the American band was a real gem of heavy/doom. Two years later, Argus returned to the studio under a new label, the Italian Cruz Del Sur, to follow up "Argus".

The five members of the band, hailing from Pennsylvania, are led by the charismatic singer Brian Balich, who delivers an excellent performance behind the microphone. The style of this quintet can be found in the layers of the most solid heavy metal with clear epic crystallizations that recall groups like Candlemass and Crystal Viper, although in "Boldly stride the doomed" doom is somewhat relegated to the background.

With no reverential fears, Argus venture into powerful compositions devoid of symphonic and orchestral outlets, as is now the case for a large slice of bands. Their style is damn retro, coming from the golden years of metal, the '80s. Guitars intertwine in aggressive but never self-serving riffs and a fluid and congenial rhythm section supporting the sonic architraves of the six strings of Erik Johnson and Kevin Latchaw. This brings a pleasant air of return to the past, but at the same time limits the stylistic output of the CD, which compared to the aforementioned debut is less convincing, less varied and consequently less successful.

The heavy metal of the eighties is the undisputed master of tracks like "A curse on the world," "Wolves of dusk," "The ladder," "42-7-29." Markedly epic is "Durendal," naturally taken from medieval historiography, inspired by the so-called Roncesvalles Pass. The stylistic influence of early Blind Guardian and Maiden of "Piece of mind" and "Powerslave" can be heard in some flashes, a symptom that the old style lesson has yet to be fully grasped before arriving at a perfectly personal ensemble. The album thus bounces between generally acceptable quality and monotony, a child of the little variable choice regarding songwriting, despite the very long "Pieces of your smile" telling us otherwise (not by chance here we perceive the first true hints of doom).

Overall, "Boldly stride the doomed" highlights the merits of the self-titled album but also introduces a not insignificant flaw, the compositional immobility too often anchored to the riffs of the heavy metal that was. There's a lack of inventiveness, of courage.

1. "Abandoning The Gates Of Byzantium" (1:12)
2. "A Curse On The World" (5:25)
3. "Wolves Of Dusk" (6:34)
4. "The Ladder" (5:36)
5. "Durendal" (7:38)
6. "42-7-29" (7:06)
7. "Boldly Stride The Doomed" (2:37)
8. "Fading Silver Light" (4:45)
9. "Pieces Of Your Smile" (11:41)
10. "The Ruins Of Ouroboros" (3:19)