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ARGUS
Beyond The Martyrs

Cruz Del Sur Music (2013)
Rating: 6.5/10

I know very little about US metallers Argus, and the peculiar album artwork gives nothing away. However, after just one listen of this eight-track slab I think it’s fair to say that this quintet have their feet firmly entrenched in that classic 80s, almost epic-sounding metal vibe.

The Pennsylvanian band is fronted by Butch Balich, who has a gritty set of lungs that give this album a really robust feel. He’s joined by the troops of doom; guitarists Jason Mucio and Erik Johnson, with drummer Kevin Latchaw and bassist Andy Ramage propping up the rear-guard.

These guys have been around since 2005, and in 2009 their self-titled debut emerged to much acclaim. But it was their 2011 opus Boldly Stride The Doomed which finally got them the recognition they deserved. Beyond The Martyrs is the second album from Argus to feature on the Italian Cruz Del Sur Music label.

It’s another sturdy effort that combines pounding rhythms and – to some extent – doomier aspects, all the while keeping the whole sound and feel crystal clear. I wouldn’t say that Argus are the heaviest band around, but they do like to construct the occasional mammoth groove. None is more so than on the juddering ‘No Peace Beyond The Line’, which, like most of the other tracks on offer, is extremely bass-heavy. Andy Ramage is quite a talent, and his fervent plucking gives the opus a harder edge amidst the more traditional metal solos and riffs.

There is something rather no frills about the sound of Argus, and I don’t mean this in a critical way. Balich and company simply seem intent to get the job done, although it means that tracks such as ‘The Hands Of Time Are Bleeding’ and ‘Trinity’ can appear somewhat bland after a few listens.

Beyond The Martyrs does lack a cutting edge and an apparent shine, but it’s still quite often a bruising affair which always remains accessible too, although some of the chords are a tad formulaic. Even so, Argus do adopt a nice, doomier approach. This is nothing too rainy for the ears, but the combination of an almost Iron Maiden-style of plod (‘Four Candles Burning’) with hints of melancholy (‘The Coward’s Path’) means that Argus do ever so slightly go against the grain and aren’t your typical run of the mill retro-metal outfit.

It’s on ‘The Coward’s Path’ that the band really comes into its own, providing crushing drums and oaken guitars mixed with subtle touches and Black Sabbath-styled tranquillity. As I said earlier, Balich is an accomplished voice, mountainous in its highs and sombre with its lows, enabling that effortless mix of gloom and glory to bleed from the speakers with aplomb.

Beyond The Martyrs is very much a consistent record relying on the steady rather than the thrilling to make its mark. Whether this is enough to allow the band to make the next step up on the ladder we’ll have to wait and see, but those of you seeking something reasonably heavy and sincere will no doubt find Argus rewarding.

Neil Arnold

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