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Argus: From Fields Of Fire
Argus - From Fields Of Fire CD Album Review

Argus: From Fields Of Fire

Traditional Heavy Metal
5.0/5.0

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Cruz Del Sur Records
Review: Craig Hartranft
Added: 25.08.2017

Here's another band from the "Whatever happened to them?" file, Franklin Pennsylvania's Argus. The last album I reviewed from the band was 2011's Boldly Stride the Doomed, a pretty terrific album. But Argus didn't drop off heavy metal radar. They returned with another album in 2013, Beyond The Martyrs, and then followed up with 2015's 7" vinyl Death Hath No Conscience, where the B side had Streets of Gold, a Diamond Head cover. Now Argus is back with a new long player, From Fields Of Fire and two new members. Producer and former Icarus Witch guitarist takes the second axe spot. Justin Campbell, Franklin native and long time friend of the band, drops in on bass.

Argus Band Photo

Argus

What hasn't changed with the Argus is their music, classic heavy metal with a side of doom metal thrown in. Argus essentially taps the American side of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWoBHM), utilizing a significant twin guitar presence in riff harmony and solos. Not dismissing any other players or parts, but guitar lines really take center stage here. If you like guitar forward classic heavy metal, Argus is the band for you.

After this, those guitar parts are bolstered by a rhythm section that can deliver NWoBHM metal gallop or the slow pacing of doom metal. Additionally, Brian "Butch" Balich offers clean melodic vocals, with a harmony that often follows the guitars. Sometimes he gets a bit screamo, but it's a controlled strength. For the doom timbre in their heavy metal, think more of Candlemass side of the genre: moderate to slow pacing, but not slogging through a thick muddy marsh in heavy combat boots like sludge metal.

As for the tunes within From Fields Of Fire, Argus offers a good mixture of the above elements. For some galloping metal look to Devils of Your Time and As A Thousand Thieves. For the doom metal motif, it's best heard in 216, but even more so within No Right To Grieve. It's a lumbering slumber of a song lead by acoustic guitar, but then rounded out by heavy riffage and deep bass, before eventually getting to a soaring guitar solo. Another song of note is Infinite Lives, Infinite Doors which plays with tempo changes, blisters with guitar solos, and offers a quiet acoustic guitar breakdown in the center.

All in all, From Fields Of Fire is another terrific album from Argus: simply classic "keep it true" heavy metal with a modicum of doom feeling. Easily recommended.



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The Bottom Line

From Fields Of Fire is another terrific album from Argus: simply classic "keep it true" heavy metal with a modicum of doom feeling. Easily recommended.

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