Argus – Boldly Stride The DoomedCruz Del Sur 2011

1. Abandoning The Gates Of Byzantium2. A Curse On The World3. Wolves Of Dusk4. The Ladder5. Durendal6. 42-7-297. Boldly Stride The Doomed8. Fading Silver Light9. Pieces Of Your Smile

R.T. 52:56

This is the first time I had the chance to hear this band. They come from the US and they play traditional epic doom metal with prog elements in the vein of Doomshine and Solitude Aeturnus.

The album consists of eight songs and a short acoustic instrumental that serves as an intro to the album. From the first full song “A Curse On The World” anyone can notice that they are heavily influenced from Solitude Aeturnus in the rhythmic structure of their songs but also that their singer has a voice amazingly similar to Robert Lowe’s. The album continues with “Wolves Of Dusk”, I liked this song a lot and I’m sure that it could develop in classic song for the band. “The Ladder” that follows can be described like the missing song from Solitude Aeturnus’ “Adagio” and recreating that kind of feel and atmosphere is not an easy task and not only they doing that but they also doing it in a non-offensive for the listener way. They drop many of their prog elements in their next song “Durendal” making them sound much heavier and aggressive. A more sensitive side of the band is revealed with the semi ballad “42-7-29” and also one of the albums highlights. The title track is an up tempo song that tends more to underground American epic power bands than pure doom and it adds a pleasant variety to the sound of the album. “Fading Silver Light” is a more typical epic doom song nothing less and nothing more and the album closes with “Pieces Of Your Smile” an almost twelve minutes opus, maybe the most mature composition on the album. Slow, dark, majestic full of a feeling of despair that slowly transforms to anger as the songs gains in speed and aggression as the song is progressing toward its end.

My final impression is that this album lacks a lot in the field of originality but it compensates in honest attitude and passion. Not to forget a major plus is the powerful wailing theatrical vocals of their singer. The fans of Solitude Aeturnus should check them out.