Every music critic – and indeed, every music fan who cares and dares to dig – has pet bands, the bands that they’re forever touting as one that “should be huge” and “everyone should be listening to.” Pennsylvanian trad-metal outfit Argus is one of mine. That may mean I’m biased – in fact, it definitely means I’m biased – but I’m not the only one…
The first Argus album was a debut strong enough to warrant inclusion in Last Rites’ (then MetalReview’s) epic Essential Albums of the 2000s, an entry wherein we sagely declared “a very bright future for this talented band.” [Ed — please forgive the lack of photographs. It’s the words that matter.] Turns out, as usual, we were right. Second record Boldly Stride The Doomed scored almost perfectly two years later, that one hailed as such: “an album equally musical, emotionally charged, and balls-out rockin’, but most importantly timeless.” Boldly Stride scored a Top Ten entry in no less than four of the staff’s 2011 year-end lists, including mine, and deservedly so.
But I didn’t come to this party to quote my friends and talk about what happened years ago. I came here today to tell you that Argus just keeps kicking my ass and that, if you’re a fan of traditional metal, you need this album. It’s the holiday season and all, so here’s one for your gift list from Grandma…
Now I also have to admit that I’m a bit behind on this one – I apologize to all involved, but it’s not so much that I’m late to the party on Beyond The Martyrs. It’s more that I’ve been rocking so hard at the party that I couldn’t quite string the proper words together. (I think we’ve all been that guy at a party or two, amirite?) But I’ve drank myself sober on these sweet sweet riffs and Butch Balich’s rock-god vocals, and before I head to the keg again to start up my second effort, let me impart a few pearls of wisdom…
In 2013, I have heard no better traditional metal album than Beyond The Martyrs, and that’s saying something in a year that boasts the triumphant return of Satan, a follow-up from Hell, and a new Manilla Road. Martyrs‘ first five songs are epic metal perfection, with all the requisite ingredients mixed together just right. There are galloping guitars and Thin Lizzy-indebted intertwining leads courtesy of Erik Johnson and Jason Mucio, and the rhythm section of Kevin Latchaw and Andy Ramage swings as much as it pounds. The groove on opening number “By Endurance We Conquer” could fell trees – there’s simply no way to listen to that track and not bounce your head, thrust your hand up, and sing along. The same can be said of “No Peace Beyond The Line” and of “Trinity,” the former with its killer chugging riff and the latter with it’s Oppenheimer-quoting chorus, “Now I’m become death, destroyer of worlds.” Argus’ signature infusion of Sabbath-swaggering doom first manifests in “The Coward’s Path,” a trudging and triumphant seven minutes of down-tempo glory.
But, of course, as great as the band’s songwriting skills and classic-steeped performances are, there’s one not-so-secret weapon that tops all: Vocalist Butch Balich is easily one of the best in the business. His voice is as strong as they come, epic without soaring into the stratospheric highs that characterize a large part of traditional metal. He brings to the mix an emotional component that many singers lack, and that coupled with his lung-shattering power is purely staggering. These riffs would still be winners in the hands of a lesser vocalist and lyricist, but here, they achieve classic metal transcendence.
When it all comes down, there are no really bad songs here, no wasted moments, no half-hearted riff or melody, no awkward lyrics. It’s all first-class, top-shelf material, delivered with passion and expert skill by a band that makes a habit of such, even if it’s clearly and heavily indebted to the masters of yore.
So Argus has done it yet again. Every bit as good as the near-flawless Boldy Stride, Martyrs is the sound of heavy metal done as perfectly as anyone is doing it out there. If you’re coming to this party fashionably late, take it from me, the guy with his shirt tied around his head: This one’s a rager, so jump right in and start catching up.
And get me another beer on your way through the kitchen.
