Argul – Soledad And Orgullo Review

It’s been a minute since I’ve committed any significant amount of time to listening to doom. Any doom, really. From anywhere. Of any type. And not because there hasn’t been great doom the past few years. Rather, my attention has been elsewhere. That’s just sort of the natural ebb and flow of what we seek out based on the landscape evolving around us. But a promising young band from Peru—in this case, Argul—is certainly enough incentive to change the trajectory, given the rich history of the subgenre in South America, and particularly Peru. That’s exactly how I found myself listening to Soledad & Orgullo, Argul’s full-length debut.

The immediate impact of this Argul album can’t be understated. If you have any history with doom this could very easily slide right into the slew of great releases from 2005 to about 2008 or 2009. There’s a sway—comfortably executed, in the pocket—that nails that general vibe. The sway and, of course, the solos that breathe life into the sway. Listen to “Engendro” and you’ll hear it.

If you’re like me, once you catch the general vibe you start to try to pick away at the influences to work to a core element or “mission.” What’s funny here is that the influences, whether real or imagined by me, are so vast that the core element or mission is really just Argul doing what Argul clearly does best. Like Pentagram, or any of the Maryland doom bands, really, there’s an obvious 1960s and 1970s psych rock influence with some blues in there for good measure. But there’s also a significantly heavier edge that justifies the “stoner” tag I’ve read elsewhere about Soledad & Orgullo. Think Sleep, Electric Wizard, and Cathedral. I’d bet Argul has heard a decent amount of Reino Ermitaño in its time, too. Generally speaking, I’d say the heavier edge plays a more significant role but the earlier influences give it some much-needed spice.

Of course, none of these influences would be worth a damn if Argul couldn’t make a sound of their own and write good songs to boot. But that’s exactly what they accomplish here on Soledad & Orgullo, which sounds less like a new band finding itself and much more like a veteran band deservedly throwing its weight around.

Kicking things off with the jammier “Ritual” was certainly a vote of confidence in themselves. A firm statement, no doubt. The driving riff envelops the echoed vocals like molasses. Strange how the ten minutes flies by before it kicks into the aforementioned “Engendro,” which aside from the Spanish lyrics and the vocals sounds not unlike Cathedral in their The Carnival Bizarre era. The one two punch of “Ritual” and the slower build into “Engendro” requires a careful planning that, again, seems especially commendable given the relative youth of Argul.

I will leave you to experience the rest of Soledad & Orgullo yourself. It’s not often that something this good presents itself from seemingly nowhere. If you were around and listening during that golden era of doom revivalism in the 2000s you will find much to love in Argul’s debut.