Let me say this as plainly as possible: If you’re not looking forward to Argus‘ new album, you’re fucking up. From Fields of Fire is out Sept. 8 via Cruz del Sur Music. Write it down so you remember.
Granted, that seems like such a hyperbole-happy-dipshit-blogger way of putting it, but it’s pretty true to the urgency I feel about the subject, and if it sounds like I’m being inadvertently critical of your taste — not everybody’s into doom-tinged classic metal with a flair for the epic, and I get that — I apologize, but rest assured I’m coming from a place of not wanting you to miss out. Not trying to be a jerk. Not trying to overstate the case. Frankly, I don’t need to; the Pittsburgh five-piece make their own argument excellently across the 55-minute From Fields of Fire without any help from the likes of me. I’m just saying that whether or not you’ve ever checked out Argus before, their fourth long-player — out Sept. 8 — deserves a fair shot. Give it one.
To give a first public sampling of what’s to come with From Fields of Fire, the band have a new lyric video posted for the centerpiece of the tracklisting and presumed side A closer (assuming this all fits onto one platter, which I’m not actually sure it does) “You are the Curse.” Following suit from post-intro opener “Devils of Your Time,” it’s a strong hook delivered with due fervency, and as it immediately precedes the 11-minute sprawl of “Infinite Lives, Infinite Doors” on the record, which is out Sept. 8, it’s an excellent showcase for the level of songcraft shown across the album as well as the crispness of the production through which that songcraft arrives.
Argus will celebrate the release of From Fields of Fire — it’s Sept. 8; have I mentioned that? — by launching a string of newly-announced tour dates in Austria, Switzerland and Germany that same day. The run will be alongside High Spirits and culminates at Storm Crusher fest in Germany, where Argus will share the stage with Exciter, Tygers of Pan Tang, Sulphur Aeon and many others.
Tour specifics and more info from the PR wire follow the video below. Enjoy:
Argus, “You are the Curse” lyric video
‘YOU ARE THE CURSE’, taken from ARGUS’ album “From Fields Of Fire”.
Comments vocalist Brian “Butch” Balich: “‘You Are The Curse’ was the first song we wrote for From Fields Of Fire. Dave [Watson, guitar] brought it in and it immediately fit. I knew we had exciting things coming for the album when it came together. It’s classic ARGUS and a good song to introduce From Fields of Fire to our friends worldwide. It’s an up-tempo, rhythmically aggressive but melodic song shot through with dark undertones. Lyrically, this song deals with the idea that sometimes we need look no further than ourselves for why things go wrong in our lives…as you sow so shall you reap. It’s been a live mainstay for about a year-and-a-half and one we expect to play often.”
To coincide with the release of From Fields Of Fire, ARGUS is embarking on a nine-date European tour with Chicago high-energy rock heroes HIGH SPIRITS. The tour kicks off September 8 in Dornbirn, Austria, culminating with their September 16 appearance at the Storm Crusher festival in Püchersreuth, Germany.
09/08: Dornbirn, AT,- Schlachthaus 09/09: Olte, CH – Coq D’Or 09/10: Münster, DE – Sputnikhalle 09/11: Marburg, DE – Trauma G-Werk 09/12 Oldenburg, DE – MTS Record Store 09/13 Hamburg, DE – Bambi Galore 09/14 Berlin, DE – Urban Spree 09/15 Weimar, DE – Kasseturm 09/16 Pückersreuth, DE – Storm Crusher Festival
Musicians: Brian ‘Butch’ Balich – Vocals Dave Watson – Guitars Jason Mucio – Guitars Justin Campbell – Bass Kevin Latchaw – Drums
Posted in Whathaveyou on August 1st, 2017 by JJ Koczan
Okay, so, I’m going to have way more to say about Blackfinger‘s second record, When Colors Fade Away, before it comes out. As of right now, tune in Aug. 15 for a review and song premiere. But I wanted to get the album announcement up before then because, woof, this one’s worth getting your preorder in early for. Eric Wagner from Trouble/The Skull moves to Pittsburgh and hooks up with Dream Death/Penance guitarist Terry Weston? Are you kidding me? Good luck finding a better one-two punch of doom than that this afternoon. You won’t.
M-Theory Audio has a Sept. 15 release date set for When Colors Fade Away, which of course follows Blackfinger‘s 2014 self-titled debut (review here). Here’s confirmation it’s on its way and that link for preorders — which, seriously, you want — from the PR wire:
BLACKFINGRER CONFIRMS SEPT 15TH RELEASE DATE FOR NEW ALBUM, ‘WHEN COLORS FADE AWAY,’ AND DEBUTS COVER ART AND CD/VINYL PRE-ORDER
Singer ERIC WAGNER, formerly of TROUBLE and currently of THE SKULL, brings his unique and legendary voice to the next BLACKFINGER album, When Colors Fade Away. Now based in Pittsburgh, PA, Eric has a new BLACKFINGER lineup including another familiar name in doom circles, guitarist Terry Weston (DREAM DEATH and PENANCE). M-Theory Audio is pleased to announce a Sept. 15th release date for the album on CD, limited edition colored vinyl and digital. Preorder now atwww.m-theoryaudio.com/store
Featuring photos from Matt Bluejay and graphic design by Al Oaks, When Colors Fade Away is a striking and artistic package with a full color 12-page CD booklet and a 4-page vinyl insert. Vinyl limited to 400 copies of blue/black marble.
“Colors were a common theme throughout the first record… I think it was a reference for life, or maybe it was hope…,” explains Eric Wagner. “What happens when colors start to fade or you feel like all hope is lost? I think there comes a time in everyone’s life when you need to confront your dark side in order to get to the light. When I saw the photographs of the old abandoned funeral home by Matt Bluejay, I thought it would make the perfect album cover for When Colors Fade Away, and the start of the journey to feel good about oneself again.”
Recently BLACKFINGER performed at Cleveland’s Agora Theatre as part of a live show captured for the forthcoming fictional film, Death Metal. Watch for more live show announcements, as well as audio samples coming soon.
Posted in Whathaveyou on July 27th, 2017 by JJ Koczan
Pittsburgh duo Zom, founded by members of Brimstone Coven and Monolith Wielder, have announced the title of their debut full-length as Nebulos. Slated for release presumably late in 2017 or early in 2018, the album will be released by Argonauta Records as part of that Italian label’s ever-expanding roster — which also includes the aforementioned Monolith Wielder, in which drummer Ben Zerbe plays as well — and will reportedly feature tracks from Zom‘s 2013 self-titled EP (review here), as well as brand new material.
Should be interesting to hear how the two mix together when the time comes, but details on Nebulos beyond the title and basic construction are sparse as yet, so I’m guessing it could be a while. Still, here’s the announcement from Argonauta, because, you know, it’s been a couple days since they signed a band, so they were due:
ZOM signed to ARGONAUTA Records; new single and video-clip running now
ARGONAUTA Records is excited to announce to have inked a deal with Pittsburgh based Heavy Rock trio ZOM.
ZOM is a monstrous force of heavy rock n’ roll full of stinky, stoner grooves and grab-you-by-the-throat hooks. ZOM goes straight to the gut and doesn’t hold back on its relentless attack on the senses.
“We are thrilled to join such an impressive roster at Argonauta Records! Argonauta gives us the opportunity to have ZOM reach the ears of people around the world. We put our heart and soul into this album and we’re emboldened by the confidence that Argonauta has in our unique style. We couldn’t be more proud of this record and it’s an honor to be on a strong label with so many great bands.” — Gero von Dehn
In 2014, experienced and multifaceted music vets Gero von Dehn (MONOLITH WIELDER) and Andrew D’Cagna (BRIMSTONE COVEN) joined forces for ZOM’s debut self titled EP limited to a release of under 100 copies.
Now in 2017, ZOM is back with newly recorded material as well as some additions. This new material will be released along with fully remastered versions of the original tracks from the self titled EP.
“The release of our full length NEBULOS via Argonauta Records is an exciting opportunity indeed. We’ve always felt these songs were special and strong, they just need to reach the right ears of the right audience at the right time. Thankfully that day has come to light!” — Andrew D’Cagna
With ZOM finally getting around to going out on the road some new members have been enlisted. Von Dehn is still on vocals and guitar, while D’Cagna remains on bass. Ben Zerbe (Monolith Wielder) is on drums for the new tracks and the rest of the touring band is being assembled.
“So glad to be releasing this album with Argonauta. It’s an honor to be asked by Gero and Andrew to join this powerful monster that they started a couple years ago. We’re excited for the release and the new markets that Argonauta will help us reach.” — Ben Zerbe
Bonus round! I don’t know if you’re stoked on having a sixth Quarterly Review day, but I sure am. Basically this is me doing myself favors. In terms of what’s being covered and how I’m covering it, today might be the high point for me personally of the entire Summer 2017 Quarterly Review. Some of this stuff I’m more behind on than others, but it’s all releases that I’ve wanted desperately to write about that I haven’t been able to make happen so far and I’m incredibly thankful for the opportunity to be able to do so at last. It’s a load off my mind in the best way possible, and as this is the final day of the Quarterly Review, before I dig in I’ll just say one more time thank you for reading and I hope you found something in the past week that really speaks to you, because that’s what makes it all worthwhile in the first place. One more go.
Quarterly Review #51-60:
Harvestman, Music for Megaliths
A new Harvestman album, like a harvest itself, is an occasion. Distinct entirely from the solo output released by Neurosis guitarist/vocalist Steve Von Till under his own name, Harvestman’s guitar-led experimentalism and ritualized psychedelia don’t happen every day – the last album was 2009’s In a Dark Tongue (review here) – and with the resonance of “Oak Drone” and the layered, drummed and vocalized textures of “Levitation,” the new collection, Music for Megaliths (on Neurot, of course), lives up to the project’s high standards of the unexpected. Pulsations beneath opener and longest track (immediate points) “The Forest is Our Temple” offer some initial threat, but the electronic beat behind the howling notes of “Ring of Sentinels” and the Vangelis-esque centerpiece “Cromlech” find more soothing ground, and though “Sundown” seems to be speaking to Neurosis “Bleeding the Pigs” from 2012’s Honor Found in Decay (review here) in its atmosphere, the spoken word that tops closer “White Horse” provides a last-minute human connection before all is brought to a quick fadeout. If you told me Music for Megaliths was assembled over a period of years, I’d believe you given its breadth, but whether it was or not, Harvestman’s latest should provide a worthy feast for a long time to come.
Los Angeles three-piece Beastmaker continue their ascent with their second album for Rise Above Records, the unflinchingly cohesive Inside the Skull. Like its predecessor, 2016’s Lusus Naturae (review here), the quick-turnaround sophomore outing executes a modern garage doom aesthetic and unfuckwithably tight songwriting, this time bringing 10 new tracks that reimagine classic vibes – witness the Witchcraft “No Angel or Demon”-style riff of opener “Evil One” (video posted here) – and touch on some of the same ground pioneered by Uncle Acid without actually sounding like that UK band or sounding like anyone for that matter so much as themselves. They make darkened highlights of “Now Howls the Beast,” “Of Gods Creation,” the crashing “Psychic Visions,” closer “Sick Sick Demon” and the preceding “Night Bird,” which offers some welcome departure into drift prior to the solo in its final minute – all impeccably crisp in structure despite a dirt-caked production – but resonant, memorable hooks abound, and the trio affirm the potential their debut showed and offer a quick step forward that one can only imagine will find them turning more heads toward their growing cult following. They’re still growing, but Inside the Skull is confirmation Beastmaker on a path to becoming something really special.
One can’t help but think there’s a bit of tongue-in-cheekery at play in the inaccuracy of Endless Boogie titling their latest album Vibe Killer. The seven-track/51-minute No Quarter release follows 2013’s Long Island (review here) and is, of course, doing everything but killing the vibe, as the New York-based outfit proffer their nestled-in raw songs crafted out of and on top of improvised jams, the semi-spoken gutturalisms of guitarist Paul “Top Dollar” Major a defining element from the laid back opening title-track onward. Moody rock classicism persists through “High Drag, Hard Doin’” and the more active “Back in ’74,” but the true peak of Vibe Killer comes in the 11-minute “Jefferson Country,” which unfolds hypnotic drone experimentation that’s as willfully ungraceful as it winds up being flowing. Bottom line: dudes know what’s up. Endless Boogie’s languid roll is second to nobody and Vibe Killer is a vision of cool jazz reinvented to feel as much at home in rock clubs of the basement and of the chic see-and-be-seen variety. Very New York, in that, but not at all given to elitism. Everyone’s invited to dig, and dig they should.
There were a few minutes there where one probably wouldn’t have been wrong to wonder if Örebro, Sweden’s Troubled Horse would have a follow-up at all to back 2012’s Step Inside (review here), but with Revolution on Repeat (out via Rise Above), the four-piece led by dynamic vocalist Martin Heppich prove among the most vital of the many heavy rock acts to emerge from their hometown, known for the likes of Witchcraft, Graveyard, Truckfighters and countless others. Heppich, lead guitarist Mikael Linder (also bass on the recording), guitarist Tom and drummer Jonas start with the boogie-fied opening salvo “Hurricane” (video premiere here) and “The Filthy Ones,” and run madcap through the memorable hooks of “Which Way to the Mob” and “Peasants” en route to the mid-paced “The Haunted” and into a second half marked by the semi-balladry of “Desperation” and “My Shit’s Fucked Up.” Soon, the standout chorus of “Track 7” (yup, that’s the title) and the penultimate funk of “Let Bastards Know” lead to a nine-minute epic finish in “Bleeding” – and all the while Troubled Horse hold firm to groove, momentum, poise, crisp production and songwriting as they tie varied landmarks together with an overarching sense of motion, Heppich’s charismatic soulfulness and deceptively subtle flourishes of arrangement to make an absolutely welcome return.
Sometimes you just have to toss up your hands and say, “Well, that’s some of the nastiest shit I’ve ever heard.” To step back and consider them at some distance, Come to Grief aren’t near the most abrasive band on the planet, but when you’re actually listening to their debut EP, The Worst of Times, that’s much harder to believe. Launching with “Killed by Life,” the four-tracker finds the Boston outfit led by former Grief guitarist Terry Savastano – here joined by drummer Chuck Conlon, bassist Justin Christian and vocalist/guitarist Jonathan Hebert – plodding out scream-topped filth that’s actually fuller-sounding than anything Grief did back in their day and all the more devastating for its thickness. The seven-minute “No Savior” is excruciating, and though shorter, “Futility of Humanity” and even the slightly-faster closer “Junklove” bring no letup whatsoever from the onslaught. Think accessible, then go the complete other way, then bludgeon yourself. It’s kind of like that. Absolute brutality delivered by expert and unkind hands.
The question of whether noise rock and sludge can coexist is largely one of tempo and tone, and recently-signed-to-Blackseed–Records Pittsburgh trio Holy Rivals’ self-titled debut answers in forceful fashion. Amid more aggro punch of opener “Locked Inn” comes the crust-laden grunge of “Voices,” and whether they’re rolling out the more spacious “Sleep” or sprinting through the post-Bleach raw punkery of “Dead Ender” on their way to the more ambient and patient seven-minute finale “Into Dust,” guitarist/vocalist Jason Orr (also T-Tops), bassist Aaron Orr (whose tone features well on the closer) and drummer Matt Langille – whose adaptability is essential to the Helmet-style starts and stops of “Loathe” that emerge from the preceding roll of “Sleep” – Holy Rivals put a superficial harshness to use as a cover for what’s actually a diverse songwriting process. They’ll reportedly have a new record out in Fall 2017, so this 2016 self-release may soon be in hindsight, but in setting the foundation for growth, it offers exciting prospects caked in an abidingly raw presentation.
Around what would seem to be the core duo of guitarist/vocalist Ben Ianuzzi and bassist/keyboardist Nikhil Kamineni, Brooklyn psychedelic post-sludgers Mountain God have undergone numerous lineup shifts en route to and through the release of their debut album, Bread Solstice (on Artificial Head Records). To wit, drummer/vocalist Ryan Smith (also Thera Roya), who appears on the dark, unrelenting and abyss-crafting 40-minute six-tracker, has already been replaced by Gabriel Cruz, and there have been other changes in vocalist, keyboardist and drummer positions even since they offered their 2015 EP, Forest of the Lost (review here) to set the stage for this deeply-atmospheric, it’s-acid-rock-but-with-sulfuric-acid first long-player. In light of that tumult and the overarching commitment to abrasive noise Mountain God make in pieces like the 11-minute “Nazca Lines,” “Junglenaut” or even the brooding tension of airy instrumental “Unknown Ascent,” it’s all the more impressive that Bread Solstice is as cohesive in its cerebral horror as it is, constructing a harsh and churning vision of doom as something worthy of post-apocalyptic revelry. Far from easy listening, but of marked purpose. They should play exclusively in art galleries, no matter who winds up in the band.
Perhaps best known for his work in spearheading the improvisational Denmark-based Øresund Space Collective, modular synth wizard Scott “Dr. Space” Heller weirds out across four cuts on the solo release Dr. Space’s Alien Planet Trip Vol. 1, which both underscores in its scope how essential he is to the aforementioned outfit and oozes beyond that group’s parameters into electronic beatmaking and waves of synthesizer drone. Pulling influence from classic progadelia, Heller unfurls longform tripping on 24-minute opener and longest track (immediate points) “5 Dimensions of the Universe” and veers into and out of somewhat abrasive swirl on “Rising Sun on Mars” before landing in the more steady atmosphere of “In Search of Life on Io” and launching once more outward with the five-minute finale “Alien Improv 2.” Just how many alien planet trips the good doctor will be undertaking remains as yet a mystery, but the breadth of this first one makes it plain to the listener that Heller’s sonic universe is wide open and, seemingly, ever-expanding.
Brazilian doomers Dirty Grave issue the three-song single/EP So Fall and Crawl Away (bonus points for the Alice in Chains reference) ahead of making their full-length debut reportedly any minute now with an album called Evil Desire. Comprised of two studio tracks in the eight-minute “The Black Cloud Comes” and the four-minute Howlin’ Wolf cover “Evil (Is Going On)” and with the live cut “Unholy Son – Live” as a kind of bonus track, it’s a sampling behind two similar short releases, 2014’s Vol. II and 2013’s Dirty Grave (which featured a studio version of “Unholy Son”), that sleeks through eerie doom loosely tinged with psychedelia and smoked-out vibing. “Evil (Is Going On)” is more uptempo, perhaps unsurprisingly, but is giving a likewise treatment all the same, its final solo shredding into oblivion with stoned abandon. “Unholy Son – Live” is rawer but still carries through its melody in the vocals amid a prevalent crash, and if it’s a portend of things to come on Evil Desire, then So Fall and Crawl Away serves as a warning worth heeding.
If you have a convenient narrative for what West Coast heavy rock has become over the last decade, Summoned by Giants’ debut album, Stone Wind, is probably too aggressive on the whole to fit it neatly. Their cleaner parts, the rolling second cut “Diamond Head” and samples throughout have aspects of that post-Red Fang party vibe, but to listen to the rawness of the bass tone that starts “Return” or closer “I Hate it When You Breathe,” or even the slurring “come at me, bro”-style rant sampled at the seven-track/27-minute album’s launch, a will toward violence is never far off. Couple that with the thickened noise punk of “Saturn” and the Weedeater sludge of the penultimate “Dying Wish,” and Summoned by Giants – guitarist/vocalist Sean Delaney, guitarist Jordan Sattelmair, bassist/vocalist Patrick Moening and drummer Mel Burris – seem more interested in doling out punishment than kicking back, making a silly video and having a good time. Well, maybe they’re having a good time, but they’re doing so while kicking your ass.
Posted in Whathaveyou on July 17th, 2017 by JJ Koczan
After wrapping up the recording, mixing and mastering process at the very end of last year, Pittsburgh’s Molasses Barge have aligned to Blackseed Records to issue their self-titled sophomore full-length on July 28. The band, which features members of Argus and Monolith Wielder, are the latest regional representation for the upstart label that shares their hometown and has thus far stood behind offerings from locally-based groups like Horehound, Holy Rivals, Fist Fight in the Parking Lot, Enhailer and Del Rios — it’s enough to make one wish Supervoid were still active; they’d finally have somewhere to go — and the album comes with a bonus CD of covers the tracklisting for which I’d be very interested in seeing given the tease in the info below.
Note the mastering job by the venerable Chris Kozlowski, because any time you see that dude’s name on anything it’s worth noting.
Word came down the PR wire confirming the release:
Molasses Barge release Self Titled album 7/28
Nothing conjures the image of slow and heavy like the moniker Molasses Barge. And true to form, the Pittsburgh natives have been crafting blues-drenched doom metal licks with fierce, smoky vocals for years, opening for the likes of Elder, Freedom Hawk, Windhand, Saint Vitus, Pentagram, and Truckfighters, among others. Comprised of Brian “Butch” Balich on vocals, Amy Bianco on bass, the twin grind of Dave Fresch and Justin Gizzi on guitar, and Wayne Massey’s pounding drums, Molasses Barge have been a mainstay in the thriving Pittsburgh metal scene.
On July 28th, Blackseed Records will release Molasses Barge’s self-titled, sophomore album, recorded by Jason Jouver at +/- studio in Pittsburgh, and mastered by Christopher Kozlowski at Polar Bear Lair studio in Middletown, Marlyand. The 8 song album will also include a bonus CD of classic rock and metal covers, Covered in Molasses, recorded by Matt Schor at Warroom and mastered by Zach Moore. In addition to the Molasses Barge sound they’ve cultivated and evolved, fans will be treated to their take on songs by The Obsessed, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, and many others.
Available for purchase via the Molasses Barge Bandcamp page or the Blackseed Records website 7/28/17.
Molasses Barge: Brian “Butch” Balich – Vocals Amy Bianco – Bass Dave Fresch – Guitar Justin Gizzi – Guitar Wayne Massey – Drums
Posted in Whathaveyou on July 6th, 2017 by JJ Koczan
They’ll play the release show in Pittsburgh on July 28 with Blackseed Records labelmates Molasses Barge, but one could hardly conjure a more suitable issue date for Fist Fight in the Parking Lot‘s debut long-player, 714, than July 14. An attitude-soaked rocker from the first stomping minutes of “Miss Emma” onward, the album drifts into bluesy heft on “Downward Sampson” and finds a triumph of lead guitar in the later reaches of the jammy “Big Chief,” and Blackseed will have the physical edition ready to roll out by the end of the month, Chris Smith cover art and all.
Neither Fist Fight in the Parking Lot nor Blackseed are streaming any tracks from 714 yet, but there’s a fervent flow from song to song that effectively creates common ground between the post-C.O.C. aggro chug of centerpiece “Open Slopes” and the subtle effects play beneath the solo scorch and apex-topping spoken word of closer “What About Drugs,” and I’m not saying I’ve heard it or anything, but the first impression is positive. Keep an eye on the band’s Bandcamp, linked below.
Release art and info comes courtesy of the PR wire:
Fist Fight in the Parking Lot – 714
Album Artwork & Layout by Chris Smith Released on Blackseed Records & Recordings Engineered, Mixed, Mastered by Chris Ruane
While on hiatus from live performances in which vocalist/guitarist Abby Krizner pumped out a real live human baby, Fist Fight in The Parking Lot was hard at work in the studio crafting a mighty return with a booming, bright, and haunting album about change, loss, and fighting back. Eight years into the band’s history, their newest album “714” channels the lilting groove of Queens of the Stone Age, the open atmosphere of Soundgarden, and punchy rock all their own.
Remember, scars add character. Enjoy with whiskey.
“714” will be digitally released on July 14th, 2017.
Dual CD Release Party with fellow Blackseed Recordings & Releases artist Molasses Barge on July 28th at Brillobox in Pittsburgh, PA.
Fist Fight In The Parking Lot are: Abby Krizner – Vocals/Guitar Jason Sichi – Guitar John McCallough – Bass Chris Ruane – Drums
Posted in Whathaveyou on July 5th, 2017 by JJ Koczan
Checking in from the category of ‘Oh Hell Yes’ comes word down the PR wire of a fourth full-length from Argus due this September. Clocking in at a fistpumping, headbang-worthy 55 minutes, From Fields of Fire will see issue like its predecessors, 2013’s Beyond the Martyrs (review here) and 2011’s Boldly Stride the Doomed (discussed here), via Cruz del Sur Music — their 2009 self-titled debut (review here) was on Shadow Kingdom — and its sonics are no less epic than the Brad Moore cover art adorning the front of it. This band rules. Rules. Flat out. Fucking awesome.
Word about the record just came in, so I’ll hope to have much more on the topic before we get to September, but in the meantime, you can dig into the following and I highly suggest you do:
ARGUS Return with ‘From Fields of Fire’ Sept 8 on Cruz Del Sur Music
Four years after the release Beyond the Martyrs, mighty U.S. Heavy Metal torchbearers ARGUS will release From Fields of Fire September 8 on Cruz Del Sur Music! From Fields of Fire is the defining moment from a band that has delivered the goods album after album. It is the highlight of their career to date and it is an album that will be seen as a highlight in heavy metal circles, not just this year, but for years to come.
ARGUS no longer needs an introduction. Three studio albums, three EPs, several European tours and US showcases and festival appearances have established the name of ARGUS as an established force in the Heavy Metal Universe. Yet, ARGUS is a band not content to rest on its achievements. This is a band that is still hungry – a growing and strengthening animal that shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.
Judging from the outside almost nothing seems to have changed this time around on From Fields of Fire. Another exceptional and visionary cover provided by Brad Moore, and an Intro / Outro on the track list, another of ARGUS’ trademarks through all their records. But it’s when you get on the inside, when you bite this album below the flesh to the bones that you realize ARGUS has not only been able to maintain their uniqueness, but the band has raised the quality of their creativity and therefore raised the stakes for their future. There’s a definite step ahead in terms of production and songwriting, which has reached the highest quality with the addition of producer and guitarist Dave Watson and bassist Justin Campbell in the line-up. The tense opener “Devils of Your Time” and the emotional closing “No Right to Grieve” are the songs that most clearly express their courage and confidence of exploring unusual sonic paths.
But it’s the entire album that confirms that ARGUS is probably the best band nowadays to pay homage to traditional heavy metal without merely aping their heroes. This is true metal with doom elements, two worlds that often touch, but have never been as well synthesized into a single, organic sound as they are here. From Fields of Fire features some real Heavy Metal gems: the infectious melodies and guitar-drive of “You Are the Curse” and “216,” the moody “Hour of Longing,” the galloping sound of “As a Thousand Thieves” and the borderline epic, ever-shifting majesty of “Infinite Lives, Infinite Doors.”
From Fields of Fire is an album that whose parts are as strong as the whole, where each track is a highlight; yet, it is also an album that demands to be absorbed as a whole where the music, lyrics and atmosphere reach deep inside of you and take root as your appreciation of this band and this music grows to be a part of you.
Track Listing: 1. Into The Fields Of Fire 2. Devils Of Your Time 3. As A Thousand Thieves 4. 216 5. You Are The Curse 6. Infinite Lives Infinite Doors 7. Hour Of Longing 8. No Right To Grieve 9. From the Fields of Fire
Argus is: Brian ‘Butch’ Balich – Vocals Dave Watson – Guitars Jason Mucio – Guitars Justin Campbell – Bass Kevin Latchaw – Drums
Posted in Whathaveyou on June 12th, 2017 by JJ Koczan
Pittsburgh natives Holy Rivals made their sludgy intentions known with their self-titled debut last year, rolling out six tracks of socially-conscious and thick-toned grunge nodding at the likes of Helmet and Nirvana while keeping in mind the grit of Eyehategod and the power that sonic dirt can have when wielded properly. The trio, which features guitarist/vocalist Jason Orr of T-Tops, will reissue the CD via emergent hometown imprint Blackseed Records (see also: Horehound, Del Rios, more to come) in short order and then follow-up with a new, yet-to-be-named full-length this Fall. More info on that as I get it.
Keep your eye out for news there and more on Blackseed in general. Helmed by Horehound‘s Shy Kennedy, the label is coming together at the same time Kennedy is working to establish the Descendants of Crom fest (info here) and to build a presence in and wider awareness around the Pittsburgh underground generally. No doubt at some point the label’s reach will extend beyond its local scene, but Kennedy is off to an impressive and prolific start, so yeah, expect more to come all around as we move through the rest of 2017, which is already half over, and into next year.
Just a side note. Here’s info on Holy Rivals:
Holy Rivals bring a refreshingly punishing attitude of grunge, sludge, and punk to their self-titled debut. Grinding chord progressions, raspy vocals, and concrete riffs harken back to early Nirvana and The Melvins, while keeping minds in the present.
Jason Orr (of T-Tops notoriety) takes on guitar and vocals, with Aaron Orr on bass and Matt Langille on drums. Though relative newcomers, Holy Rivals are gaining traction in the Pittsburgh scene, having already opened for Scott Kelly of Neurosis and Child Bite.
Recorded at +/- Studios in Pittsburgh, mixed and engineered by Jason Jouver, they self-released their debut album in May of 2016, and have now acquired management under Blackseed Records. Purchase a copy today via Holy Rivals Bandcamp or Blackseed Records.
Holy Rivals is: Guitar/Vocals- Jason Orr Bass- Aaron Orr Drums- Matt Langille
