ARGUS "From Fields Of Fire" CD

Draped in a warm, crystalline production job, “From Fields Of Fire” is kicked off by the punchy and stout “Devils Of Your Time”. “As A Thousand Thieves” sees the band going full gallop, evoking the glory days of IRON MAIDEN, while the dueling twin-guitar harmonies on “216” captures the instant chemistry between Mucio and Watson. 

Elsewhere, the pounding “You Are The Curse”; soaring “Infinite Lives, Infinite Doors” and nimble “Hour Of Longing” offer up a degree of range and diversity emblematic of a band who has long come into its own as songwriters. However, “From Fields Of Fire’s undisputed highlight is the somber “No Right To Grieve”. Perhaps the band’s darkest song to date, “No Right To Grieve” was born out of a song Balich and Watson thought would be better served in a joint project outside of ARGUS. However, it was simply too good to be left off “From Fields Of Fire”.

“The song revolves around the ideas of grief and the consequences of being involved in a relationship that is not out in the open,” notes Balich. “So the song, in a nutshell, deals with a secreted relationship that ends when one of the partners dies and how the person left deals with that loss knowing that to publicly mourn and grieve would reveal the relationship. So they would be left with few options but grieve alone for fear of hurting those who were unaware of the relationship and who are already hurting from the death of this person.”

A bona fide cult favorite in America and in continental Europe, ARGUS’s status as true metal flag-bearers remains firmly intact with “From Fields Of Fire”. If anything else, the band’s steady, gradual career arc proves there is no substitute for quality songwriting and a humble, fan-first approach.

“We hope the fans we have like it as much as we do and that it will have some meaning to them,” concludes Balich. “It's kind of a waste of energy to concern ourselves much with how well it sells or is received by critics...  Of course we want it to sell well and for it to be well-reviewed, but we are very realistic about the ways of the music business for a band like ARGUS and short of throwing away our jobs or selling our souls, it's a tough road for a band like ARGUS to make some headway. We're cool with that. Our goal is to create music with people we enjoy being in a band with. Our goal is to keep clawing for more ears to listen, more faces to be in the crowds at our shows...those are things we hope will happen.”