adg211288 Beyond the Martyrs (2013) is third full-length by US heavy/doom metal act Argus. Since the release of Boldly Stride the Doomed (2011), which was in my view the doom metal album of its year, Argus has put out a few smaller releases to whet their fans appetite for more. But aside from one song, The Hands of Time are Bleeding (which also appears on this album), on the EP Blood, Fire, Beer (2012), Beyond the Martyrs marks the first batch of new material from the group since the last album.

Similarly to Boldly Stride the Doomed the music on Beyond the Martyrs mixes traditional heavy metal with traditional doom metal. While the blend of the two has always been subtle in Argus' music, it does feel that on Beyond the Martyrs Argus are openly leaning more on their heavy metal side. There are still doom metal passages and some slow tempo sections to be found during the album's eight tracks but more often the guys seem happy to keep things flowing with a classic metal sound which despite some noted differences to its predecessor still have Argus written all over it at the end of the day. Great riffs, with twin guitars, to the point song-writing and best of all the mighty voice of Butch Balich.

It's a solid album that Argus have turned out here and I have to say that if I was hearing the band for the first time it would leave a really good impression. But this is the thing, I have heard them before. Specifically I have heard Boldly Stride the Doomed which you may recall I already stated was the best doom metal album of 2011 for me. So coming from that to Beyond the Martyrs does make this one feel significantly lesser in terms of the overall impact it has on me.

The problem is not that the album is less doom more heavy metal this time, because I always half expect artists that blend two or more genres the way Argus do to sometimes put out an album that favours one over the other. The song's are the issue. They're all great, don't get me wrong on that count and indeed there are some exceptional tracks here including No Peace Beyond the Line and the previously released The Hands of Time are Bleeding. But there's nothing that sticks with me the way A Curse on the World, 42-7-29, or Durendal from Boldly Stride the Doomed did. Where Boldly Stride the Doomed is a fan making masterpiece Beyond the Martyrs is simply a great album that you listen to because you already like the band. You just don't play it as much as its betters.

Okay so maybe that sounded harsher than it was intended, after all, I still feel largely positive about the album and it's not that I doubt Beyond the Martyrs ability to win Argus some new fans. It simply doesn't stand up to Boldly Stride the Doomed making the prior album a more ideal starting point for the newbie while for those who already know Argus the album may be a touch disappointing, although ultimately it is a worthy follow-up. A great album tier rating is deserved.

84/100

(Originally written for Heavy Metal Haven: http://metaltube.freeforums.org/argus-beyond-the-martyrs-t3188.html)