Do you know that feeling when a band you like is about to unleash a new album? The fear of potential disappointment is always there, unlike bands you're unfamiliar with so you don't have much in the way of expectations. When it comes to a band at the level of the Pennsylvanian ARGUS, who has been a constant performer since day one, the tension is high. They have been constant performers and have released to date, a succession of top-notch albums of Heavy Metal with Doom Metal undercurrents. Their last album, "Beyond the Martyrs", surely raised the bar, being the quality release that it is, and it is probably one of the hardest things for a band to deal with. Every band has their insurmountable peak performance, in the light of which any subsequent release is scrutinized. Few are the bands that managed to top their previous effort in each album, or at least maintain that level of excellence. And that's where the spotlight is turned to the band's fourth studio album, "From Fields of Fire", due in September 2017.

The epic sensation dripping from this release can be sensed already from the start. The crystal-clear production is as punctual as it could get. The sound is very organic and every instrument is in full HD mode. The clean guitar tone is neither too heavy nor flimsy, the bass is clearly audible with slightly funky edge to it, and the snare sound is precise. What you get a multi-directional, pervasive aural experience. Stylistically, I believe that GRAND MAGUS and SLOUGH FEG will feel at home with this one. Balich's voice is compelling and heartfelt, resonating like a prophet of doom with a rich tone and a great sense of melody (and a set of powerful lungs as well).

My expectations were probably so high that when I first listened to the album, it seemed sterile and devoid of atmosphere. I was baffled. Was this the ARGUS album I've been expecting? It appeared to me that the sleek production was favored at the expense of essence, a pitfall not easily avoided with the today's evident trend where technique tends to become everything and essence becomes nothing. I must admit, this initial impression followed me throughout the first listen and made it quite painful. That was odd because this type of production should make things more accessible and plausible. For some reason, it didn't work for me. I decided to let it go for a while and returned the next day ready to embark upon the task after I shook off any preconceptions that crept in on me and with no expectations whatsoever. That's where it started to sound right and I was finally able to pay attention to the music.

The album starts with a nice atmospheric acoustic intro that leads to the opening chords and guitar lead that transform into a classic riff of "Devils of Your Time." Everything is BIG and the sound is pervasive. The guitar solos and licks are not something we haven't heard before, but they are enjoyable and well-executed. For some reason, when I first listened to it I was sure there a choir there but I later realized that sensation was created by instruments, the like of which is usually achieved in live shows. "As a Thousand Thieves" continues where its former left. The transition is so smooth that it wasn't until halfway through it that I realized it was another. This one is slightly more progressive, with dramatic interludes and epic galloping riffs. "216" starts at a snail's pace with a solemn guitar lead, but the body of this song has a vibe reminiscent of JUDAS PRIEST's "Redeemer of Souls" with its anthemic appeal that will surely invoke audience sing-along in concerts. By this point I could tell that the album is more restrained and refined than "Beyond the Martyrs" in a way I'm not quite sure will be well accepted by the fans, but I rather like and recognize it as natural development.

"You Are the Curse" is a heavy-thumping, intense piece with an air of imminent doom. "Infinite Lives, Infinite Doors" is the longest track of the album (more than 11 minutes) and is a journey through varying tempos and passages that enfolds in a way that reminds IRON MAIDEN's "Rime of the Ancient Mariner," but of course with ARUGS' own unique style. They don't lose sight of the main theme and each section is well calculated to create a meaningful and cohesive whole. "Hour of Longing" showcases additional facets of Balich's vocal delivery, specifically the mellow and soft sections. The song starts at a fast tempo that later abates into an intermediate slow phase with a mournful and guitar solo before the fast tempo is regained towards the end. The heart-rending "No Right to Grieve" is a highly emotional that starts slow and somber with a gradual buildup of a dense atmosphere and increase of volume that finally explodes in the final intense section. "From the Fields of Fire" is a fitting acoustic finale that completes the cycle of yet another great album to the record of the band.

Most of the albums I've had the opportunity to review were already out by the time I got to them. This time, I felt the weight of responsibility of reviewing an album about six weeks before it hits the record stores, knowing well it is not accessible online or anywhere else to the broad public. Luckily, nothing can really go wrong with ARGUS so don't hesitate and pre-order the album.