THE OUTSIDER

Argus is a Dutch neo-progressive group that started as a Wishbone Ash tribute group. When Frans Nooijen (keyboards, vocals) joined the band started working on new material. 'The Outsider' is the second album of this band. The band does offer those twin guitars and rockin' vibes we know from Wishbone Ash, but this is quite clearly a band in the tradition of early Marillion. Add some Pink Floyd if you will. The music also reminds me a bit of another Dutch album; Mangrove's 'Facing the Sunset' (also comes highly recommended). Atmospheric, melodic and a bit sentimental. You'll hear the music itself tell a story. The lyrics are about personal and societal issues. All six tracks are above the seven minute mark. The melodic rock guitar by Wim Wassenberg is proudly put forward during the song's most intense moments. The band has some nice psychedelic / symphonic interludes, like for instance on the opening of 'Visions' - a song that also has a grand guitar lead opening section. Often the synth sounds are spot on what I like in modern prog. Like many other bands Argus will try to write lyrics like those of Marillion's Fish and get a bit lost in singing about personal platitudes without the appropriate vocal theatrics/personality that legitimize such lyrics. Furthermore, I think the album could have been tighter by only printing the first three songs and the final track 'Breaking Chains', on which the band flexes its creative muscles most notably. Argus seems to prosper when the compositions are up-tempo, flexible and full of ideas and sound pallets - like on the dark opening track 'Depressed'. The album is available on cd and a double vinyl, which is nice! The production sound is quite pleasant, though the band does not benefit from the maximum impact good dynamic mixing has to offer. In conclusion, Argus delivered an album that really should further their career in the Dutch progressive rock landscape. 'The Outsider' has likely slipped under the radar of many readers here and I would warmly recommend trying it if you like symphonic and neo- progressive music. For instance on the website of 'progstreaming.nl'. Rating is 3,5 stars.

This Dutch formation started as a Wishbone Ash cover band but after singer/keyboard player Frans Nooijen joined, the band decided to write own, progrock inspired material. As a tribute to Wishbone Ash the name of this new Dutch band became Argus, derived from the legendary Wishbone Ash album. In 2016 Argus released its debut album entitled Tell Me, then it took 4 years to produce a new effort named The Outsider (2020). Listening to this album the music evokes mixed feelings to me: on one hand I really like the Eighties Neo-Prog sound, but on the other hand I notice that the writing skills and vocals showcase limitations, there is room for improvement. So now a kind of musical inventarisation.

The good things. I am delighted about the guitar work: lots of moving, howling and fiery soli, some fat Black Sabbath- like guitar riffs (Lost Girl), and as a Seventies Wishbone Ash and Thin Lizzy fan I love the twin guitar sound (especially in the titletrack and Visions). The long first composition contains some nice musical ideas: from an ominous atmosphere with hypnotizing piano work to bombastic with slow synthesizer flights, to me it sounds like 'Neo-Prog meets Rush (Jacob's Ladder comes to my mind). The track Lost Girls delivers pleasant swinging and sparkling piano play. And the final song Breaking Chains features the distinctive Mellotron flute sound, and a swirling Hammond solo, in the vein of Seventies Heavy Prog, like Deep Purple and Uriah Heep.

Room for improvement. Most of the 6 compositions are clocking at least 10 minutes so it is important to keep the attention, unfortunately Argus doesn't succeed. Because in most of the epics my attention slips a bit away, with less it could have been more I think. And about the vocals, the singer lacks power and expression, it's too mediocre. And prog begs for vocals with a range, due to the variety, tension and dynamics in this genre.

My rating: 2,5 star.