Argul – Soledad & Orgullo
Release Date: 21st August 2026
Label: Personal Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Doom
FFO: Black Sabbath, Windhand, Yob, Candlemass.
Review By: Paul Cairney
Formed in 2014, Peruvian doom outfit Argul have finally gotten round to releasing their debut album. Titled Soledad & Orgullo (Solitude and Pride in English), the wait has been worth it.
To be perfectly honest, I have listened to this album far more times than is healthy before writing a review. The simple fact of the matter is that each track is utterly captivating. The immediacy of the opening riff of ‘Ritual’ sets the scene, where its lackadaisical nature is a blend of psychedelic stoner doom. Bordering on a bluesy doom riff, the harmonised vocals compliment the music almost perfectly. The bass wanders and the track expands and contracts with natural ease.
The wandering nature of the album is consistent. Argul are content to let the music dominate the album as opposed to the singing. Even on the shorter, 5 minute tracks, ‘Engendro’ and the excellent, ‘Hor Hodin’, where the pace is lifted somewhat, the band provide the tracks with a relaxed approach to the music. It isn’t like a jam session, but the riffs are allowed to breathe, the rhythm section feel the tracks, as opposed to playing them. The result is an album that has a life of its own.
Vocally, the lyrics are predominately, if not all, in Spanish. Again, this creates a bit of mystery for us non-Spanish speakers and brings further mystery to the closing tracks, ‘Animal Dog’ and ‘Kamog’. When the band harmonise, they excel. Think Windhand for the vocal style.
Soledad & Orgullo is a seriously good debut album. Yes, it may have been unreleased for a while, but every aspect of the album, from the bass to the exploratory bluesy psychedelia of the riffs demands you like it.
Captivating, entrancing, and enthralling, Soledad & Orgullo is just a wonderful album.
(5 / 5)
