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The roots of the musicians behind Franklin, PA's Argus lie with several defunct doom bands and a temporarily dormant crossover thrash band, yet their sound couldn't be more metal in the clearest, most traditional definition of the infinitely splintered genre. First launched in 2005, the group recorded its first demo two years later and underwent some minor personnel changes before solidifying around former Penance vocalist Butch Balich, ex-Abdulla drummer Kevin Latchaw, guitarists Erik Johnson and Jason Mucio, and bassist Andy Ramage -- the last pair being members of the amusingly named Oh Shit They're Going to Kill Us. This lineup subsequently struck a deal with Shadow Kingdom Records and released Argus' eponymous debut in 2009. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia