The first thing that caught my eye was the big yellow sticker that read "Produced by Scott Albert of Circle of Dust." I was anxious to see if this album was another top-notch Christian industrial release like Circle of Dust, Brainchild, and Under Midnight.
Listening to track one, I began to grin as my expectations were realized. A deep thunderstorm and a powerful, inhumanly-distorted voice filled my senses: "...welcome/you to my home of/escape my refuge/Argyle Park." Which is a great description of this album. Listening to Argyle Park is like actually exploring a world of sonic landscapes.
Right from the start you are pummeled with aggressive thrash guitar, drum machines, and the distorted voices that are the trademark of modern industrial music. However, the scenery quickly changes and you realize that this is not just another industrial sound with a fast drum machine and distorted screams.
Argyle Park takes a journey through passages reminiscent of groups like Enigma, then back into thrash and techno comparable to NIN and Circle of Dust. "DoomSayer" is a hard industrial rap, and even though I'm not a particular fan of rap, this is one that I play over and over.
In the way of lyrics, what can be readily understood are few and far between. The album is definitely not evangelical but more a description of a life of pain and mistreatment: "Here it is/my life my pain/now lays before your feet."
I could go on and on describing the great variety of each track. I'll just summarize by saying that its 100% industrial made with techno and thrash--both hard and light. Everything is powerful and foreboding. If you like Circle of Dust, NIN, Skinny Puppy, etc., this is an album that you will want to add to your collection.
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2004Reviewed by Josh MarihughIn the spring of 1996, I first heard an Argyle Park song on the radio. "Doomsayer" intrigued me, and I immediately went out to try to find the album. Unfortunately, by this point, R.E.X. Records had closed their doors, and the Misguided CD was already difficult to find. While I continued to search used music stores and the like, I settled for a dubbed cassette copy, courtesy of a fellow youth…The Conqueror Worm Jun/Jul 1995Reviewed by argylleattn. this review is not affected in any way by the reviewer's name being argylle--okay, this is probably my new favorite album and/or group. a.p. is made up of buka, dread, and deathwish (it's nickname mania!) and a slew of guest stars including jerome and gyro from mortal, jim thirlwell of foetus, tommy victor of prong, jeff belew of cbx, mark solomon of native son and the late(?) crucified, of…Heaven's Metal #53Reviewed by Spiny NormanOkay, you heard "Drive, He Said" on the Steve Taylor Tribute album; now Argyle Park debuts a whole album's worth of weirdness. Those of you who may have guessed that there's a Circle of Dust connection, and that it's going to sound like Circle, are way off base. Although some tunes rage with a frenzied speed metal thrash attack, most of the album deals in the techno/dance arena. There's also some…Similar sounding releases
1998Circle of DustDisengage
2002MortalNu-En-Jin
2003Null FactorPurity
1998Jagged DoctrineI Wear the Mask
1999Torn SkinMislead
1998Gathering of SoulsNeither Moth Nor Rust Corrupts
