In the early 80s, long before Florida became globally associated with death metal, the region’s underground scene was driven by traditional heavy metal and early thrash acts, deeply influenced by the NWOBHM. From this humid and untamed territory emerged bands such as CRIMSOM GLORY, SAVATAGE, TEMPTER, and ARGUS. Although ARGUS never achieved the same level of recognition as some of their peers, their legacy holds a unique place in metal history. In 1983, they became one of the first (if not the first) international heavy metal bands to perform in Colombia, playing to nearly 10,000 people at La Macarena arena in Medellín. The following interview is with Glenn Enriquez, guitarist and founding member of ARGUS, who has recently announced the band’s reunion for one last Show performing their legendary EP live at the BAHRF (Bay Area Hard Rock Fest), marking the festival’s comeback after a 17-year hiatus, on March 13, 2026, at 4:00 PM. So beware, or better, be there to witness the power of ARGUS....
Hi Glenn, it's an honor to be able to bring to our readers a bit of Argus history, how did Argus get started and tell us what you can remember about the Florida Heavy Metal scene in the early 80's? Nowadays that sound of Argus sound so appealing for those many fans of American Traditional Heavy or fans of the NWOBH that lurks into the underground to find old and not so know acts like Argus itself, by the way, a very welcome to our pages, Glenn!!
Hi, and thank you for having me. The story of Argus is a long one but I'll do my best to explain it. The drummer Micheal Anthony and myself were in a band called Bullet and before that in a band with some guys we went to school with. I wanted to start another band to go out and play heavier music than just the same dance music every other band was doing and put on a concert style show. We then added Dave as a second guitarist and then went on to add a bass player and vocalist. We went out and started playing some clubs but something was not right we needed more energy. Frank was in another band at the time but was not happy so we brought him in and the final piece was to replace the bass player with a young Jerry Ryburn. I convinced the band to move to much heavier music, Black Sabbath, Priest, Maiden, Angel Witch, early Scorpions etc. We put all of our money back into the band for PA, Lights, Stage Gear. We were having success and soon started writing our own music. Our manager got us into a new studio in Miami and we recorded the EP. It made it's way to Colombia. It was getting heavy air play and soon plans were in the works to due a few shows in Medellin, Cali, Bogota. But for some reason Cali and Bogota never happened.
What memories do you have about the composition and recording of the self-titled EP? A vinyl release that came out on 12-inch under a label called Rainbow Records. Is there a reason why this EP hasn't been re-released, considering the vinyl resurgence, it's not even on CD, as far as I can remember, you've never received proposals from labels to re-release this EP?
As far the writing of the songs on the EP they were all written while we were out on the road. Dave or myself would have an idea of the main riff and we would start working on it. We would get into the club early the we were playing at and put the songs together we all were there at the same time writing guitar, bass, drum, parts and even writing the lyrics. When I can up with main riff for Another Gloomy Day we were in South Carolina and I woke up very early in the morning with that riff in my head so I got out of bed and went to the bathroom with my guitar and started playing it over and over so I would not forget it because I didn't have a way to record it. We had played that night so the rest of the guys were sleeping and we parted a bit late so it didn't go over so well when i woke them all up and played it for them to help me remember it. Haha I have been contacted by a few small labels but nothing has ever come from it. I have to be careful we that because we all own rights to those songs so we all have to agree on the deal. The other issue is we don't have the master tape it is lost or destroyed. There are other songs that never made it to the studio that can be found on the internet from the live show in Medellin. Satan's Reign, The Hell Ranger, Save The Tears.
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| MEDELLÍN COLOMBIA 1983 |
It is inevitable to ask you about the concert that Argus did in Medellín Colombia in 1983, tell us what you can remember about that experience, how did the contact come about and what memories can you bring up about that night that many people still remember? Did you know that the organization that paid for the Argus concert in Medellín and which was called Medellín Sin Tugurios, was an organization sponsored by Pablo Escobar Gaviria, the infamous Drug Lord? Besides Colombia, did you have the opportunity to play in other places outside the United States?
About how we made the contact to get to Medellin, the people that owned the studio that we recorded at had a friend in South America that was in the import and export business so we were told. Haha. So the guy in Medellin took the record to a rock radio station and they played it on the air and started getting lots of phone calls requesting to play the record, we were told the it was number 1 requested album for a while. So the arrangement was made for us to go down there and the show to be on March 11th if I remember correctly. Our crew went down a week before to get things ready for the show. We flew to Miami 2 days before the show and then flew into Medellin, and what a flight or least the landing because the plane had to circle around a few times once we were inside the mountains so he could get low. When we left the plane felt like it was going straight up, that was a little scary. When we got off the plane in Medellin there what looked like hundreds maybe more of people there with signs welcoming us to the city, it was awesome to see and made us all very happy.
43 years after that presentation that was held in the Plaza de Toros La Macanera on March 11, 1983, songs that did not appear on the EP were heard, such as MetalLust, Hell Ranger, Satan's Reign, why could they never get a full-length album? And apart from these songs, surely they have more material composed?
As far as a full length album there were many songs and ideas that we were working on but never finished and i still don't understand why we didn't except for the fact that we playing all the time and just having fun after the show was over. In other words parting a lot.LOL.
Have you ever heard the pirated recording of that live in Medellín, someone should edit it and release it on CD, or why not on vinyl? In this mythical concert, Argus covered Angel Wicth, Trespass, and Scorpions, flagship bands of the NWOBH.
I have that recording from the show in Medellin it was sent to me by a friend Hugo from the band WitchTrap. I just do think the sound quality is that good, but maybe could be cleaned up a bit in the studio.
