Mauricio Guerrero, a name that might be unfamiliar to many, has been making waves in the music industry with his recent releases. The Peruvian stoner-doom band Illwind, featuring Guerrero's lead guitar, dropped their debut album, 'The Unfolding at the End of Light', in early July, and now, just two months later, Guerrero is back with another stoner/doom debut, 'Soledad & Orgullo' by the band Argul. This album showcases Guerrero's talent and his ability to create captivating music. The album's cover art alone hints at the band's primary influence, early Black Sabbath, with its sylvan visual aesthetics. The album's sound is a blend of doom and stoner music, with dark, slow, and bluesy guitar lines, reminiscent of Master of Reality. The production is spaciously organic, with a well-curated live band feel, and the interplay between the guitars, bass, and drums is refreshing and present. The album's vocals are ethereal and lilting, with a focus on harmonizing, creating a warm and enchanting atmosphere. The album can be divided into stronger and weaker tracks, with 'Ritual' and 'Hor Hodin' standing out as the stronger cuts. However, the album's songwriting can be criticized for being occasionally overdone, with 'Animal Dog' dragging at times. Despite this, the album is consistently enjoyable and showcases Guerrero's talent and the band's captivating sound. The album's bonus track, 'Kamog', adds a whopping 15 minutes to the runtime, which could be trimmed. Overall, 'Soledad & Orgullo' is a solid stoner-doom offering from Mauricio Guerrero and Argul, and fans of doom and stoner metal should certainly sample it. The album is available on Bandcamp and Instagram, and it was released worldwide on August 21st, 2026, through Personal Records.
