CIRITH UNGOL

Release Year: 2020
Artist Origin: USA
Style: striking epic dynamic heavy metal

when such heavy metal stalwarts as Cirith Ungol rise again, one can hardly expect anything other than their signature epic, fundamental sound, and this reunion album, which borders on a minor miracle, confirms that after nearly three decades away, they have lost none of abilities to write evoking, menacing, and majestic metal true to early vision, where heavy, stately riffs and dramatic guitar passages merge with Tim Baker's unmistakably expressive vocals, apocalyptic mood, and imagery inspired by fantasy literature; according to drummer Robert Garven, music picks up where they left off with Paradise Lost, while lyrics weave bleak dystopian visions of the future and themes of humanity's self-destruction together with an archaic world of magic, with the opening Legions Arise serving as a call to uphold the values of true metal, reaffirming their grand return to distinctive, dark, and uncompromising performance; exclusive limited German gatefold sleeve double black-marbled mud-green vinyl edition with additional demo versions of all songs on the second record