Cirith Ungol's 'Forever Black' - Album Review

While I have been aware of California's Cirith Ungol for some time, I have actually only started to listen to the band properly over the past couple of months. I had heard some snippets of the band over the years, but it was not until I listened to a teaser of their latest album Forever Black, the subject of this piece, that I decided to take the plunge. Such was my ignorance, I was actually surprised to find out that the band were American. From the bits that I had heard previously, I had wrongly assumed that Cirith Ungol were English - and a part of the NWOBHM movement. Their sound is so similar to what some of the NWOBHM bands were doing during the early 1980s, that those early pioneers of the scene must have been an influence on the Tolkien-named five-piece - who released their debut album Frost and Fire in 1981. The band, led by their ever-present frontman Tim Baker and drummer Robert Garven, found modest success throughout the 1980s and early 1990s; releasing four albums before eventually splitting up in 1992. Despite forming a strong cult following, Cirith Ungol never really broke into the mainstream. It is said that frustrations with their record label eventually led to the band's demise, but in truth the band's unique sound has always been somewhat niche. While at their core Cirith Ungol are an old-fashioned heavy metal band, there is a lot going on in their sound that makes the band hard to pigeon hole - and perhaps this also limits their appeal. The band's sound is surprisingly heavy, and there is a dark, doomy quality to their music. Cirith Ungol are not a radio-friendly band. While some of their songs feature catchy choruses and strong hooks, many of the band's songs are quite lengthy and bleak - with a big emphasis on atmosphere that the whole band, and particularly Baker's howling vocals, contributes to. This, however, is what makes Cirith Ungol special. While the band are clearly not for everyone, they satisfy a certain itch that not many other bands are able to scratch. They are music for a dark, apocalyptic world (which seems reasonably apt currently), so the release of the band's first new album since 1991's Paradise Lost should be cause for celebration in the metal world. Forever Black is simply a continuation of what Cirith Ungol were doing in the 1980s, nothing more or nothing less. While some bands reunite and try to modernise and update their sound, Cirith Ungol have just done what they do best. This album could have come out in the 1980s, and everything from the fuzzy production to Baker's ageless vocals makes Forever Black a vital entry into the band's small, but powerful, canon. It helps that four of the band's current line-up were present during some or all of the band's heyday too, with Baker and Garven joined by founding rhythm guitarist Greg Lindstrom; for his first appearance on a Cirith Ungol album since Frost and Fire; and lead guitarist Jim Barraza who joined the band in 1988 and performed on Paradise Lost. The only new face is bassist Jarvis Leatherby (Night Demon), who perfectly rounds out the Cirith Ungol of the 21st Century.

With so many modern metal albums being packed to the rafters, filled with far too many songs that the highlights often get buried, Cirith Ungol have gone for an old-school approach on Forever Black - providing us with 40 or so minutes of prime, doomy metal. A short instrumental piece called The Call gets the album underway, and the creepy track helps to set the scene of what is to come with swirling winds and a black guitar melody; which segues perfectly into lead single Legions Arise as Garven's drums kick in and a pacy, galloping rhythm takes over. Legions Arise is classic Cirith Ungol, and if you told me that I was listening to a song that was recorded in the mid-1980s and never released until now then I would have believed you. The production is very of that time, with the drums having a great organic hollowness and the guitars crying with a suitable amount of fuzz. Baker, who seems to have grown no older since the band's original demise, leads the charge with his trademark howl. His vocal style really makes Cirith Ungol stand out, and his shrieks during the simple chorus really make all of the little hairs stand up - while Barraza and Lindstrom join forces for lots of twin-guitar harmonies - a staple of early 1980s metal. The song is a great kick-off moment, but it is aped by The Frost Monstreme that follows - which is one of the album's real highlights for me. Legions Arise has a brisk pace, but The Frost Monstreme slows things down somewhat to a precise chug, with Leatherby's bass holding everything together, allowing the band's trademark doom to come to the fore. The song is built around a catchy little guitar melody, which really recalls those first couple of Iron Maiden albums, with Barraza's lead work providing a melodic counterpoint to the doom and bleakness found elsewhere. His bluesy, emotionally-charged solo is another strong guitar moment in the song. Cirith Ungol have never been a band to really go all-out for instrumental prowess, instead playing for the song. The solo here fits perfectly within the context of the piece, adding screaming notes to counter Baker's howling chorus performance - which is easily one of the album's best moments for me as it showcases why he is one of the most underrated metal singers of all time. Baker's voice just screams 'heavy metal', and it is great to hear him back after so long. The Fire Divine comes across as a little more anthemic, with a strong guitar riff leading the charge that sounds a little more like something that a late-1980s stadium rock band would come up with - but the fuzz of the production and Baker's vocals stop the piece from sounding too commercial. That being said however, there is certainly a lot more obvious melody on display here. The main riff creates a strong energy, and some of the guitar leads have that soaring, stadium rock quality (akin to the beginning of Scorpions' Rock You Like a Hurricane) - plus the chorus is certainly more obviously-catchy here with some strange vocal harmonies and hookier melodies. Despite this subtle change, the song still sounds like Cirith Ungol. The Fire Divine is certainly not the band turning into Bon Jovi, but it showcases a bit more of a strident hard rock vibe that works well within the band's established sound.

After the strut of the previous song, Cirith Ungol leave the arena and return to the dingy club with the atmospheric and dynamic Stormbringer. Stormbringer opens slowly, with a melodic clean guitar and Baker's low-key vocals, but it slowly builds up as Garven's drums kick in to provide a sombre beat and Barraza launches into a short, but potent, guitar workout. Fans of Baker's particular vocal style will certainly love this song, and he really showcases his talents here in a big way. The chorus features some of his most demonic howls yet, as he shrieks the song's title in a very effective way. He is backed up perfectly by the rest of the band, who's slow-paced, Sabbath-esque riffing creates the perfect bed for his voice - while clean guitar melodies are mixed into the heaviness to add extra depth. While the album as a whole really sounds like classic Cirith Ungol, Stormbringer is possibly the song here that most showcases the band's core sound at its very best. This song describes exactly what the band are about perfectly, from the mournful guitar leads to the howling vocal display. Fractus Promissum (which translates to 'broken promise') ups the pace a little after the slower previous number, and as a result the song has a heavier overall sound. One thing that I like about Cirith Ungol however is how organic everything always sounds. They have not been tempted to give into modern production techniques or try to force their sound through a modern metal filter. This album sounds deliciously retro, and it is clear how the band were influenced by many of the classic rock and proto-metal acts of the 1970s. The band's riffing style always has a base in the blues trappings of hard rock, but dialled up to eleven and forced through the band's hard-hitting, yet fuzzy, vision. The guitar solo in the track is a perfect example of that sound choice, and it is easy to see how Baker probably influenced a lot of extreme metal singers that followed. While he does not sing in a harsh vocal style, his howls have a certain abrasive quality to them and Fractus Promissum showcases him again at his very best. Nightmare opens slowly, with some twinkly guitar melodies, but this low-key start does not last and it is not long before another lumbering riff kicks in and the song becomes another slab of doom. In fact, this is possibly the most overtly-doom track here. The pace is deliberately very slow throughout, with the chugging riffs of Barraza and Lindstrom keeping the pace on a tight leash - while Garven's ride-heavy drumming creates a punchy backdrop. While I prefer some of the other songs here, those who want to see the band at their heaviest need look no further than Nightmare. It showcases the band's doomy qualities the best, and it is easy to see how the band helped to fuel the doom metal boom that kicked off throughout the 1990s.

Before Tomorrow is somewhat more melodic. Much in the way that The Frost Monstreme was built around a guitar melody, Before Tomorrow opens by putting its best, guitar-led, foot forward - with a soaring and melodic guitar lead kicking everything off. It sets the tone nicely, and the riffing throughout the song is less doomy than the previous number, with a spikier NWOBHM-inspired chug taking over. Leatherby's bass is high in the mix, which really helps the song to sound nice and bulky. He is the only member of the current line-up to not have been present in the band during the 1980s, but he has fit in perfectly. His work with Night Demon has showcased his work as a songwriter and a musician; and I believe that he played a big part in getting Cirith Ungol back together. He has given the band a little bit a 'youthful' spark, and his playing is a big part of what makes Forever Black a successful album. Before Tomorrow is a song that just sees the whole band locking in perfectly behind a solid chug, while Baker does his thing atop it all. The album comes to a close with its title track which, like Stormbringer, is a classic example of the old-school Cirith Ungol sound. It is a slow-paced song, with lumbering riffs and pounding drums - but it also manages to create that classic old-school atmosphere. Despite being a heavy band, Cirith Ungol have always managed to inject a lot of atmosphere into their songs - which is impressive for a band that do not have a keyboard player. Clean guitar parts are often cleverly mixed into the songs, which sit just behind the main riffs to add depth, and Leatherby's busy bass playing often adds another dimension. Being the album's closing number, and its title track, Forever Black has everything thrown at it. There is lots of busy guitar work throughout, with a few solos and leads scattered throughout the song for maximum melodic effect; while Baker's vocals sound even more demonic and possessed than ever. His howl really is unlike anyone else's out there, and is so important to make Cirith Ungol sound the way that they do. It is amazing that he has been able to preserve his voice over the years, as age usually catches up with everyone at some point. As the song begins to move towards its end, the pace ups and Baker begins to howl the song's title over and over while the most explosive and fast-paced solo of the album brings it, and the album, to a powerful close. Overall, Forever Black is nothing short of a triumph. Sometimes band reunions only lead to disappointment as age and other factors stop a band from excelling as they did the first time around; but Cirith Ungol have shown that it is indeed possible to pick up exactly where you left of many years previously. Forever Black is one of the best true comebacks in recent years, and is an album that I can see myself playing a lot over the coming months.

The album was released on 24th April 2020 via Metal Blade Records. Below is the band's promotional lyric video for Legions Arise.