I’ve attempted to come up with today’s Top 10 on at least two prior occasions, only to scrap it in frustration. Why? Because Cirith Ungol is one of those rare metal bands with a catalog so flawless that boiling it down to 10 highlights is practically a disservice. Their initial output is untouchable, and their 2020 comeback album, Forever Black, was rightfully crowned “Album of the Year”. 50 years into their storied career and Cirith Ungol are still the undisputed Kings of the Dead, proudly forging metal that’s fantastical, arcane, and downright epic. Today, we honor their legacy with what we believe to be their 10 finest moments. “Yeah come on, join the legion!”
10. “Join the Legion”
Even in their 1980s heyday, Cirith Ungol were never fully embraced by headbangers. They were too slow for the thrashers, too ugly for the glamsters, and too damn weird for everyone else in between. Their burgeoning riffage and atmosphere of dread made them beloved in doom metal circles, but one must keep in mind that back then, this was a sub-niche genre/culture. By the time the early ’90s rolled around, neck deep in a world that had since grown hostile to metal (let alone epic metal), it only made sense CU would call it a day, but not before one last hurrah in Paradise Lost (1991). Although its production and songwriting sees CU at their most polished, it’s not without its crushing anthems; and no song on this outing is more crushing than the opening “Join the Legion”. How can you not pump your fist and chant along to the chorus? Exactly. You can’t.
9. “Stormbringer”
Considering the brilliance of CU’s reunion album, Forever Black, it’s only right that I include at least one song from the album on this list. Every song smokes in its own way, faithful to the tried and true CU formula that made them so beloved in the first place. That said, no cut on here resonates with me deeper than the epic metal ballad that is “Stormbringer”. As I said in my original review, the arrangement and delivery is reminiscent of Viking era Bathory, which is no coincidence. Would Blood Fire Death (1988) and Hammerheart (1991) even exist without King of the Dead (1984) and One Foot in Hell (1986)? I think not. Contrary to popular belief, something tells me Quorthon was listening to a lot more in the 80s than Discharge and his childhood favorites KISS and The Beatles.
8. “Master of the Pit”
CU’s ability to craft lengthy, doomy, intricate epics reached a new level on their second full length album, King of the Dead. Nearly every cut on the album falls into this very category, but it’s “Master of the Pit”, with its ominous buildup, trudging power-doom riffage, twisted melodic soloing, and savage vocals, that embody the heart and soul of this approach. And just when you think things can’t get any more epic, guitarist Jerry Fogle proceeds to lay down one of the most violent, evil breakdowns in metal history, followed by a blizzard of ripping six string fury. In his own way, Fogle could shred like Eddie Van Halen and capture mood like Gary Moore; that is if both Van Halen and Moore were raised in barbaric conditions. “Master of the Pit” is a testament to the late guitarist’s colossal ability.
7. “100 M.P.H.”
If there’s one thing Cirith Ungol isn’t known for, it’s playing fast. This a band who takes their sweet time to convey their purpose, even if it means 7 to 8 minute epic metal suites. Yet when they feel like it, CU can thrash and bash with the best of ’em. Look no further than “100 M.P.H.” off their third album, One Foot in Hell. Clocking in at a little over 3 and a half minutes, “100 M.P.H.” wastes no time getting blood pumping and heads banging. Even the lyrics, simple and straightforward by CU standards, channel the ferocity of the musicianship.
“Call it heavy metal comes on hard and fast
We’re the men who play it we’re here to kick your ass”
If you didn’t know any better, you’d think that’s a Venom lyric! Fast forward to 2022 and CU is STILL kickin’ ass!
6. “I’m Alive”
With one foot steeped in fantasy-driven metal, and the other planted in the wild psych-prog sounds of the 70s, Cirith Ungol unleashed their debut monolith, Frost and Fire, in 1981. Far from their finest hour, it’s still leaps and bounds above many of the here today, gone tomorrow NWOBHM hanger-ons, and showcases greatness that was to be further cultivated on subsequent releases. Many songs on here became classics in their own right, such as “I’m Alive”. As the second song on the album, it’s the band’s first flirtation with the epic ballad archetype that would make an appearance on every album since. The contrast between the gentle, melodic verses and the explosive chorus make this one a force to be reckoned with.
5. “Cirith Ungol”
Every great metal band has their own anthem. Black Sabbath has “Black Sabbath”. Iron Maiden has “Iron Maiden”. Motörhead has “Motörhead”. And of course, Cirith Ungol has “Cirith Ungol”. The last song on their magnum opus, King of the Dead, “Cirith Ungol” chronicles not the band, but the fictitious “tower of fire” made famous in the Lord of the Rings lore. It doesn’t get much nerdier than that! All joking aside, CU’s love for epic literature and equally epic metal put them on a pedestal really matched by Manilla Road, maybe Warlord on their Deliver Us (1983) EP. The point being, when it comes to 80s US metal, Cirith Ungol are the cream of the crop!
4. “Blood & Iron”
Despite being a massive influence on the genre’s early development, Cirith Ungol were never really a power metal band per se. In fact, they’ve always leaned a bit closer to doom as far as I’m concerned. That said, they came pretty damn close to full blown power metal on One Foot in Hell. As if “100 M.P.H.” isn’t powerful enough, how about the galloping rage of the opening “Blood & Iron”? If this song doesn’t make you want to slay orcs on horseback with your family sword while clad in nothing but metal helmet and leather loincloth, I don’t know what does. As much as I love every song on One Foot in Hell, this is the one I return to the most. It’s especially great at giving that extra boost for workouts and rough work days!
3. “Frost and Fire”
Can you feel it burning? Can you feel the freeze? The frost, the fire! It burns inside of Cirith Ungol! If we were to do a Top 10 First Songs Off First Albums in Metal History, “Frost and Fire” would have to make the cut. At least that’s what I tell myself. I feel as if the song has grown to be even more legendary in status than the album proper. After all, it was the namesake for the band’s own traditional metal festival. With all that said, “Frost and Fire” is an excellent song that blurs the line between 70s and 80s metal. The galloping chorus riffs and Baker’s banshee vocals scream the 80s, but that fuzzed out guitar solo from hell? It doesn’t get more 70s than that. What a smoker of a song!
2. “Atom Smasher”
“Welcome to the brave new world! The future’s here, or haven’t you heard?” Talk about an introduction! This shrieked lyric, coupled with those signature lumbering doom riffs, opens King of the Dead in grand fashion. I was really close to putting “Atom Smasher” at #1. From a musical standpoint, it showcases all of the elements that made (and still makes) CU so unique from their peers. The vocals, guitars, and even the rhythm section sound otherworldly: Not in a heavenly Crimson Glory, or robot apocalypse Queensrÿche way, but in a primal, yet unusually regal way. Oxymoronic much? Look folks, it’s usually by this part of the Top 10 that words start to fail me, so let’s get to our #1.
- “Black Machine”
When I was either 10 or 11 (those early metal years were a blur), my parents got me a book entitled The Encyclopedia of Heavy Metal. While I was already more than familiar with many of the bands who lurked between its pages (Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Rush, AC/DC, etc.), it also exposed me to bands I had never heard of, like Candlemass, Manilla Road, and Cirith Ungol…who? I don’t remember exactly what author Daniel Bukszpan wrote about Cirith Ungol. Whatever it was, it motivated me to look them up on YouTube, where I was greeted by this here song, “Black Machine”.
For most at such a young age, this would be a make or break moment that would determine my headbanging fate. Was I ready for what lie beneath in the underground? The answer to that was a resounding, “Yes!” From first listen, I was hooked. I can’t help but think my predisposition for bands like Yes, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, and other weird, unorthodox music set the stage for my love of Cirith Ungol (thanks Dad!). Would an obsession with Metallica alone be enough? Perhaps not, but I’ll save that “what if” for another day. Until next time, enjoy the greatest Cirith Ungol song, “Black Machine”, in all its glory!
Damn, I was surprised that “One Foot In Hell” and “The Fire” didn’t make the cut. Great list, though!