Review: Cirith Ungol - FOREVER BLACK (2020)

Cirith Ungol – Forever Black Track by Track

Ordinarily I shy away from reviewing recordings by close personal friends or bandmates. It makes me look like a brown-noser. Which I certainly am not! True, Greg Lindstrom and Rob Garven are old pals of my mine (Lindstrom is also my partner in Falcon crime), but it won’t cloud my judgment on this massive album! On the other side of the coin, sometimes I prefer not to look like a prick by giving a negative critique. Hell, I’m a pro muso myself. In any case, whenever I’m writing with such sincerity and conviction I just have to say “screw it”! On rare occasions, if I prefer to remain more of less anonymous, I publish pieces under my securely guarded pseudonym.

Now, I’m not here to give you a history lesson on the oft-overlooked cult/epic heavy metal juggernaut known as Cirith Ungol. No, rough ‘n’ ready readers, this feature is going to be a celebration of a triumphant return, one hell of a comeback album for Cirith Ungol, a slumbering beast that arose from the grave in 2015, after a nearly 25-year hiatus.  CU has, since reuniting played some of the most heralded heavy metal festivals the world over, including the aptly named Frost and Fire festival in their hot and sunny hometown of Ventura, California, Germany’s Keep it True and Bang Your Head and Greece’s Up the Hammers. Yes, folks, Cirith Ungol is back! Back with a vengeance! Kudos to Mr. Garven for taking up the sticks again after he swore he’d never touch a drum kit ever again. And to all the naysayers who said CU would never grace a stage or a full-length recording again, Forever Black is a testament of blazing fire divine! Cirith Ungol has arisen and succeeded where other current “reunion bands” such as Pentagram have come up short, with milquetoast recordings and gigs. Comparatively, they don’t hold a candle to the metal might of Ungol! (Okay, mediocre Pentagram is still light-years ahead of most modern metal acts.)

L-R Leatherby, Barraza, Lindstrom, Garven & Baker

Now, let’s jump right into the flames and explore Forever Black track by track!

1. The Call
The album opens with an atmospheric instrumental prelude, complete with howling wind, timpani-style drums and what sounds akin to the bass-heavy horn blast of a warship. It seamlessly segues into the full-blown barrage of Track No 2.

2. Legions Arise

Probably one of the fastest Ungol tunes to date, a galloping gate as rhythmically rambunctious as any of Maiden’s early output. From lead guitarist Jim Barraza’s Spanish-tinged melodies and sliding octave chords to the inimitable and idiosyncratic vocals of Tim Baker, this one sounds as if it could have been cut during the King of the Dead sessions back in 1984. A battle cry for the hordes of Ungol to rise up and fight for the metal cause.

3. The Frost Monstreme.

The title is not the only thing that refers to CU’s early eighties cult classic tunes (yeah, people I’m talking “Frost and Fire”, the title cut to their debut disc). The first couple of riffs and melody fills expand upon some of CU’s past riffage. Motifs from the 1970s oldy-but-goody “Route 666” (later recorded by axeman Greg Lindstrom’s post-CU band, Falcon) and the aforementioned “Frost and Fire”. Without a doubt, this is sword & sorcery metal at its finest. This sucker would be at home on the soundtrack to a film adaptation of Fritz Leiber’s Fafhrd and Grey Mouser fantasy novel Swords and Ice Magic. It boasts a Seventies-tinged bridge, rife with drummer Rob Garven’s righteously cool cowbell. Garven also kicks some thunderous double-bass during the lead break. If you close your eyes during the solo, you’d think you were listening to fallen founding axeman Jerry Fogle.

4. The Fire Divine

The verse is a vivacious return to CU’s roots – the influence of immortal rawkers Thin Lizzy. A little birdy told me that some of Greg Lindstrom’s lyrics were originally meant for a Falcon tune. A Lizzy-esque dual guitar harmony section spices things up even more.

5. Stormbringer

No, it’s not a cover of the Deep Purple track of the same name. Here you’ll find a tune inspired by modern British fantasy author Michael Moorcock’s Elric novels. Just as the other 4 CU studio albums, Forever Black is adorned with one of Michael Whelan’s masterful Elric paintings. Stormbringer is the name of Elric’s fabled sword, the evil artifact which slays all in its path – that is until it becomes satiated. CU isn’t alone. Blue Oyster Cult’s Eric Bloom and Moorcock penned a tune for their Cultosaurus Erectus LP called “Black Blade”. A despondent clean-tone arpeggiated guitar intro ushers us headlong into the meat-and-potatoes verse and melodic prelude solo courtesy of Barraza. At first, Baker’s vocals are more emotive than his usual metallic shriek. The tempo is doomy and the chorus boasts some vocal layering from the rest of the Ungol camp – uttering “The Blade and I are one!”

6.  Fractus Promissum

A super-sweet melodic intro gives way to another Lizzy-tinged but nonetheless original number. Barraza’s wahed-out solos are dead on the mark, as is the swinging, tremendous backbeat of Garven’s cannon-like drums.

7. Nightmare

A boisterous Baker howl introduces the doom-laden and diminished proceedings. Yes, a bit Sabbathy, yet still somehow CU’s own. Easily could’ve been recorded during the One Foot in Hell sessions. Barraza delivers yet another haunting Spanish/Middle Eastern half-step steeped solo. His outro leadwork conjures up the ghost of the late Randy Rhoads.

8. Before Tomorrow

Oozing with catchiness, “Before Tomorrow” begins with an infectious pedal-tone riff and a Jerry Fogle-ish solo. Classic pounding metal musings and mayhem! Lyrically, this is very poignant, considering the global Coronavirus pandemic. Greg Lindstrom’s warm and fuzzy guitar tone is soothing and sweet yet rocks hard and sublimely.

9. Forever Black

The title track. It’s doomy as hell and boasts some grinding bass interplay by Ungol newbie Jarvis Leatherby (also the band’s manager and the impetus for the band’s resurrection).

While you're at it, don't forget to check out "Brutish Manchild", one of CU's forgotten gems originally written in the late seventies!