Throughout the 1970s, the band generally played a style of heavy metal heavily rooted in hard and progressive rock. The band's first studio album, Frost and Fire (1981), featured a heavier sound, generally regarded as an early example of American power metal. By the band's second studio album, King of the Dead (1984), the band had solidified their power metal style of playing while gravitating toward a much 'darker' sound, with many considering the album among the first doom metal releases. The band took their name from the mountain pass Cirith Ungol in J. R. R. Tolkien's epic fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings. The name is Elvish and means "Pass of the Spider." While the place in Tolkien's book is pronounced "kirith ungol," the band pronounced it "sirith ungol. Each studio album's cover art is taken from the cover of a DAW Books edition of a book in Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melniboné saga; the art is by Michael Whelan.
Greg Lindstrom, Robert Garven, Jerry Fogle and Pat Galligan (later a guitarist in Angry Samoans) played in Titanic, their first band in junior high school. With a desire to play heavier music similar to that of Mountain and Grand Funk Railroad, the rest of the band parted with Galligan and founded Cirith Ungol in late 1971. After forming in late 1971, the band played their first gig on January 1, 1972 at an anti-Vietnam war peace rally.
In 1980, they were signed by Liquid Flames Records, and released their first album, Frost and Fire, with Tim Baker on vocals and songs written by bassist and guitarist Greg Lindstrom. Their second album, King of the Dead was released in on July 2, 1984 and contained lyrics primarily written by vocalist Tim Baker and drummer Robert Garven. The album was then followed by One Foot in Hell on August 12, 1986, and Paradise Lost on August 23, 1991.
They played their last live show on December 13, 1991 and disbanded in 1992, following frustration with their record label.
In 2001, Metal Blade Records released in Germany Servants of Chaos, a compilation album of unreleased demos and live songs. With old tapes and assistance from Lindstrom and Garven, it was an attempt to give fans a wealth of archival and previously unheard material before the tapes deteriorated beyond retrieval. This double-CD was later re-released worldwide, with a rare 1984 live DVD recorded at Wolf & Rissmiller's Country Club in California. Founding guitarist Jerry Fogle died from liver failure on August 20, 1998.
The band was reformed by members Tim Baker, Robert Garven, Jim Barraza, and Greg Lindstrom on October 8, 2016 at the 2nd annual Frost and Fire Festival in Ventura, California. Throughout 2017, the band had set out to headline and co-headline several European and US festivals, including Keep It True (Germany), Up The Hammers (Greece), Defenders Of The Old (US), Chaos Descends (Germany), Psycho Las Vegas (US), Days Of Darkness (US) and Hammer of Doom (Germany). In April 2018, Cirith Ungol performed at the Hell's Heroes Festival in Houston, Texas and at the NYDM Spring Bash in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In August 2018, Cirith Ungol released the single "Witch's Game". Their latest record Forever Black was released on April 24, 2020.
Blood & Iron
Cirith Ungol Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To satisfy their evil dreams the churning gears of war machines
With iron will they tread across this burning speck of worthless dust
Their metal standards now unfurled they purge the humans from their world
Children of misery centuries long who walked with kings now walk alone
They lie in fear a million deep like cringing herds of human sheep
The song "Blood & Iron" by Cirith Ungol paints a picture of despair and destruction caused by feeble leaders who have taken charge of mankind. The first line of the song is an indication of how slowly the tangled web of destruction and chaos is being weaved by these so-called leaders. These leaders, in their quest to fulfill their evil desires, have created war machines that are consuming the world, driven by the iron will of those who command them.
The song speaks of the futility of war, highlighting how worthless the burning speck of dust that these leaders are fighting over is. It paints a picture of an army with metal standards unfurled, purging the world of humans, devoid of any emotion, driven only by their leaders' desires. The once great kings who walked with pride down the corridors of power now walk alone in misery alongside their people. The song emphasizes how fear grips the masses, making them akin to herds of sheep, cringing in fear of the leaders and war machines.
Line by Line Meaning
The tangled web is slowly woven by feeble leaders mankind's chosen
Weak leaders, chosen by mankind, are slowly creating a complex and deceitful plan.
To satisfy their evil dreams the churning gears of war machines
These leaders are using war machines to fulfill their wicked desires.
With iron will they tread across this burning speck of worthless dust
These leaders are determined and forge ahead, despite the destruction and devastation they cause on this insignificant planet.
Their metal standards now unfurled they purge the humans from their world
These leaders have unfurled their metallic banners, and are purging humanity from the world.
Children of misery centuries long who walked with kings now walk alone
The people on this planet have been oppressed and miserable for generations, and once walked alongside their rulers, but are now left to fend for themselves.
They lie in fear a million deep like cringing herds of human sheep
The people now live in terror and submission, akin to herds of cringing sheep.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JERRY FOGLE, MIKE VUJEA, ROB GARVIN, TIM BAKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind