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.
Chaos Rising
Cirith Ungol Lyrics
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While sin and death stand silent guard outside the Gates of Hell.
He slowly spreads his leather wings and soars above the land,
He strokes his pointed beard and casts an evil eye toward man.
Unchains the dogs of chaos to complete his evil chore
To make the cringing herd of man his thralls by right of war.
They gorge on fatal fruit, taste of dust and bitter ash,
The smell of burning brimstone, lightning flung from golden hands.
To rule without a master is the only dream of man.
As they swap our souls among them and prepare the final feast,
Begin the war eternal, cast aside both God and Beast.
Moving toward the evil song that fate will sadly sing,
How the pride of man has fallen, crowning lust their only king.
Heaven screams in anguish and the world cries out in pain,
Unleash the final terror, man begins his now doomed reign.
The lyrics of Cirith Ungol's "Chaos Rising" depict a scene of darkness and impending doom. The song paints a picture of fallen armies tolling the bell, as sin and death stand guard outside the Gates of Hell. The leader of chaos, with his leather wings, looks upon man with an evil desire, as he unchains the dogs of chaos to make man his thralls by right of war. The herd of man consumes the fatal fruit, tasting dust and bitter ash, while fire burns in heaven and immortal forces clash. Amidst the chaos, the dream of man is to rule without a master, casting aside both God and Beast, and beginning the war eternal.
The pride of man has fallen and lust has become their only king. The cries of heaven and the world reverberate as they move towards the evil song that fate will sing. The final terror is unleashed as man begins his now doomed reign.
The song is not only a warning about the perils of unchecked ambition and the pursuit of power, but also an exploration of the human condition. It touches on themes such as mortality, the struggle between good and evil, and the desire for control over one's own fate.
Line by Line Meaning
The doomed one's fallen armies sound the tolling of the bell,
The armies of a defeated leader announce their failure through the sound of a tolling bell.
While sin and death stand silent guard outside the Gates of Hell.
Death and sin keep watchman for the gateway to Hell.
He slowly spreads his leather wings and soars above the land,
The antagonist unfurls their wings and takes flight over the land.
He strokes his pointed beard and casts an evil eye toward man.
The antagonist looks down with malice in their eyes at humankind while stroking their beard.
Unchains the dogs of chaos to complete his evil chore
The antagonist releases chaos to further their evil plans.
To make the cringing herd of man his thralls by right of war.
The antagonist aims to enslave humanity by rightfully winning a war.
They gorge on fatal fruit, taste of dust and bitter ash,
Humanity ingests poisonous fruit, experiencing a taste of ash and dust.
While fire burns in Heaven and immortal forces clash.
A battle wages in Heaven as fiery destruction rages on.
The smell of burning brimstone, lightning flung from golden hands.
There is the scent of burning sulfur, and a display of golden lightning thrown by divine entities.
To rule without a master is the only dream of man.
Humanity desires to live without the rule of any master or authority.
As they swap our souls among them and prepare the final feast,
Beings exchange human souls and ready themselves for a final event.
Begin the war eternal, cast aside both God and Beast.
An infinite war commences, with no respect for either God or Beast.
Moving toward the evil song that fate will sadly sing,
Humanity moves towards an evil song that will ultimately signify a tragic fate.
How the pride of man has fallen, crowning lust their only king.
Humanity once great, now ruled only by their own desire for pleasure.
Heaven screams in anguish and the world cries out in pain,
Heaven and the world alike express misery and agony.
Unleash the final terror, man begins his now doomed reign.
Humanity starts their final reign, which is marked by terror and destruction.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JAMES BARRAZA, JOSEPH MALATESTA, ROBERT GARVIN, ROBERT WARRENBURG, TIMOTHY BAKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind