Cirith Ungol (band)
Encyclopedia
Cirith Ungol was a California
n heavy metal
band who formed in 1972 and split up in May 1992. They drew influences from other metal groups such as Black Sabbath
and Thin Lizzy
, as well as Iggy and the Stooges. Their first album, Frost and Fire
, was closer to a hybrid between 1970s hard rock and metal with songs written by then bassist and guitarist Greg Lindstrom and drummer Robert Garven, but from King of the Dead
and onwards they played a progressive rock influenced brand of doom metal with songs primarily written by vocalist Tim Baker.
) playing in their first band "Titanic" in high school. With a desire to play heavier music, the rest of the band dumped Pat and reformed in 1972 as Cirith Ungol with Neal Beattie on vocals. It was not until 1980 that they were signed by Enigma and released their first record Frost and Fire
with Tim Baker on vocals. After their fourth album Paradise Lost
, they split up due to frustration caused by problems with their new record company. The year 2001 saw the light of a new Cirith Ungol album which contained old and unreleased demos and songs, but no new material. The album was supported by both Greg and Rob, but not by Tim.
Lindstrom now plays with his new band Falcon, who play some old Cirith Ungol songs. Founding guitarist Jerry Fogle died from liver failure on August 20, 1998.
's epic fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings
. The name Cirith Ungol 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". The band said in a later interview they had some problems with the name:
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
n heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band who formed in 1972 and split up in May 1992. They drew influences from other metal groups such as Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
and Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Two of the founding members, drummer Brian Downey and bass guitarist/vocalist Phil Lynott met while still in school. Lynott assumed the role of frontman and led them throughout their recording career of thirteen studio albums...
, as well as Iggy and the Stooges. Their first album, Frost and Fire
Frost and Fire (album)
Frost and Fire is also the title of the 1965 debut album by The Watersons.Frost and Fire is the debut album by the American heavy metal band Cirith Ungol. Its music is generally faster and more simplistic than that of King of the Dead, which saw the band adopt a doom metal style influenced heavily...
, was closer to a hybrid between 1970s hard rock and metal with songs written by then bassist and guitarist Greg Lindstrom and drummer Robert Garven, but from King of the Dead
King of the Dead (album)
King of the Dead is the second album by Cirith Ungol. It was produced by Cirith Ungol and released July 1984 on Enigma Records. It was re-released September 1999 on Metal Blade Records.Robert Garven in an interview:...
and onwards they played a progressive rock influenced brand of doom metal with songs primarily written by vocalist Tim Baker.
History
The band began with Greg Lindstrom, Robert Garven, Jerry Fogle and Pat Galligan (who would later go on to play guitar for Angry SamoansAngry Samoans
The Angry Samoans are an American punk rock band in the first wave of American punk. Formed in August 1978 in Los Angeles, California by early 1970s rock writer "Metal" Mike Saunders and his sibling lead guitarist bonze blayk, along with co-conspirator Gregg Turner and original recruits bassist...
) playing in their first band "Titanic" in high school. With a desire to play heavier music, the rest of the band dumped Pat and reformed in 1972 as Cirith Ungol with Neal Beattie on vocals. It was not until 1980 that they were signed by Enigma and released their first record Frost and Fire
Frost and Fire (album)
Frost and Fire is also the title of the 1965 debut album by The Watersons.Frost and Fire is the debut album by the American heavy metal band Cirith Ungol. Its music is generally faster and more simplistic than that of King of the Dead, which saw the band adopt a doom metal style influenced heavily...
with Tim Baker on vocals. After their fourth album Paradise Lost
Paradise Lost (Cirith Ungol album)
Paradise Lost is the final Cirith Ungol LP. It was released in 1991 on Restless Records and re-released as a bootleg several times. The band broke up in 1992 over unresolved issues with their new record label...
, they split up due to frustration caused by problems with their new record company. The year 2001 saw the light of a new Cirith Ungol album which contained old and unreleased demos and songs, but no new material. The album was supported by both Greg and Rob, but not by Tim.
Lindstrom now plays with his new band Falcon, who play some old Cirith Ungol songs. Founding guitarist Jerry Fogle died from liver failure on August 20, 1998.
The name
They took their name from the place Cirith Ungol in J. R. R. TolkienJ. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
's epic fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy epic written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...
. The name Cirith Ungol is Elvish
Sindarin
Sindarin is a fictional language devised by J. R. R. Tolkien, and used in his secondary world, often called Middle-earth.Sindarin is one of the many languages spoken by the immortal Elves, called the Eledhrim or Edhellim in Sindarin....
and means "Pass of the Spider". While the place in Tolkien's book is pronounced "kirith ungol", the band pronounced it "sirith ungol". The band said in a later interview they had some problems with the name:
Studio albums
- Frost and FireFrost and Fire (album)Frost and Fire is also the title of the 1965 debut album by The Watersons.Frost and Fire is the debut album by the American heavy metal band Cirith Ungol. Its music is generally faster and more simplistic than that of King of the Dead, which saw the band adopt a doom metal style influenced heavily...
(1980) - King of the DeadKing of the Dead (album)King of the Dead is the second album by Cirith Ungol. It was produced by Cirith Ungol and released July 1984 on Enigma Records. It was re-released September 1999 on Metal Blade Records.Robert Garven in an interview:...
(1984) - One Foot in Hell (1986)
- Paradise LostParadise Lost (Cirith Ungol album)Paradise Lost is the final Cirith Ungol LP. It was released in 1991 on Restless Records and re-released as a bootleg several times. The band broke up in 1992 over unresolved issues with their new record label...
(1991)
Compilation albums
- Metal MassacreMetal MassacreMetal Massacre is a series of compilation albums released through Metal Blade Records. It is famous for "shedding light" on bands such as Metallica, Slayer, Overkill, Trouble, Tactics, Armored Saint, and more.-History:...
(compilation appearance, 1982) - The Metal Machine (compilation appearance, 1984)
- Best of Metal Blade, Vol. 2 (compilation appearance, 1988)
- Live (EP, 1996)
- Double Whammy (compilation appearance, 1999)
- Servants of Chaos (rare tracks-compilation, 2001)
- Metal Blade 20th Anniversary (compilation appearance, 2002)
- One Foot In Fire (tribute album, 2006)