For their first studio album since 1991's Paradise Lost, reunited US heavy metal act Cirith Ungol find themselves on Metal Blade Records for their new platter of doom laden traditional metal, titled Forever Black. Since their comeback in 2016, the band have solidified with the current line-up of:
Robert Garven- drums
Greg Lindstrom- guitars
Tim Baker- lead vocals
Jim Barraza- guitars
Jarvis Leatherby- bass guitar
With Tim, Robert, and Greg all classic era members, Cirith Ungol still carries plenty of pedigree, and you can hear that the band is back in fine fashion with the killer "Legions Arise", a raging metal track chock full with galloping drums and furious riffs, Baker's snarling, leathery vocals still at their venomous best. "The Frost Monstreme" is classic doom, featuring mountainous riffs courtesy of Garven & Lindstrom, while "The Fire Divine" could have easily come off their first two albums Frost and Fire and King of the Dead with their NWOBHM fury. "Stormbringer" brings back the doom with a touch of prog, Baker again slaying with his patented gravelly roar, "Fractus Promissum" touches on some serious old school metal (hints of Savatage in the riff department!), "Nightmare" is fist pumping, anthemic and crushing Cirith Ungol at their very best, and "Before Tomorrow" sees the guitar duo once again delivering some massive riffs and blazing solos...it's like it's 1984 all over again! The title track closes things out on delicious doomy fashion, mountains of power chords laying waste to everything in their path, sizzling guitar solos, and Baker's lethal roar adding a second wave of chaos to the inferno...incredible.
Forever Black has to be the comeback of 2020, just an absolutely killer album that just gets better with each listen, and arguably could be as good or better than Cirith Ungol's classic albums from the early/mid '80s. Miss this one at your own peril!
Oh, and Michael Whelan is back for the cover art too!!
Track Listing
1.
The Call 01:04
2.
Legions Arise 03:19
3.
The Frost Monstreme 05:15
4.
The Fire Divine 03:51
5.
Stormbringer 05:58
6.
Fractus Promissum 04:08
7.
Nightmare 05:59
8.
Before Tomorrow 03:57
9.
Forever Black 05:34
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