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Artist
Cirith Ungol
12+ albums
heavy metaldoom metalepic metalepic heavy metalmetal
about
Cirith Ungol is an American heavy metal band formed in late 1971 in Ventura, California. The group is noted for lyrics inspired by fantasy themes, particularly sword and sorcery, and is recognised as one of the early contributors to the doom and power metal genres. During the 1970s, Cirith Ungol performed a form of heavy metal rooted in hard rock and progressive rock. Their debut studio album, "Frost and Fire," was released in 1981 and marked a shift toward a heavier sound, often regarded as an early example of American power metal. Their second album, "King of the Dead," released on 2 July 1984, established the band’s power metal style and introduced a darker tone, leading many to consider it an early example of doom metal. The band's name is taken from the mountain pass Cirith Ungol in J. R. R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings." In Tolkien’s Elvish language, the name means "Pass of the Spider" and is pronounced "kirith ungol," though the band uses the pronunciation "sirith ungol." Each of their studio albums features cover art by Michael Whelan, originally created for DAW Books editions of Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melniboné series. Greg Lindstrom, Robert Garven, Jerry Fogle, and Pat Galligan first played together in a junior high school band called Titanic. Seeking to pursue heavier music influenced by bands such as Mountain and Grand Funk Railroad, the group parted ways with Galligan and founded Cirith Ungol in late 1971. Their first live performance was held on 1 Ja
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