Release date: April 25th, 2025
In another time and a different place, the Mountains of Shadow loom large at the western and southern borders of the accursed landscape that is Mordor. The evil lurking in such places was meant to be well guarded by treacherous terrain and evil creatures (e.g. Shelob). To keep things out or in is open to interpretation.
The pass of Cirith Ungol existed to offer a way into Mordor, despite impossible conditions. Steep paths, dark denizens, and shadowy magic plagued those who dared to even consider venturing into such a place. It is foretold in legend that Gollum led Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee up the Stairs of Cirith Ungol… and into Shelob’s lair. But then, you’ve already heard those tales.
Back in the reality of our time, we look back to 1971 in Ventura, CA where the band Cirith Ungol emerged. In the pantheon of metal, they are super stars of the early doom and power metal movements. With the name taken from the aforementioned Lord of the Rings ethos, they became known for lyrics based on fantasy, swords, sorcery, and the arcane. The year 1981 saw their first studio record released and went on to release 6 full length albums, 1 EP, and 1 live album.
Adding to their legendary catalog, the band released Cirith Ungol “Live at the Roxy” on April 25th, 2025. It chronicles a one-night-only event for the playing of the band’s 2023 album “Dark Parade” and includes a powerhouse lineup of other classics. Released as a live album with a DVD, this package takes aim at their dedicated fan base who continue to crave more from the band. Perhaps it is meant to tide them over until new music arrives! We can only hope.
The Roxy on Sunset Boulevard stands as one of the only remaining remnants of a time long gone in metal. Once upon a time, there were throngs of fans that would visit jam packed clubs on a short stretch of this hallowed road. Bands found fans and sought their fortunes in the wilds of this moment in time for Los Angeles. As time has marched on, the scene has changed, and clubs have come and gone. Hosting the mighty Cirith Ungol is fitting for the affair and the venue. The wsirits of the past are always close at hand on Sunset.
Robert Garven (co-founder and drummer) says, ““The Who made an extremely powerful album with Live at Leeds, and my favorite band of all time, Mountain, had several pretty spectacular live albums. And 1993’s Uriah Heep Live is another outstanding live album! It’s hard to capture accurately all the sound and feeling of a live concert. I think these bands achieved that, and I think our Live at the Roxy does also.” Thrilled as they are about the Live at the Roxy double album set and DVD, Cirith Ungol is already looking forward to making a new record., as Garven concludes, “This will make fans happy until our next devastatingly heavy seventh studio LP!”
Review
Cirith Ungol Live at the Roxy
Lineup:
Tim Baker – Vocals
Greg Lindstrom – Guitar
Robert Garven – Drummer
Armand John Anthony – Guitar
Jarvis Leatherby – Bass
Track List:
01. Velocity (S.E.P.) [Live]
02. Relentless (Live)
03. Sailor on the Seas of Fate (Live)
04. Sacrifice (Live)
05. Looking Glass (Live)
06. Dark Parade (Live)
07. Distant Shadows (Live)
08. Down Below (Live)
09. Atom Smasher (Live)
10. I’m Alive (Live)
11. Frost and Fire (Live)
12. Black Machine (Live)
13. Blood and Iron (Live)
14. Chaos Descends (Live)
15. The Frost Monstreme (Live)
16. Fire (Live)
17. Death of the Sun (Live)
18. Master of the Pit (Live)
19. King of the Dead (Live)
20. Join the Legion (Live)
Velocity (S.E.P.) opens with the packed house crowd cheering. The song begins to take shape and there’s an epic grandeur to the guitar flourishes and pounding drums. They crescendo into the full band roaring to life. Tim Baker wails the opening lyrics, “Stretch your soul upon the rack / Flaming whips across your back…” and so begins the epic tale of a tortured soul writhing in their hell bound fate. The track is magnificent in its composition: the guitars pulse and pound forward, with mind searing solos flashing in between, pulsing drums boom forward, an unbending bass line pulses, and finally the forlorn vocals call forward the lamentations of the damned. This is one hell of an opener.
Relentless slithers to life next. It’s a groove driven song, much like a heavy procession of darkness bursting forth. There’s an ominous quality to the guitar leads as they trade off in between verses. The song is anthemic with “relentless” ringing out like a battle cry to the crowd.
Next up, Sailor on the Seas of Fate stirs like something from the demonic depths. The drums are low and undulate like tidal waves on the ocean. The song is a fitting tribute to the Michael Moorcock legend, Elric (from the book of the same name as the song). Tim wails like the captain of a ship navigating challenging waters, his voice like that of a siren. In the middle of the song there’s a switch in tempo like a rapid tidewater rushing into the hull of a broken ship. This song looms epic and large.
Sacrifice opens with a lead that is reminiscent of an ancient culture. What unfolds is a song that is a delicious doom-laden gem. The closing lines of the song are, “Penance for the innocent, the dark parade of fear / A sacrifice to madness, judgment day is here.” Somewhere in time there’s an ancient ritual that took place to inspire such a fantastic dirge.
Looking Glass begins with the sound of shattering glass. It then does what Cirith Ugol does best… that slow metal march. Like the pulsing of a black heart, the band slowly and melodically plods along telling the story of worlds of imagination as seen on the other side of a magical mirror. “GAZE INTO YOUR DOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM” will reverberate forever throughout the universe.
The Dark Parade warns us all about the call of the void (L’appel du vide). It’s the title track of the record and is a delicious requiem from beyond. There’s no emo in this dark parade; it’s all metal and straight up doom. It’s very easy to picture the crowd at the Roxy banging their heads in slow time as they take in this song. Their necks don’t hurt from the speed, but rather from the force and depth of each slow beat.
Distant Shadows and Down Below round out the set for the Dark Parade track list. They continue the dark, malevolent, and gloomy procession of metal taking place on this special occasion. These songs feature an all-you-can-eat buffet of bone crushing drums, skull rattling bass, spirit summoning guitar solos, and the vocal preachings of a madman. There is nothing more you could ask for here to close out the first part of the set.
For the second part of this epic evening, Cirith Ungol delivers a 12-song sermon of career spanning songs. It’s a torrent of demonic proportions as the calamitous requiems flow by. They begin with Atom Smasher from the orange album. It’s a crunchy power metal delight with bellowing vocals and a guitar driven powered by a nuclear reactor.
The crowd is delighted as I’m Alive and Frost and Fire materialize right before their eyes. These two tracks from the album Frost and Fire offer enchanting metal tunes about worlds of fantasy and treachery. Following this, the band immediately dives into Black Machine from the King of the Dead record. As they go through their career of music, you can see the dark tendrils of doom encircling their music and this is a great example. Later in the set they delve even deeper into this magnificent record.
From One Foot in Hell, the band delivers Blood and Iron along with Chaos Descends. It’s easy to imagine Blood and Iron inciting the crowd to form a swirling pit in honor the Gods of Chaos. The song Chaos Descends heralds their arrival in light of the offering on behalf of the fans.
The Frost Monstreme from Forever Black lumbers to life. Amid the ice and cold, something oversized and quite evil is coming for the audience. This song delivers the proverbial cow bell, along with everything else you’d expect from the band. The guitar work stands on this song, in its complexity and tone.
There’s a surprise in the set and it’s a cover song: Fire by the Crazy World of Arthur Brown. The opening lyrics, “I am the God of Hellfire and I bring you… FIRE!” are unmistakable and legendary. This version is timeless classic and quite a treat to listen to.
Heading into the home stretch of the set, the band revisits the King of the Dead album. Three classics in a row stun the audience; “Death of the Sun”, “Master of the Pit”, and “King of the Dead” are unshackled from their prison beyond death and into the waiting crowd. Like the ghosts of generations past, these gems are reanimated in all their glory.
The clincher of the entire evening is “Join the Legion” from the Paradise Lost record. It’s delivered with ferocity and fervor. After a lengthy two-part set, Cirith Ungol persists in their performance with unbound energy. While it is sad that such a legendary evening needs to end… this one sends it off into history on the right note.
Conclusion
Cirith Ungol “Live at the Roxy” is an instant classic. This is an absolutely spellbinding foray into the doom side of metal and the band plays every note like the true legends they are. Though the glory days of the Sunset Strip may have passed, this one epic night at the Roxy calls forth the spirits of yore while transcending time and space in glorious fashion. I must admit that I nearly shed tears of joy at the sheer splendor of the proceedings. All hail Cirith Ungol!
TheNwothm Score: 10/10
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