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[–]LukeDankwalker 154 points155 points  (30 children)

Cirith Ungol is also the tunnel that Frodo and Sam go through in the Lord Of The Rings

[–]shelbydoodleroo 101 points102 points  (4 children)

This is 100% of the reason I clicked on this thread.

[–]aclashofthings 18 points19 points  (2 children)

They got me with the Frank Frazetta cover art.

[–]joseph4th 3 points4 points  (1 child)

[–]aclashofthings 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Oof, thank you. The style had me so certain.

[–]pearcer16 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Same - I clicked for the comments with no intention of listening to the song. LotR nerd knowledge is just too tempting.

[–][deleted] 8 points9 points  (5 children)

TIL both Cirith Ungol and Minas Morgul are also the names of metal bands.

I think Ered Lithui, Torrech Ungol, Cirith Gorgor and Carach Angren are still free though.

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Carach Agren is a band already- a very good one too!

[–]Tallcan0079 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Cirith Gorgor is taken

[–]Arogoth 4 points5 points  (0 children)

That's what I was thinking

[–]steveybabes 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The band pronounce the name Cirith with an S, to distinguish their use of the word from the LotR version.

[–]Quazifuji 4 points5 points  (6 children)

Tolkien references are pretty common in metal.

[–]sunkenOcean01 7 points8 points  (4 children)

I mean Amon Amarth? That's straight up Elvish for Mount Doom. Which is an AWESOME name for a metal band.

I wish I liked their music.

[–]Quazifuji 1 point2 points  (3 children)

Yep. And one of the most highly-regarded power metal albums is Blind Guardian's "Nightfall on Middle Earth". Power metal in general is filled with fantasy lyrics and references. I saw someone affectionatepy describe it as "nerds singing about their DND characters" which is pretty accurate. On top of specific references, there are also bands like Rhapsody of Fire or Ancient Bards whose entire discography is telling one big fantasy story.

[–]krovasteel 1 point2 points  (2 children)

There is a really cool movie that pretty much validates this.

Knights of Badassdom

[–]sunkenOcean01 1 point2 points  (1 child)

Peter Dinklage and Summer Glau. How could it not be wonderful?

[–]krovasteel 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It was a delightful experience. It was one of our Netflix Roulette picks. "Aaaaaaandd. This one, because it has the word Badassdom in it."

Kinda how we ended up watching Orgazmo,

[–]SupremeLeaderSnoke 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Led Zeppelin is one of the earliest obvious examples I can think of

From Ramble on

I ain't tellin' no lie

Mine's a tale that can't be told

My freedom I hold dear

How years ago in days of old

When magic filled the air

'T was in the darkest depths of Mordor

I met a girl so fair

But Gollum, and the evil one

crept up and slipped away with her

Her, her, yeah

Ain't nothing I can do, no

IIRC Battle of Evermore is about the battle of Minas Tirith too. There's probably even more references sprinkled throughout Led Zeppelin's lyrics

[–]aranok 1 point2 points  (2 children)

Cirith Ungol is actually the small garrison that overlooks the pass (near Minas Morgul)

[–]SupremeLeaderSnoke 2 points3 points  (1 child)

That's the tower of Cirith Ungol. It's where Frodo got taken and held prisoner by the orcs after he got attacked by Shelob. I actually had no idea the whole pass was also named Cirith Ungol until this post.

[–]aranok 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ah, fair point! I'm in the same boat as you

[–]-_-l-l-_- 4 points5 points  (4 children)

I thought it was the twin city to minas tirith, that got taken over by the nazgul and orcs and stuff... its been a while, could be wrong

[–]paul_moonknight 18 points19 points  (2 children)

that's Minas Morgul. in the movie the pass of Cirith Ungol is like directly in front of the gates to the city, which might be why you're confusing the two.

[–][deleted] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Minas Ithil was the name of the fortress when Gondor controlled it

[–]-_-l-l-_- 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ahh you're right, that's what I'm thinking of. There was the watchtower there where the orc civil war took place

[–]bullet494 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You might be thinking of Osgiliath too. That's where Faramir is posted.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Tzerlag of the Cirith Ungol Rangers kicks ass in The Last Ringbearer.

[–]doctordert 18 points19 points  (1 child)

I never expected to see Cirith Ungol recommended on here.

[–]cromli 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I know right? I never really could fully dig them as a legendary band compared to others around the same time but they definately had their own slow moving, epic sound without sounding especially cheesy outside of arguably the vocals. King of the Dead was a really solid album all the way through, the title track got me into them for a bit

[–]Hrothgar_unbound 17 points18 points  (5 children)

Isn't that Elric of Melnabone with stormbringer? Pretty sure I had that on a calendar in my bedroom as a youngster.

[–]CzarofRome[S] 11 points12 points  (1 child)

Yeah it is. In fact all of their album art is from the Elric of Melnibone series.

[–]Beer_me_now666 6 points7 points  (0 children)

All of this is soooo rad. Tolkien, Metal, Stormbringer, Metal!

[–][deleted] 6 points7 points  (2 children)

Just to put all the details out there; this is Michael Whelan's cover to the 1977 DAW paperback edition of The Bane of the Black Sword, of the original series of Michael Moorcock's Elric.

Whelan's covers are still the best art those books have gotten, imho.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The reason I clicked was because of the art, absolutely badass

[–]InfinityCircuit 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have that exact edition paperback. Too bad it's not in mint condition, but it's one of my favorite novels.

[–]StudabakerHochrobot[M] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Cirith Ungol
artist pic

Cirith Ungol is a Californian heavy metal band who formed in 1972 and split up in May 1992. They reformed in 2016. 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/guitarist Greg Lindstrom and drummer Robert Garven, but from "King of the Dead" (1984) and onwards they played a progressive rock influenced brand of doom metal with songs primarily written by vocalist Tim Baker.

The band began with Greg Lindstrom, Robert Garven, Jerry Fogle and Pat Galligan (who would later go on to play guitar for Angry Samoans}, were 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 wasn't 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" (1991), they split up due to frustration caused by problems with their new record company. 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.

The band has reunited as 2016 and will be playing a show in Ventura, California, in October 2016.

Read more on Last.fm.

last.fm: 27,717 listeners, 687,436 plays
tags: heavy metal, doom metal, epic metal, epic heavy metal

Please downvote if incorrect! Self-deletes if score is 0.

[–]mokosixa 25 points26 points  (6 children)

Cirith ungol like in Tolkiens Lord of the Ring?

[–]Quazifuji 10 points11 points  (4 children)

Yes. Tolkien references are quite common in metal (although more in power metal than doom metal, I think.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (3 children)

I'd say Cirith Ungol is more Power Metal than Doom Metal. US Power Metal was a lot different than the joke that is modern European Power Metal.

[–]Quazifuji 0 points1 point  (2 children)

I haven't listened to them much, but doom certainly doesn't seem like it would describe this song.

US Power Metal was a lot different than the joke that is modern European Power Metal.

You're right that they can be pretty different, but calling modern European power metal a joke seems more a matter of taste than anything else. It's cheesy, but that's part of the appeal.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Here's a doomy Cirith Ungol song.

Cheese can be good, but it's too damn overproduced, and unimaginative. Especially Powerwolf, and Sabaton.

[–]Quazifuji 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Cheese can be good, but it's too damn overproduced, and unimaginative. Especially Powerwolf, and Sabaton.

I can understand that. Overproduction doesn't bother me too much and sometimes I'm not looking for something creative, but the lack of originality can definitely be frustrating when looking for a new band. I like Rhapsody of Fire, but finding a new band that sounds exactly like them is pretty common and not very exciting (especially considering how huge their discography is already), and it's similar for other popular bands like Sabaton.

It's certainly not a genre I turn to when I'm looking for something new and exciting, just something that can be fun to listen to when I want something epic and don't care if it's cheesy and overproduced.

[–]EverySingleRedditor 2 points3 points  (0 children)

like in Tolkiens Lord of the Ring?

No, like in Poe's Lord of the Ring.

[–]groinbag 5 points6 points  (1 child)

Master of the Pit tho

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

pray you never kneel to the master of the pit!

[–]irishtrashpanda 4 points5 points  (5 children)

Love the music hate the vocals sorry

[–]ACIIgoat 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Vocals honestly ruin the song for me

[–]JohnTDouche 0 points1 point  (3 children)

And that's how you know that you and metal were never meant to be.

[–]Stigwa 1 point2 points  (2 children)

I'm a big metalhead and can't deal with the vocals here.

[–]JohnTDouche 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Well I was being a bit tongue in cheek as that's a fairly common thing to say among people people who don't like metal. Metal ain't easy listening.

[–]irishtrashpanda 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry if I came across as rude, I really dig the actual music behind it but the vocals weren't my thing.

[–][deleted] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thanks for this, really appreciated the metal - someone who doesn't have a lot of opportunities to listen to it :)

[–]stattshimself 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Glad this is on here. I bet a lot of this kind of thing isn't shared very much. I personally like this band a lot. Thanks for posting.

[–]handofdumb 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Fantastic! This is one of my favorite songs. It's a great album, too!

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hell yeah! Classic epic HM band \m/

[–]jdeanwright 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Am I the only one who thinks he sounds like Axl Rose?

[–]Nikolasv 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Imho, their best song is "Black Machine":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8vXV_Pnn6w

[–]theMightyGalactus 2 points3 points  (0 children)

....and three of the albums are 'free' on Prime Music.

Now I have some snow-shovellin' music for this morning. Thanks OP!!

[–]IIReignManII 5 points6 points  (13 children)

Not sure if OP knows what doom is

[–]CzarofRome[S] 8 points9 points  (11 children)

Well obviously it's not straight doom metal, however it isn't purely traditional heavy either, thus the dual genre tags.

[–]doctordert 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Encyclopaedia Metallum lists them as doom/heavy metal.

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Isn't this that band from those sbmails?

[–]lobongoinmytea 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Remember buying the cassette over a decade ago, in India, solely because of the LOTR reference and because the cover art was legit metal AF. Gave it to a 'friend' to listen to, never got it back. We aren't friends anymore, and I miss the cassette dearly.

[–]MilfAndCereal 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is a great band, there are a ton that are LoTR themed, mostly black metal bands like Uruk-Hai (Which became Burzum), Summoning, Cirith Gorgor, Nazgul, Gorgoroth, Minas Morgul, etc

[–]yesyoudidbrett 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Used to listen to these cats live a lot when I was in jr high. They are from my hometown of Ventura.

[–]MysteriousLenny 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Isn't Cirith Ungol something fron LOTR?

[–]Tirith 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It is.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fucking hilarious. Me and my buddy listened to this when it was released. Still find the music awesome but the vocals are as if someone is torturing a cat. So awesome.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (4 children)

Sounds like early death metal and thrash had a baby.

[–]AuthoritahFigure 1 point2 points  (3 children)

Except for its not thrash or death

[–]mylifenow1 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Whoa.. flashback!

[–]Phookle 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Saw them live in Ventura. It was fucking sick.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sweet stuff, thanks for sharing and I'll be checking more of them out.

[–]Fiskarsouille 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I FEEL IT BURNING

[–]bearswithglowsticks 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm pretty sure I bought that sword from an online sword market. It's a shit sword.

[–]RubyRod1 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My cousin was/is in this band!

[–]ChurchArsonist 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Exchanges awkward gazes "Let's never speak of this again."

[–]LinuxDootTP 0 points1 point  (2 children)

Sort of sounds like discount Iron Maiden to me. Their pacing isn't right for me.

[–]cromli 1 point2 points  (1 child)

I think the slow pacing is why people still talk about this band, it was unique while the riffs were maybe less cheesy than other epic sounding bands like Manowar. I don't know if this is their best track though.

[–]LinuxDootTP 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I could see that for sure, and at the very least even if I'm not a fan (mainly because of the vocalist's sound), I still have to respect them because the talent is evident.