We are proud to announce that our seventh full-length album, ALL THE SHADOWS, will be released on October 30th via No Remorse Records.
This is Cirith Ungol in its purest form: eight songs of epic, dark and doom-filled Heavy Metal, forged with the same fire that has driven this band from the beginning. We believe this stands among the strongest albums we have ever made.
The title track “All The Shadows” is out now, along with a brand-new lyric video.
One of the world’s most iconic music venues – the Sunset Strip’s Roxy Theatre – hosted a legendary 2024 gig by one of the world’s most iconic metal bands, CIRITH UNGOL. The one-night-only performance was an album release show for the band’s 2023 Dark Parade LP. It captured the lineup at the height of its considerable powers, performing Dark Parade in its entirety, along with a set of classic songs including “Join The Legion,” “Frost And Fire,” “Black Machine,” and “Atom Smasher.” The end result is a stellar live album and DVD.
There was no choice other than the Roxy for CIRITH UNGOL to record this momentous live collection. “It’s owned by a Hollywood music legend, Lou Adler,” notes cofounding drummer Rob Garven, “and is next door to the famous Rainbow Bar And Grill. It’s a landmark Hollywood club, which includes the Whisky and The Starwood [now gone] so every time we played one of these historic venues, it was a special occasion. It was great to see many of our friends and fans from all over the world at the show.”
Adds bassistJarvis Leatherby, “For years, there has been a live bootleg record famous in the underground from their last appearance there in1984 titled Cirith Ungol, Live At The Roxy. I felt it fitting for the band to return there 40 years later to officially document a live performance in a way the guys would be proud of. Metal Blade Records, The Adlers, Nanotear, and Goldenvoice all came together in support to actually make it happen.”
CIRITH UNGOL’s Live At The Roxy holds its own against other legendary live records. “The Who made an extremely powerful album with Live At Leeds, 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 accurately capture 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.”
Live At The Roxy will be released on April 25th via Metal Blade Records. In advance of its official unveiling, today the band presents a taste of the monumental event with video footage of “Down Below.”
Comments Garven, “This song strung together by the haunting acoustic guitar is a gift to all of you on this Doomed Planet! It was, and is, the culmination of all the pain and suffering absorbed into our being from the pandemic, the lost lives, cancelled shows, isolation, and stimuli deprivation. It features some of my best drumming and one of [guitarist] Jimmy [Barraza]’s best solos. As the song rises to the ultimate crescendo, all this pent-up emotion is unleashed on the listener with our final gasping breath. Truly a churning maelstrom of metal chaos descending!”
Live At The Roxy will be available digitally and as a 2xCD/DVD set or 2xLP/DVD set in the following color variants:
Green Black Marbled (US – Ltd. 500) 180g Black (EU) Light Blue Marbled (EU) Green Black Marbled (EU – Ltd. 500) Demon Blood Splatter (EU – Ltd. 300) White / Blue Splatter (Band Exclusive – Ltd. 200 available HERE)
CIRITH UNGOL – Live At The Roxy Lineup: Tim Baker – vocals Greg Lindstrom – guitar Robert Garven – drummer Armand John Anthony – guitar Jarvis Leatherby – bass
Cult heavy metal legends, CIRITH UNGOL, today announce their official retirement from live performances at the close of 2024.
In a collective statement, the band comments, “After careful deliberation, we have decided that 2024 will be the final year that CIRITH UNGOL will be performing live. Having taken a twenty-five-year-long hiatus, we could never have imagined the tidal wave of love and support that would come from all of you upon our return. From the depths of our soul, we would like to thank every one of you for attending our shows and supporting our music. We are immensely proud of the work we have created in the past few years, and are beyond excited about our latest epic album, Dark Parade.
“Legions, this is your call to arms. If you’ve never had the opportunity to see the band live, or if you want to see us perform once more, 2024 will be your last chance. We will be announcing shows worldwide in the coming weeks, so stay tuned for news. If you’re a promoter interested in booking the band, please contact our booking agents directly:
“The end approaches, but we’re not there yet. We look forward to seeing you all on the road, one final time. With our undying love and eternal gratitude.
“You never lost hope, you never have strayed,
Arise now my children, arise from the grave,
We lead not the weak, they won’t answer the call,
As chaos descends, false metal will fall…- ‘Legions Arise’”
CIRITH UNGOL will release their sixth full-length, Dark Parade on October 20th via Metal Blade Records. Wasting no time to ride the molten wave they started with their 2020-released studio comeback Forever Black, CIRITH UNGOL started writing songs for Dark Parade as soon as Forever Black was released. Then, like everyone else, they were hamstrung by the global pandemic, struggling through illness, seclusion, grief, and depression in their quest to create dark, vibrant art.
But like the greatest warriors, they persevered. With all eight demos finished — which are included on the expanded edition of the album — CIRITH UNGOL started recording Dark Parade in October 2022. The end result is an unrelenting triumph of pessimism and pain; a head-over-heels, Lovecraftian tumble into an abyss of horror and despair and arguably the most vitriolic expedition CIRITH UNGOL has undertaken to date. Despite the fantasy-inspired art on the band’s albums and their Tolkien-derived name – the band stopped exploring sword and sorcery-related themes in the mid-‘80s. Most of the subjects they’ve addressed since then have been far more real and frightening than any ravenous make-believe creatures fighting sword-wielding warriors.
Watch CIRITH UNGOL‘s recently released video for “Looking Glass” HERE and the “Velocity (S.E.P.)” visualizer HERE.
Dark Parade will be available on digipak-CD, digitally, and LP in the following color variants:
Special edition LP (slipcase w/ hot-foil embossing, 2xLP incl. demos of the entire album, 12” booklet, 2 posters, art print, tote bag – ltd. 1000)
180g Black vinyl (EU excl.)
Olive Green Marbled vinyl (EU excl. – ltd. 700)
Charcoal Marbled vinyl (EU excl. – ltd. 500)
Pale Grey w/ Black Smoke vinyl (EU excl. – ltd. 500)
Gold “Black Dust” vinyl (Metal Blade Store EU excl. – ltd. 300)
CIRITH UNGOL will play a special record release show on October 20th at The Roxy in West Hollywood, marking the band’s first Los Angeles live appearance in thirty-five years. The performance will commemorate The Roxy’s 50th anniversary and find the band playing Dark Parade in its entirety followed by a full set of classic material. Additionally, the set will be filmed and recorded for a future live release.
CIRITH UNGOL Live:
10/20/2023 The Roxy – West Hollywood, CA * Record Release Show [Tickets]
CIRITH UNGOL: Tim Baker – vocals Jimmy Barraza – guitar Greg Lindstrom – guitar Rob Garven – drums Jarvis Leatherby – bass
Cult heavy metal outfit CIRITH UNGOL will unleash their sixth full-length, Dark Parade, on October 20th via Metal Blade Records today unveiling the record’s cover art, track listing, and first single!
Few bands in the history of the heavy metal underground have a story as remarkable, improbable, or uplifting as that of CIRITH UNGOL. Formed in Ventura, California in the early 1970s, CIRITH UNGOL created a sound the world had never experienced before. Rather than passively channeling their influences, the band was driven to forge an altogether heavier, darker, more apocalyptic sound. It was obscure and arcane, mysterious and eccentric, epic and expansive, but most of all, unfailingly, bone-crushingly heavy, dark, and doom-filled.
Wasting no time to ride their molten wave they started with their 2020 studio comeback ForeverBlack, CIRITH UNGOL started writing songs for Dark Parade as soon as Forever Black was released. Then, like everyone else, CIRITH UNGOL were hamstrung by the global pandemic, struggling through illness, seclusion, grief, and depression in their quest to create dark, vibrant art. And like the greatest warriors, they persevered, working on one song at a time – distractions be damned. The first track composed was the crushing “Relentless,” which reinforced their confidence and clarity of vision. The rest of the album came naturally, fueled by personal misery and the tragedy of worldwide collapse.
“Band members lost close relatives and we struggled as best we could through the pandemic which ravaged the earth’s population and economies,” drummer Rob Garven notes. “As horrifying as it was, it was the perfect backdrop for our doom-laden message of a world on the edge of destruction.”
Watch CIRITH UNGOL’s “Velocity (S.E.P.)” visualizer at THIS LOCATION.
With all eight demos finished — which are included on the expanded edition of the album — CIRITH UNGOL started recording Dark Parade in October 2022. The end result is an unrelenting triumph of pessimism and pain; a charred vista rooted in the crunch-and-crash templates of classic doom metal and NWOBHM but delivered with contemporary production and perspective. The album is propulsive and insistent, reflecting the band’s love for metal, instinct to destroy, and disgust for mankind.
From the majestic eight-minute-long “Sailor On The Seas Of Fate,” which starts with a reflective arpeggio and builds into a pounding, near-tribal volley before segueing into a bleak, slow burn of retribution and agony, to the final three movements of the “Dark Parade” saga (comprised of “Dark Parade,” “Distant Shadows,” and “Down Below”), CIRITH UNGOL’s latest album offers a metallic soundtrack of societal decay and environmental collapse that foreshadows nothing less than total extinction.
Dark Parade – Track Listing:
1. Velocity (S.E.P.)
2. Relentless
3. Sailor On The Seas Of Fate
4. Sacrifice
5. Looking Glass
6. Dark Parade
7. Distant Shadows
8. Down Below
CIRITH UNGOL: Tim Baker – vocals Jimmy Barraza – guitar Greg Lindstrom – guitar Rob Garven – drums Jarvis Leatherby – bass
CIRITH UNGOL will play a special record release show on October 20th at The Roxy in West Hollywood, marking the band’s first Los Angeles live appearance in thirty-five years. The performance will commemorate The Roxy’s 50th anniversary and find the band playing Dark Parade in its entirety followed by a full set of classic material. Additionally, the set will be filmed and recorded for a future live release.
CIRITH UNGOL Live:
10/20/2023 The Roxy – West Hollywood, CA * Record Release Show [Tickets]
American heavy metal icons CIRITH UNGOL today announce three special live performances. The trio of dates includes a performance in Denver, Colorado for the first time ever as well as a show in West Hollywood, marking the band’s first Los Angeles live appearance in thirty-five years!
Comments the band, “CIRITH UNGOL legions arise! We are coming to unleash our epic metal darkness upon three US cities. Los Angeles will see our first appearance since 1988 – be there to behold this triumphant return! Our Colorado show will mark the band’s first time ever in the Centennial State, and for you New York diehards, we cannot wait to return and play for you. Prepare yourself for an unforgettable descent into the abyss!”
Tickets are on sale now. See confirmed dates below.
CIRITH UNGOL Live:
8/18/2023 The Gothic Theater – Denver, CO w/ Night Demon, Castle Rat, Chamber Mage [Tickets]
8/20/2023 Le Poisson Rouge – New York, NY w/ Night Demon, Sanhedrin [Tickets]
10/20/2023 The Roxy – West Hollywood, CA [Tickets]
CIRITH UNGOL released their Half Past Human EP via Metal Blade Records in 2021. The globe was ravaged by pandemic in the wake of the release of their reunion album, Forever Black, in April 2020. As time stood still, the band dug deep into their archival crypts, drawing back the veiled mists of history to expose long-forgotten jewels from their storied past. In doing so, they exhumed four songs written in a bygone era but never properly included as part of their fabled discography.
CIRITH UNGOL swept the dust off these precious relics, summoning long-dead forces back to life. Each song was reimagined for today, injected with a fresh dose of power and vitality while preserving their trademark mysticism and remaining drenched in sinister, apocalyptic energy. Recorded under the watchful eye of producer Armand John Anthony (Night Demon, Bewitcher, Gygax) in the darkness of 2020, Half Past Human is a treasured addition to the music collections of CIRITH UNGOL loyalists. In keeping with tradition, the package is completed by stunning cover art courtesy of acclaimed fantasy artist Michael Whelan, from the original Elric series.
Frost And Fire II – October 7-9, 2016 – Beautiful Beachside Downtown Ventura, California.
Last year’s event sold out with only two months of notice, so we decided to step it up a notch for all of you. We understand people need time to make travel plans, so here is the entire lineup with ticket links. This is also extra special of course because of the rebirth of Cirith Ungol. They are representing in their hometown of Ventura, CA with this come back show. The fans have cried for it for nearly the last twenty-five years. This is for all of you. Thanks for the support in the past and in the future. Let’s all continue making Heavy Metal history, together.
Day One @ Bombay – October 7, 2016
143 S. California St. Ventura, CA
Showtime – 5:00pm – Show Is 21+Over, Only.
Day Two (All Ages)
@ Ventura Theater- October 8, 2016
26 S. Chestnut St. Ventura, CA
Showtime 3:00pm
Featuring: Cirith Ungol (The Kings of the Dead Have Risen) Midnight (Exclusive West Coast Appearance) Mindless Sinner (First Ever U.S. Show) Special Guest Reunion (Announced March 1St) Night Demon High Spirits Visigoth Axxion Spellcaster
All Headliners – All Day Long – Get There Early! Purchase Day Two Here:
Day Three (All Ages)
Frost And Fire Presents “Bangover Brunch” And Metal Market @
Bombay – 143 South California St. Ventura, Ca
10:00am – 5:00pm
Featuring:
An Afternoon With Ashbury
Plus Special Guest (T.B.A.)
Heavy Metal Marketplace, DJ’s, Drink And Food Specials, Raffle Prizes, Hangovers And Bangovers!
CIRITH UNGOL – The 2-CD/Bonus DVD of vintage CIRITH UNGOL, Servants Of Chaos, was released back on January 31st, 2012, via MetalBlade Records in North America. Servants Of Chaos was originally released (exclusively) in Europe, back in 2001. What an amazing package, which salutes this never to be forgotten Metal band from Ventura, California.
CIRITH UNGOL can easily be classified as a pioneering and influential Metal band from the early 80’s. I highly recommend, to all Metalheads worldwide, these rare and live tracks, along with video footage of CIRITH UNGOL, to sink your Classic Metal craving senses into! Adding this Cirith Ungol 3 disc set to your Metal collection will serve you right.
I just bought Servants Of Chaos recently and it’s worth every penny. f.y.e. was selling it at a sale price for $9.99 (U.S.). That’s a stupendous price for 2 CD’s and 1 DVD!
* The name Cirith Ungol is pronounced “kirith ungol” and is an Elvish phrase meaning “pass of the spider.”
Check out below: Cirith Ungol “I’m Alive” (Live) from the album “Servants of Chaos”. Recorded live at Wolf and Rissmiller’s Country Club on November 9th, 1984. Whoa and Metal be thy name.
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