Cirith Ungol - King Of The Dead

An excellent album, and one that really shows the band's top notch instrumental performances the most. The rhythm section is both heavy and powerful in the shorter tracks such as 'Black machine' and 'Death of the sun', but the real highlights for me personally are the longer, more doom-laden songs in 'Master of the pit' and the extremely evil sounding title track.

This is a total classic! The title track has all the trademark Cirith Ungol characterirstics and would be the one I would recommend to someone who wants to get into the band. This epic/doom hybrid they created, with the love 'em or hate 'em vocals of Tim Baker is probably at its best here! One Foot In Hell will follow 2 years later and then chaos...

Good album for most of the songs, but IMO doesn't go all the way to become one of the greatest albums of this particular style. It has to be noted that for 1984 this stuff sounds fairly original and its value as an influential album for upcoming doom bands cannot be questioned.

Written by Infernal Eternal on 24.06.2015 at 20:12

This is a total classic! The title track has all the trademark Cirith Ungol characterirstics and would be the one I would recommend to someone who wants to get into the band. This epic/doom hybrid they created, with the love 'em or hate 'em vocals of Tim Baker is probably at its best here! One Foot In Hell will follow 2 years later and then chaos...

I totally agree, but a classic that has aged to a classic. The sound was too weird in the 80s, now its original and

Written by [user id=157444] on 07.01.2016 at 00:02

Written by Infernal Eternal on 24.06.2015 at 20:12

This is a total classic! The title track has all the trademark Cirith Ungol characterirstics and would be the one I would recommend to someone who wants to get into the band. This epic/doom hybrid they created, with the love 'em or hate 'em vocals of Tim Baker is probably at its best here! One Foot In Hell will follow 2 years later and then chaos...

I totally agree, but a classic that has aged to a classic. The sound was too weird in the 80s, now its original and

Yeah, I they only had a few fans in the 80s. They became cult in the 90s, after their disbandment.

A bit rock, somehow I don't see why we call this HM but its that time, it was heavy back thenb and again what gave to metal mor US or Europe if we see things as they are today ... anyway I am happy we had many genres today , but I am happy we have such album

As someone who's new to this band, I have to say that this feels like a big step up from their previous album. Musically and production wise. In fact King of the Dead has got to be one of the most consistently good albums I've heard recently. Cirith Ungol aren't skipping a beat on this one. The music is crunchier than before, it's groovy and, dare I say it, I actually love Tim Baker's vocals on this one, even though these sorts of vocals aren't ones I'd immediately associate with the musical style itself. He kinda reminds me of a darker, evil version of Nazareth's Dan McCafferty. Guitar work is great too, a particular highlight for me being the self-titled album closer, and the rhythm section keeps everything nicely in groove.

Plus I gotta give 'em props for including an adaptation of Toccata and Fugue in D minor on this album. Love me some JS Bach.

All in all this is an easy 9 for me. Maybe even a 9.5, but I have to give it a few more spins before I make up my mind.

I really wish I liked this band and record more because that cover art is GORGEOUS.

Written by Bad English on 28.09.2016 at 23:36

A bit rock, somehow I don't see why we call this HM but its that time

Well, I think it is sort of heavy, even if quite slow for most of the album. Take the highlights: Finger of Scorn and the self-titled track -- that is heavy metal, dude, and it is oh so excellent.

Sometimes it's like listening to heavy prog.