Cirith Ungol
Forever Black

Twenty-nine years after Paradise Lost comes Forever Black. Twenty-nine years!

In such a long period of time, so many things have happened that it would take an encyclopedia to summarize it all, but amidst the folds of events, Cirith Ungol have reformed. A low-key reunion, initiated by admirer Jarvis Leatherby, quickly promoted to bassist, among local festivals and little-publicized appearances, old pioneers returned to the stage to do what they do best.

Last year a single was released, but I certainly did not expect an album, in fact, I hoped it would never arrive, given the often pathetic results of big names caught in nostalgia.

And yet the result is surprising. The class remains the same, the atmosphere created by Cirith Ungol is unchanged. Perhaps because true epic metal is somewhat like stoner: timeless music, always similar to itself. Those who venture into it must find the right sound, create the right vibrations, it is not imperative to innovate or progress technically, one only needs to reach inspiration. So whether it's 1986 or 2020, the archetype of epic music remains unchanged.

The partial lineup change still causes some variation on the theme. The absence of the historic guitarist Jerry Fogle is felt, creator of those acidic sounds worthy of a hallucinatory journey into the bowels of the earth, which reached their peak in King of the Dead. Fogle had already abandoned the ship before the farewell of Paradise Lost, which indeed is much more baroque, more luminous, necessarily less doom and dark. It should be remembered that Fogle unfortunately passed away in 1998 due to health issues. His replacement Jim Barraza is back in the game, but Greg Lindstrom, the second guitarist on the debut Frost and Fire, from thirty-nine years ago, has also returned to the fold!

Forever Black thus presents itself with this entire package of experiences: the songs follow one another with no fillers among vintage heavy metal, seventies references, dark doom passages, with Tim Baker's indomitable voice keeping the pH always very low, and here and there the more martial and brighter vein of Paradise Lost. The result is perfect and worthy of the band's name, the album has its own personality and stands out for its character from the others. Elric of Melnibone and his sword Stormbringer still grace the cover.

Twenty-nine years later.
Moving.