Classic early metal from the U.S.A. that was, like so many others, completely overlooked by the metal mass. Cirith Ungol had a sound all their own, merging trotted power metal sections with those grooving 70s influenced rock riffs which would later come to term as Stoner Rock. Tim Baker's vocals here are high pitched, grating screams that are slightly comparable to Rob Halford. There's not much on this album that will translate to memory, but if you consider the time this was released, it's rather good. "I'm Alive" was my favorite track, with it's crisp melodic solo opening, groovy 70s style bass lines and cranking chorus. "A Little Fire", "What Does it Take" and "Edge of a Knife" are also cool songs. This is probably what you'd get if Rob Halford sang for Lenny Kravitz and his band. Pure hard rock bordering on roots metal, this isn't the band's best offering, but as a first album it stood out, granting Cirith Ungol their own unique identity early on, and away from the pack of west coast metal bands erupting at this time. Listening to an album like this I have fond memories of sparking up a J in my parent's garage and breaking out the old D&D books (heh, as if I'd ever put them away).

© 2000 pizarro