By Jonny Bakes
With Cirith Ungol already having been put to bed in the early ‘90s, it seemed like they never would reach the lofty heights of a music scene that they arguably helped shape. Yet the beast could not be kept locked away in the depths of California forever and the calling of fans from across Europe resulted in a resurrection in the last decade. What we have in this particular EP is a handful of songs that were written for those early glory days of the ‘70s and ‘80s that have been given a new lease of life to hit the streets in the wake of a global pandemic to remind the world that Cirith Ungol are very much still alive.
And that is exactly what they have achieved. Every single track on this EP would not be out of place on a compilation that was called something like ‘Heavy Metal Monsters’ nestled in between the likes of Sabbath, Maiden, Nazareth and all those other names that invoke images of denim, leather and serious beer drinking. The mastering gives these tracks a really crisp edge that makes them stand out and demand you pay attention to the wailing guitar solos, thundering rhythms and riffs that are catchy as hell. The Tolkien worship is still very strong too, particularly in ‘Shelob’s Lair’ which boasts a bass-heavy sound that is comparable with most of the big bands from the NWoBHM scene!
‘Half-Past Human’ is a blast from the past that will feel new yet strangely comforting and familiar. These relics of the past have lost none of their charm and are well deserving of seeing the light of day to be enjoyed by fans across the world and will hopefully continue to fuel the Cirith Ungol flame that kept burning long after the band had called it a day the first time. With any luck, we’ll also see the guys return to their touring schedule to melt off our faces in the flesh with these shining examples of riffs and solos won display in ‘Half Past Human’.
‘Half-Past Human’ is out now. You can get your copy HERE.
www.facebook.com/cirithungolofficial
- All content © Über Rock. Not to be reproduced in part or in whole without the express written permission of Über Rock.