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{{Refimprove|date=November 2008}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox album

⚫
| name = King of the Dead
{{Infobox album <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Albums -->
| Name = King of the Dead
| type = studio
| Type = studio
| artist = [[Cirith Ungol (band)|Cirith Ungol]]
| cover = KingOfTheDead.jpg
| Artist = [[Cirith Ungol (band)|Cirith Ungol]]
| Cover = KingOfTheDead.jpg|
| alt =
| Caption = Cover art by [[Michael Whelan]]
| caption = Cover art by [[Michael Whelan]]
| Released = July 2, 1984
| released = July 2, 1984
| Recorded =
| recorded =
| studio = Goldmine Recording Studios, Ventura, California
| Genre = {{hlist|[[Heavy metal music|Heavy metal]]|[[doom metal]]}}
| genre = {{hlist|[[Power metal]]|[[doom metal]]}}
| Length = 50:17
| Label = [[Enigma Records|Enigma]]
| length = 50:17
| label = [[Enigma Records|Enigma]] (US)<br />[[Roadrunner Records|Roadrunner]] (Europe)
| Producer = [[Cirith Ungol (band)|Cirith Ungol]]
| producer = Cirith Ungol
| Last album = ''[[Frost and Fire (album)|Frost and Fire]]''<br />(1981)
| prev_title = [[Frost and Fire (album)|Frost and Fire]]
| This album = '''''King of the Dead'''''<br />(1984)
| prev_year = 1981
| Next album = ''[[One Foot in Hell]]''<br />(1986)
| next_title = [[One Foot in Hell]]
⚫
| Misc = {{External music video|1=[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_srGcPp5mLA&t=541s "King of the Dead" (full album)] on YouTube|Upper caption=Official audio}}
| next_year = 1986
| misc = {{External music video
⚫
| 1 = [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_srGcPp5mLA "King of the Dead (Full Album)"] on YouTube
| type = album
| header = Official audio
}}
}}
}}
}}
{{Album ratings
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = [[About.com]]
| rev1 = [[About.com]]
| rev1Score = favorable <ref> {{cite web | url = http://heavymetal.about.com/od/cdreviews/fr/Cirith-Ungol-King-Of-The-Dead-Review.htm | title = Cirith Ungol - King Of The Dead Review | accessdate = 2013-09-27 | last = Marsicano | first = Dan | work = [[About.com]] | publisher = About.com}}</ref>
| rev1Score = favorable<ref>{{cite web | url = http://heavymetal.about.com/od/cdreviews/fr/Cirith-Ungol-King-Of-The-Dead-Review.htm | title = Cirith Ungol – King Of The Dead Review | access-date = September 27, 2013 | last = Marsicano | first = Dan| website= [[About.com]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130924150047/http://heavymetal.about.com/od/cdreviews/fr/Cirith-Ungol-King-Of-The-Dead-Review.htm| archive-date=September 24, 2013}}</ref>
| rev2 = [[Allmusic]]
| rev2 = [[AllMusic]]
| rev2Score = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref> {{cite web | url = http://www.allmusic.com/album/king-of-the-dead-r4009/review | title = Cirith Ungol King of the Dead review | accessdate = 2012-05-22 | last = Huey | first = Steve | work = [[Allmusic]] | publisher = [[Rovi Corporation]]}}</ref>
| rev2Score = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.allmusic.com/album/king-of-the-dead-mw0000669602 | title = Cirith Ungol – King of the Dead review | access-date = May 22, 2012 | last = Huey | first = Steve | website= [[AllMusic]]}}</ref>
| rev3 =''[[Martin Popoff|Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal]]''
⚫
| rev3 = [[Decibel (magazine)|Decibel]]
| rev3Score = 8/10<ref name="martin">{{cite book | last1 = Popoff | first1 = Martin | author-link1 = Martin Popoff | title = The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties | publisher = [[Collector's Guide Publishing]] | date = November 1, 2005| isbn = 978-1-894959-31-5| page=73}}</ref>
| rev3Score = favorable <ref> {{cite web | url = http://www.decibelmagazine.com/featured/the-lazarus-pit-cirith-ungols-king-of-the-dead/ | title =
⚫
| rev4 = ''[[Decibel (magazine)|Decibel]]''
The Lazarus Pit: Cirith Ungol’s King of the Dead | accessdate = 2013-09-27 | last = Treppel | first = Jeff | work = [[Decibel (magazine)|Decibel]] | publisher = Red Flag Media}}</ref>
| rev4Score = favorable<ref>{{cite magazine | url = http://www.decibelmagazine.com/featured/the-lazarus-pit-cirith-ungols-king-of-the-dead/ | title = The Lazarus Pit: Cirith Ungol's King of the Dead | access-date = September 27, 2013 | last = Treppel | first = Jeff | magazine= [[Decibel (magazine)|Decibel]] | publisher = Red Flag Media| date= January 21, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110901081852/http://www.decibelmagazine.com/featured/the-lazarus-pit-cirith-ungols-king-of-the-dead/| archive-date=September 1, 2011}}</ref>
| rev4 = Metal Crypt
| rev5 = Metal Crypt
| rev4Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref> {{cite web | url = http://www.metalcrypt.com/pages/review.php?revid=4232 | title = Classic Review: Cirith Ungol - King Of The Dead | accessdate = 2013-09-27 | last = Griffin | first = Larry | work = Metal Crypt | publisher = Michel Renaud/The Metal Crypt}}</ref>
| rev5Score = 4/5<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.metalcrypt.com/pages/review.php?revid=4232 | title = Classic Review: Cirith Ungol – King Of The Dead | access-date = September 27, 2013 | last = Griffin | first = Larry | website= Metal Crypt | publisher = Michel Renaud/The Metal Crypt}}</ref>
| rev5 = Metal Reviews
|rev6 = ''[[Rock Hard (magazine)|Rock Hard]]''
| rev5Score = 92/100<ref> {{cite web | url = http://www.metalreviews.com/reviews/detail.php3?id=3145 | title = CIRITH UNGOL - King of the Dead | accessdate = 2013-09-27 | last = Dee | first = | work = Metal Reviews | publisher = Metal Reviews}}</ref>
|rev6score = 7.5/10<ref name="rockhard">{{cite magazine|last=Kühnemund|first=Götz|title=Reviews : Cirith Ungol – King of the Dead|url=https://www.rockhard.de/reviews/cirith-ungol-king-of-the-dead_206073.html|issue=7|year = 1984| magazine = [[Rock Hard (magazine)|Rock Hard]] |access-date=July 11, 2021 | language=German}}</ref>
| rev6 = Metal Zone
| noprose = yes
| rev6Score = favorable <ref> {{cite web | url = http://www.metalzone.gr/reviews.php?action=details&id=126&lang=en | title = CIRITH UNGOL - King Of The Dead | accessdate = 2013-09-27 | last = Mihailidou | first = Hellena | work = Metal Zone | publisher = Metalzone.gr}}</ref>
| rev7 = Rock Hard
| rev7Score = {{Rating|7.5|10}} <ref> {{cite web | url = http://www.rockhard.de/megazine/reviewarchiv/review-anzeigen.html?tx_rxsearch_pi1%5Dreview%5D=5713 | title = Review Album | accessdate = 2013-09-27 | last = Kühnemund | first = Götz | work = Rock Hard | publisher = Hi-Media}}</ref>
| rev8 = Rough Edge
| rev8Score = {{Rating|3|4}} <ref> {{cite web | url = http://www.roughedge.com/cdreviews/c/cirithungol.htm#king | title = "King of the Dead" (Metal Blade; 1984) | accessdate = 2013-09-27 | last = Bolton | first = R. Scott | work = Rough Edge | publisher = R. Scott Bolton}}</ref>
}}
}}


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Band member Robert Garven declared in an interview:
Band member Robert Garven declared in an interview:
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
"''King of the Dead'' was our best album, the reason was that we had total control over it. Every album could have been this good if we could have exercised complete control over its production and other things. This is the album which I feel is our best effort. The reason the long wait between albums is because when you are financing them yourselves, you have to come up with the money to pay for things like studio time. Plus being on all these independent labels their time tables are slower. I also did all the layout and design of the first three covers, all this while we were all working full time trying to sponsor the dream."
''King of the Dead'' was our best album, the reason was that we had total control over it. Every album could have been this good if we could have exercised complete control over its production and other things. This is the album which I feel is our best effort. The reason the long wait between albums is because when you are financing them yourselves, you have to come up with the money to pay for things like studio time. Plus being on all these independent labels their time tables are slower. I also did all the layout and design of the first three covers, all this while we were all working full-time trying to sponsor the dream.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://panzer.users5.50megs.com/articles/illliterature/ciritungol.htm |title=Cirith Ungol interview |last=Wren |first=Tom |publisher=50Megs.com |accessdate=2021-07-11 }}</ref>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>


Guitarist Greg Lindstrom, who left the band in 1982, two years before the release of this album, said:
Guitarist Greg Lindstrom, who left the band in 1982, two years before the release of this album, said:
<blockquote>"'Atom Smasher,' 'Cirith Ungol' and 'Death of the Sun' were all songs we had written together in the mid 70's, and 'Finger of Scorn' was one of my songs that the band used with my blessing."</blockquote>
<blockquote>'Atom Smasher', 'Cirith Ungol' and 'Death of the Sun' were all songs we had written together in the mid 70's, and 'Finger of Scorn' was one of my songs that the band used with my blessing.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ballbustermusic.com/2006/08/26/cirith-ungol/ |title=Hard Talk: Cirith Ungol |last=Harris |first=Jym |publisher=Ball-Buster Music.com |date=August 26, 2006 |accessdate=2021-07-11 }}</ref></blockquote>


Another [[Michael Moorcock]]-inspired drawing acts as the album's cover: it is titled "King of the Dead" and was painted by [[Michael Whelan]].
The cover of [[Michael Moorcock]]'s novel "Bane of the Black Sword" acts as the album's cover: it is titled "King of the Dead" and was painted by [[Michael Whelan]].


In 2019, ''[[Metal Hammer]]'' ranked it as the 14th-best power metal album of all time.<ref name="MH25bestpm">{{cite web |last1=Chantler |first1=Chris |title=The 25 greatest power metal albums |url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-25-greatest-power-metal-albums |website=[[Metal Hammer]] |publisher=[[Future plc]] |access-date=March 2, 2021 |date=November 14, 2019}}</ref>
⚫
==Track listing==
⚫
All songs written by [[Cirith Ungol (band)|Cirith Ungol]], except where noted.


⚫
== Track listing ==
#"Atom Smasher" - 4:12
⚫
All songs written by Cirith Ungol, except where noted.
#"Black Machine" - 4:16
;Side one
⚫
#"Master of the Pit" - 7:09
#"Atom Smasher" <small>(Cirith Ungol, Greg Lindstrom)</small> – 4:12
⚫
#"King of the Dead" - 6:49
#"Death of the Sun" - 3:54
#"Black Machine" – 4:16
#"Finger of Scorn" (Greg Lindstrom) - 8:34
#"Master of the Pit" – 7:09
#"King of the Dead" – 6:49
⚫
#"[[Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565|Toccata in Dm]]" ([[Johann Sebastian Bach]]) - 4:37
⚫
#"Cirith Ungol" - 6:24
#"Last Laugh" - 4:22 (Live bonus track only on remastered version)


;Side two
⚫
==Personnel==
⚫
#"Death of the Sun" – 3:54
⚫
*Tim Baker - vocals
#"Finger of Scorn" <small>(Lindstrom)</small> – 8:34
⚫
*Jerry Fogle - guitars
⚫
#"[[Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565|Toccata in Dm]]" <small>([[Johann Sebastian Bach]])</small> – 4:37
⚫
*Michael (“Flint”) Vujea - bass
#"Cirith Ungol" <small>(Cirith Ungol, Lindstrom)</small> – 6:24
⚫
*Robert Garven - drums, percussion


;Remastered CD edition bonus track
⚫
==References==
#"Last Laugh" (live) – 4:22

⚫
== Personnel ==
⚫
;Cirith Ungol
⚫
*Tim Baker – vocals
⚫
*Jerry Fogle – guitars
⚫
*Michael ("Flint") Vujea – bass
⚫
*Robert Garven – drums, percussion

;Production
*Tim Nelson – engineer
*Chris Bellman – mastering at Allen Zentz Mastering, San Clemente, California

⚫
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}

{{Cirith Ungol}}
{{Authority control}}


[[Category:1984 albums]]
[[Category:1984 albums]]

Latest revision as of 04:42, 15 September 2024

King of the Dead
Cover art by Michael Whelan
Studio album by
Cirith Ungol
ReleasedJuly 2, 1984
StudioGoldmine Recording Studios, Ventura, California
Genre
Length50:17
LabelEnigma (US)
Roadrunner (Europe)
ProducerCirith Ungol
Cirith Ungol chronology
Frost and Fire
(1981) 		King of the Dead
(1984) 		One Foot in Hell
(1986)
Official audio
"King of the Dead (Full Album)" on YouTube
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
About.comfavorable[1]
AllMusic[2]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal8/10[3]
Decibelfavorable[4]
Metal Crypt4/5[5]
Rock Hard7.5/10[6]

King of the Dead is the second album by the American heavy metal band Cirith Ungol. It was self-produced by the band and released in July 1984 on Enigma Records. It was re-released in September 1999 on Metal Blade Records.

Band member Robert Garven declared in an interview:

King of the Dead was our best album, the reason was that we had total control over it. Every album could have been this good if we could have exercised complete control over its production and other things. This is the album which I feel is our best effort. The reason the long wait between albums is because when you are financing them yourselves, you have to come up with the money to pay for things like studio time. Plus being on all these independent labels their time tables are slower. I also did all the layout and design of the first three covers, all this while we were all working full-time trying to sponsor the dream.[7]

Guitarist Greg Lindstrom, who left the band in 1982, two years before the release of this album, said:

'Atom Smasher', 'Cirith Ungol' and 'Death of the Sun' were all songs we had written together in the mid 70's, and 'Finger of Scorn' was one of my songs that the band used with my blessing.[8]

The cover of Michael Moorcock's novel "Bane of the Black Sword" acts as the album's cover: it is titled "King of the Dead" and was painted by Michael Whelan.

In 2019, Metal Hammer ranked it as the 14th-best power metal album of all time.[9]

Track listing

[edit]

All songs written by Cirith Ungol, except where noted.

Side one
  1. "Atom Smasher" (Cirith Ungol, Greg Lindstrom) – 4:12
  2. "Black Machine" – 4:16
  3. "Master of the Pit" – 7:09
  4. "King of the Dead" – 6:49
Side two
  1. "Death of the Sun" – 3:54
  2. "Finger of Scorn" (Lindstrom) – 8:34
  3. "Toccata in Dm" (Johann Sebastian Bach) – 4:37
  4. "Cirith Ungol" (Cirith Ungol, Lindstrom) – 6:24
Remastered CD edition bonus track
  1. "Last Laugh" (live) – 4:22

Personnel

[edit]
Cirith Ungol
  • Tim Baker – vocals
  • Jerry Fogle – guitars
  • Michael ("Flint") Vujea – bass
  • Robert Garven – drums, percussion
Production
  • Tim Nelson – engineer
  • Chris Bellman – mastering at Allen Zentz Mastering, San Clemente, California

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Marsicano, Dan. "Cirith Ungol – King Of The Dead Review". About.com. Archived from the original on September 24, 2013. Retrieved September 27, 2013.
  2. ^ Huey, Steve. "Cirith Ungol – King of the Dead review". AllMusic. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
  3. ^ Popoff, Martin (November 1, 2005). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties. Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 73. ISBN 978-1-894959-31-5.
  4. ^ Treppel, Jeff (January 21, 2011). "The Lazarus Pit: Cirith Ungol's King of the Dead". Decibel. Red Flag Media. Archived from the original on September 1, 2011. Retrieved September 27, 2013.
  5. ^ Griffin, Larry. "Classic Review: Cirith Ungol – King Of The Dead". Metal Crypt. Michel Renaud/The Metal Crypt. Retrieved September 27, 2013.
  6. ^ Kühnemund, Götz (1984). "Reviews : Cirith Ungol – King of the Dead". Rock Hard (in German). No. 7. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
  7. ^ Wren, Tom. "Cirith Ungol interview". 50Megs.com. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
  8. ^ Harris, Jym (August 26, 2006). "Hard Talk: Cirith Ungol". Ball-Buster Music.com. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
  9. ^ Chantler, Chris (November 14, 2019). "The 25 greatest power metal albums". Metal Hammer. Future plc. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
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