Review Summary: Sing another melody, black
Coming off the encapsulated songwriting on 2020’s Forever Black and the trip down memory lane with 2021’s Half Past Human EP, Cirith Ungol takes a true step forward with Dark Parade. Despite “Velocity (S.E.P.)” kicking things off like a modern answer to “100mph,” this album just might be the band’s slowest to date with some of their heaviest riffs and most contemplative rhythms. It’s the sort of album set to remind one that their legacy is just as entwined with doom as it is epic metal.
Fortunately, the songs convey enough variety and an oddly uplifting spirit at times to keep from feeling one-dimensional. “Relentless” keeps the momentum going from that fast opener with a hefty mid-tempo chug and hearty chorus that are echoed on “Looking Glass” and the title track. “Sailor on the Seas of Fate” and “Sacrifice” tap into the epic aspirations that were attempted on Paradise Lost, the latter’s western vibe is especially interesting, and there’s a somber overcast to “Distant Shadows” and the closing “Down Below.”
The musicianship also sees the band in a pretty solid place, no doubt wizened by their experience but with enough mustered up energy to still feel impactful. With how desensitized we’ve all likely become to the oddball hollering at this point, the guitar work ends up being the most striking asset between the thicker tone and eastern-tinged leads. The echo on the drums is also a nice touch, giving them some extra old school oomph.
While Dark Parade doesn’t quite have the same immediacy as Forever Black, it does similarly well in proving the long term viability of Cirith Ungol’s weirdo metal. Nothing could ever take away the band’s core traits and it’s certainly cool to see them applied to slower tempos and an almost nautical atmosphere. It may be unfortunate to see them start winding down in light of their recent announcements, but we were quite frankly lucky to ever have them back at all.
