Orodruin (band)

Orodruin is an American doom metal band from Rochester, New York, who play traditional doom. Orodruin were a part of the early-2000s revival of Traditional Doom, playing alongside bands like Reverend Bizarre, While Heaven Wept, and Penance. Their sophomore release Ruins of Eternity came out on Cruz Del Sur Records October 25th, 2019.

Orodruin was created by John Gallo after reading about Mount Doom in a Tolkien Bestiary/Dictionary in the mid to late 90s. Bridging the love for Tolkien with doom metal by influences like Saint Vitus, Candlemass, Cathedral, Trouble and Black Sabbath. In its primal stages John recruited his cousin Nick Tydelski and Nick’s best friend Mike Puleo a trifecta of guitarists to ultimately unleash an early demo in 1999. They recorded with engineer Sebastian Marino (Overkill) at Audio Images and hired drummer Rob Mount (Ramrod, Lou Graham Band). In 2001 they found full time drummer Mike Waske and Mike Puleo switched to bass/vocals. Their sound cultivated and the band began to form its own sound with new material that would form into their first full length Epicurean Mass. Epicurean Mass was released on Mark Hegedus’ psycheDOOMelic label out of Vienna Austria in spring 2003.

In 2003 they embarked on their first U.S. tour in support of Epicurean Mass as part of the Doomination Tour alongside The Prophecy (England) and Mourning Beloveth (Ireland).

In 2004 they released a split 12” on Chris Barnes’ Hellride Music Label and put out a CD EP on PsycheDOOMelic called Claw Tower and other Tales of Terror and went on a European tour with Penance in spring of that year. With both bands playing Doom Shall Rise 2 in Göppingen, Germany.

Members of Orodruin are closely associated with other contemporary doom acts such as The Gates of Slumber, Revelation, Iron Man, Blood Ceremony, and Argus.