Lightning to the Nations

Re-release. These Are the Original LP Mixes with No Remixes and features the 'diamond Lights' EP.

Metal Blade tried reissuing most of these songs back in 1987 on a compilation called Behold the Beginning, but their mistake at the time was the shoddy remix job they used trying to make the songs sound "modern." Big mistake: the album sounded terrible, with way too much reverb and effects. With their latest reissue, no tampering was done other than making the master tapes digital. Lo and behold, it's actually an amazing record although it was recorded on questionable equipment back in 1980. Diamond Head were at the forefront of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (along with a host of others now either long dead or watered down and horrible) back in the early '80s and were one of Metallica's main inspirations. In fact, Metallica have actually recorded four of the seven songs on here. Diamond Head were no innovators themselves, borrowing liberally from old Black Sabbath and UFO, but their passion and songwriting made them more than a little distinctive from their peers. Along with their major label debut, Living on Borrowed Time (on MCA and long out of print), this album contains all of their best material--some of the most interesting metal to come out of the early '80s. --Adem Tepedelen