Diamond Head "Lightning To The Nations (Deluxe Edition)"

Lightning to the Nations is the debut album by British heavy metal band Diamond Head. The album was recorded in 1979 (after the 1977 and 1979 demos) and released in 1980 through their own label Happy Face Records due to lack of interest from major labels and the band feeling that they needed to get the ball rolling as other bands from the same era, such as Iron Maiden and Def Leppard, were already becoming big names. It was originally released in a plain white sleeve with no title or track listing, and was subsequently named after the first track on the album. Metal Blade Records re-released it on compact disc in 1992. In 2001, it was re-issued in its original "White Album" form by Sanctuary Records, featuring seven bonus tracks that were featured on singles and EPs from this era.

The album was recorded within seven days at The Old Smythy Studio in Worcester, which the band described as 'dead'. This album came in a plain sleeve with no title, having on it only a signature of one of the band members and no track listings. The reason for this was that the band's new manager, Reg Fellows, owned a cardboard factory and could produce blank sleeves at low cost. Also, the reason for recording this album was an attempt to lay down some tracks so they could send it to a record company who would be more willing to release it, as the recording costs had already been covered; this idea came from Fellows and Linda Harris (by then tour manager). There were originally only 1000 copies pressed of the album, which were only available at their concerts or through mail-order at a price of £3.50. In fact the only mail-order advertisement appeared in British music magazine 'Sounds' and ran for four weeks. However, the band did not pay for the ad and ended up being sued.

In 1993, Metal Blade Records released the first official CD version of the entire album. They did not attempt to find the master tapes or create a professional transfer from the original vinyl version and used a remix instead (made in 1986). Additionally, the track "It's Electric" has a major mastering error: the intro of the song is missing and it skips in shortly before the vocals start. High Vaultage Records released another version of the album in 1997, this time sourced from the German Woolfe Records LP. As a bonus, most of the 7" single tracks from that era were included. In 2001, a Sanctuary Records release came out. It includes the same mastering as the High Vaultage CD, which had since gone out of print. The 2011 Deluxe Edition, remastered by Andy Pearce, includes the original album sourced from the rediscovered master tape. This is the only CD release made from a remaster of the original tapes; all other CD versions include either the 1986 remix or the High Vaultage vinyl dubs.

In 2008, the Japanese metal magazine Burrn! rated this album as the third best riff album of all time, behind Black Sabbath's Master of Reality and Slayer's Reign in Blood. Also, the Guitarists' Book of Heavy Metal ranked the track "Am I Evil?" at #5 on its list of the best metal riffs behind Iron Maiden's "The Number of the Beast".

Track listing

All tracks are written by Sean Harris and Brian Tatler.

Side one

1. "Lightning to the Nations" 4:15
2. "The Prince" 6:27
3. "Sucking My Love" 9:35

Side two

1. "Am I Evil?" 7:39
2. "Sweet and Innocent" 3:13
3. "It's Electric" 3:37
4. "Helpless" 6:52

CD reissue bonus tracks (Castle Music)

1. "Shoot Out the Lights" (originally released as a single) 4:17
2. "Streets of Gold" (originally released as a B-side for the "Sweet and Innocent" single) 3:34
3. "Waited Too Long" (originally released on the double A-side single "Waited Too Long"/"Play It Loud") 3:53
4. "Play It Loud" (originally released on the double A-side single "Waited Too Long"/"Play It Loud") 3:31
5. "Diamond Lights" (originally released on the Diamond Lights EP) 3:31
6. "We Won't Be Back" (originally released on the Diamond Lights EP) 4:18
7. "I Don't Got" (originally released on the Diamond Lights EP) 4:20

Recording information:

Recorded at the Old Smithy Recording Studio.