Lightning to the Nations

Diamond Head had gained enough attention to tour as support with AC/DC and Iron Maiden. Although a clutch of record companies fought to sign the band, none were willing to fully commit. The fact that the band was at the time managed by Sean Harris' mother (Linda Harris) did not help the band's commercial momentum.{{Citation needed|date=November 2022}} So, while other new wave of British heavy metal bands were signed to major labels and were headlining their own tours, Diamond Head were growing increasingly impatient and decided that they would release their material through their own label, Happy Face Records.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}}

The album was recorded within seven days at The Old Smythy Studio in Worcester, which the band described as 'dead'.Kollektor's Klassik 3, pp16 This original 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[http://www.diamond-head.net/newsarticles/HOF3.jpg A Rare Gem – Inside a proto-thrash classic] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207145402/http://www.diamond-head.net/newsarticles/HOF3.jpg |date=7 February 2012 }} (by then tour manager).{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}}

There were originally only 1,000 copies pressed of the album, which were only available at the band's concerts or through mail-order at a price of £3.50. The only mail-order advertisement appeared in British music magazine 'Sounds' and ran for four weeks. However, the band did not pay for any advertisements and ended up being sued.

This album has become one of the most sought-after items from the time for record collectors. Later, there was a second pressing of 1000 copies that included track listings. The only original one-and-a-quarter-inch master tapes were lost for years after the band sent them to the German record company Woolfe Records, who did release the album (theirs having a front cover with a map of the world burning).

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 release, the 2016 HNE Recordings Ltd release, and the 2022 Silver Lining Music release are the only CD releases sourced from the original tapes; all other CD versions include either the 1986 remix or the High Vaultage vinyl dubs.

Musically, the album's tracks are characterized by their "raw, unrelenting attack." Technically, the album's instrumentation makes use of staccato guitar riffs, harmonized lead guitar parts, and galloped rhythms.{{Cite web |last=Rolli |first=Bryan|date=2025-02-15 |title=Top 15 Hard Rock and Metal Albums of 1980 |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/1980-hard-rock-metal-albums/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral |access-date=2025-03-20 |website=Ultimate Classic Rock |language=en}}

The album brought Diamond Head to the forefront of the new wave of British heavy metal scene and was a big influence on many later metal bands, including Metallica and Megadeth. The former have covered songs such as "The Prince", "Sucking My Love", "Am I Evil?", "It's Electric", and "Helpless" throughout their career and recorded most of them. Versions from various periods were compiled on Metallica's album Garage Inc.. As a result, Diamond Head became relatively well-known to Metallica fans and enjoyed exposure to a broader public than similar NWOBHM bands from the late 1970s and early 1980s.

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.[http://www.diamond-head.net/DHnews36.htm Lightning To The Nations 3rd in Greatest riffs album' poll] The Guitarists' Book of Heavy Metal ranked the track "Am I Evil?" at {{Numero|5}} on its list of the best metal riffs behind Iron Maiden's "The Number of the Beast".[http://www.diamond-head.net/newsarticles/article35.htm Am I Evil voted 5th] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080523110136/http://www.diamond-head.net/newsarticles/article35.htm |date=23 May 2008 }}

In 2017, Rolling Stone ranked Lightning to the Nations 42nd on their list of "The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time".{{Cite web|url=http://www.theprp.com/2017/06/21/news/rolling-stone-share-choices-100-greatest-metal-albums-time/|title = Rolling Stone Share Their Choices for 'The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time'|date = 21 June 2017}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Side one

| all_writing = Sean Harris and Brian Tatler

| title1 = Lightning to the Nations

| length1 = 4:15

| title2 = The Prince

| length2 = 6:27

| title3 = Sucking My Love

| length3 = 9:35

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Side two

| title4 = Am I Evil?

| length4 = 7:39

| title5 = Sweet and Innocent

| length5 = 3:13

| title6 = It's Electric

| length6 = 3:37

| title7 = Helpless

| length7 = 6:52

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = CD reissue bonus tracks (Castle Music)

| title8 = Shoot Out the Lights

| note8 = originally released as a single

| length8 = 4:17

| title9 = Streets of Gold

| note9 = originally released as a B-side for the "Sweet and Innocent" single

| length9 = 3:34

| title10 = Waited Too Long

| note10 = originally released on the double A-side single "Waited Too Long"/"Play It Loud"

| length10 = 3:53

| title11 = Play It Loud

| note11 = originally released on the double A-side single "Waited Too Long"/"Play It Loud"

| length11 = 3:31

| title12 = Diamond Lights

| note12 = originally released on the Diamond Lights EP

| length12 = 3:31

| title13 = We Won't Be Back

| note13 = originally released on the Diamond Lights EP

| length13 = 4:18

| title14 = I Don't Got

| note14 = originally released on the Diamond Lights EP

| length14 = 4:20

}}

;Diamond Head

• Sean Harris – vocals, rhythm guitar on "Am I Evil?"
• Brian Tatler – lead and rhythm guitar
• Colin Kimberley – bass
• Duncan Scott – drums

;Production

• Produced by Reg Fellows and Diamond Head, except:

:*"Streets of Gold" produced by Robin George and Diamond Head

:*"Waited Too Long" and "Play It Loud" produced by Tony Wilson

:*"Diamond Lights", "We Won't Be Back" and "I Don't Got" produced by Diamond Head and engineered by Leslie Penning

{{Infobox album

| name = Lightning to the Nations 2020

| type = studio

| longtype = (re-recorded)

| artist = Diamond Head

| cover = Lightning to the Nations 2020.jpg

| alt =

| released = 20 November 2020

| recorded = 2020

| studio = Raw Sound Studios, London

| venue =

| genre = Heavy metal

| length = 60:53

| label = Silver Lining

| producer = Diamond Head

| prev_title = The Coffin Train

| prev_year = 2019

| next_title =

| next_year =

}}

Lightning to the Nations 2020 is a re-recorded version of the original album, featuring a new line-up with vocalist Rasmus Bom Andersen. The album also has additional cover songs.

{{Track listing

| title1 = Lightning to the Nations

| note1 = 2020 re-recorded version

| length1 = 4:25

| title2 = The Prince

| note2 = 2020 re-recorded version

| length2 = 5:53

| title3 = Sucking My Love

| note3 = 2020 re-recorded version

| length3 = 7:13

| title4 = Am I Evil?

| note4 = 2020 re-recorded version

| length4 = 8:26

| title5 = Sweet and Innocent

| note5 = 2020 re-recorded version

| length5 = 3:42

| title6 = It's Electric

| note6 = 2020 re-recorded version

| length6 = 3:19

| title7 = Helpless

| note7 = 2020 re-recorded version

| length7 = 6:56

| title8 = No Remorse

| writer8 = James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich

| note8 = Metallica cover

| length8 =6:28

| title9 = Immigrant Song

| writer9 = Jimmy Page, Robert Plant

| note9 = Led Zeppelin cover

| length9 = 3:20

| title10 = Sinner

| writer10 = Rob Halford, Glenn Tipton

| note10 = Judas Priest cover

| length10 = 6:50

| title11 = Rat Bat Blue

| writer11 = Ritchie Blackmore, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Jon Lord, Ian Paice

| note11 = Deep Purple cover

| length11 = 4:26

}}

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Category:1980 debut albums

Category:Diamond Head (band) albums