Metal Storm logo
Diamond Head - Lightning To The Nations



8.6 | 278 votes |
Release date: 3 October 1980
Style: Heavy metal, New wave of British heavy metal

Owners:

279 have it
56 want it
1 trades it


01. Lightning To The Nations
02. The Prince
03. Sucking My Love
04. Am I Evil?
05. Sweet And Innocent
06. It's Electric
07. Helpless

Various re-release bonus tracks:
08. Streets Of Gold
09. Shoot Out The Lights
10. Waited Too Long
11. Play It Loud
12. Diamond Lights
13. We Won't Be Back
14. I Don't Got
15. It's Electric [remix] [1997 High Voltage bonus]

Top 20 albums of 1980: 6

Additional info
Also known as 'The White Album' because the first release came in a plain white sleeve signed by at least one member of the band.
It is sometimes not regarded as a proper full-length because it was initially self-released and some songs were re-recorded for later albums.

Staff review by
omne metallum
Rating:
8.8
Omne, I hear you ask, don't 'cha wish your girlfriend was hot like me?

Read more ››
published 06.02.2023 | Comments (1)

Found in 29 lists
Top lists



Comments

Comments: 18   Visited by: 763 users
25.07.2012 - 14:48
Rating: 9
musicalkaratekid

This album is virtually flawless for its genre and time. The only thing that doesn't really impress me that much is the vocals, but it's easy to ignore this when the drums, bass and eccentric guitar work all fly past at the same pace, and consequently make for some truly inspiring and memorable songs. 'Am I evil?', the title track and the everlong 'Sucking my love' are all great examples of this band's great talent. One of the best NWOBHM releases for sure.
Loading...
12.11.2012 - 06:35
Rating: 10
Egigantea

One of the most underrated Heavy Metal albums of all times, and IMO the best NWoBHM album.
Loading...
17.11.2012 - 13:11
megadeath13
Account deleted
Im not lying when i say that this is the best NWOBHM album. The Prince, Lightning to the Nations and Am i evil are just outstanding. And if it wasnt for Diamond Head, Bands like Metallica wouldnt exist, either.
Loading...
03.03.2013 - 10:49
Rating: 10
Egigantea

Written by Guest on 17.11.2012 at 13:11

Im not lying when i say that this is the best NWOBHM album. The Prince, Lightning to the Nations and Am i evil are just outstanding. And if it wasnt for Diamond Head, Bands like Metallica wouldnt exist, either.


Funny you say that, it seems they keep trying to remind everybody of that
http://brightonbar.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Diamond-Head-II1.jpg
Loading...
07.04.2013 - 16:20
Metropolis_Dream
Account deleted
True NWOBHM classic here. Each song is great. "The Prince", Am I Evil" and "Helpless" are timeless.
Loading...
26.05.2014 - 22:57
Dr.Overkill26

Just discovering How excellent this band is, Will be buying this album asap.
----
Do you need what I need? Boundaries overthrown Look inside to each his own
Do you trust what I trust? me myself and I Penetrate the smoke screen I see Through the selfish lie
Loading...
08.09.2014 - 09:56
Rating: 9
Frank Comstock

Amazing album from beginning to end.
----
"You travel within the glory of my memories, insect. I can feel your fear as you tread the endless expanse of my mind. Make yourself comfortable... before long I will decorate my home with your carcass."
Loading...
27.01.2015 - 03:34
Rating: 7
Ruchesko

Long-winded more than anything, especially the ten-minute third track - only "Am I Evil?" really justifies its length.

The guitar work is undeniably good, however.
Loading...
27.01.2015 - 12:23
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Written by Ruchesko on 27.01.2015 at 03:34

Long-winded more than anything, especially the ten-minute third track - only "Am I Evil?" really justifies its length.



Ten minute track? Or do you mean Sucking My Love with its 9.5 minutes?
To be honest I wouldn't call 7 tracks clocking in at 41 minutes long-winded.

But...

I personally find it to be quite the overrated album, not a classic at all. Only the four tracks that Metallica covered are good, so, The Prince, Am I Evil?, It's Electric, and Helpless.

Funny that when it was released not many people were hailing this album and only started going bonkers over this album and Diamond Head themselves after Metallica covered those four tracks and said how much they were influenced by Diamond Head.
----
Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

Loading...
27.01.2015 - 14:16
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 27.01.2015 at 12:23

Written by Ruchesko on 27.01.2015 at 03:34

Long-winded more than anything, especially the ten-minute third track - only "Am I Evil?" really justifies its length.



Ten minute track? Or do you mean Sucking My Love with its 9.5 minutes?
To be honest I wouldn't call 7 tracks clocking in at 41 minutes long-winded.

But...

I personally find it to be quite the overrated album, not a classic at all. Only the four tracks that Metallica covered are good, so, The Prince, Am I Evil?, It's Electric, and Helpless.

Funny that when it was released not many people were hailing this album and only started going bonkers over this album and Diamon Head themselves after Metallica covered those four tracks and said how much they were influenced by Diamond Head.


I agree , IMO this band is boring , Metallica versions is much better as original IMO,
----
Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
Loading...
14.07.2018 - 18:08
Rating: 7
Singed

Written by Bad English on 27.01.2015 at 14:16


I agree , IMO this band is boring , Metallica versions is much better as original IMO,


The cover they did of "It's Electric" definitely. The older covers though don't have the same vibe to them as the orriginals. Metallica's sound was way rougher, and James wasn't the Vocal God we know him as today back then in the 80's. It all has a garage feel to it, which is nice, but not fitting to these songs. Especially "The Prince" seems almost butchered. No synths, the chugging guitars, and the faster rythm, which isn't always better, as showcased here. The only thing about them that's better though, are the solos by Kirk (obviously).

Tracks like "Lightning to the Nations" and especially "Am I Evil?" are extremely epic. The whole album is an NWOBHM masterpiece, and on par with more well known bands like Iron Maiden and Def Leppard. And without them, Thrash Metal wouldn't be what it is today. Too bad that they decided to constantly switch around their style instead of playing around this. In the end, that is what led the band downhill.
----
I don't play the guitar, the guitar plays me.

No, honestly. The guitar is an arsehole
Loading...
01.03.2020 - 22:46
Rating: 9
Metal Rasputin

Didn't remember this album was so short. On the other hand, there's no filler at all or bad songs for that matter, Am I Evil and Sucking My Love have some awesome riffs here and there, always loved the latter even though it's a song about oral sex. These guys sure didn't get the attention and success they deserved, but thanks to Metallica, they at least got some of it. It could be much worse, I guess.
----
You've got a lot of guts. Let's see what they look like!
Loading...
12.03.2021 - 02:39
Rating: 9
Jack_Torrance

Short description of this album: every song has the best guitar riff ever.
Loading...
16.04.2021 - 12:49
Rufus Valentine
Account deleted
A few comments above saying this album (and band) were overlooked until the Metallica covers - and this is true. I myself had never heard a single Diamond Head song until the covers. But, to say that this LP is overrated because the Metallica versions are better is just plain daft. It stands the test of time in its own right and is a very good LP.

Also, Diamond Head had such a massive influence on those early Metallica albums in general. Listen to the huge similarity between 'Seek And Destroy' and the central riff in 'Sucking My Love' - not a direct duplication but you can hear the palpable influence. Anyhow, rant over - this LP is ace.
Loading...
02.04.2022 - 14:49
Rating: 8
AndyMetalFreak
A Nice Guy
This has always sounded to me like it took alot of inspiration from early Deep Purple, but with their own bluesy feel to it. The vocals are good, and the riffs and solos are exceptional, but this album has never wowed me as much as I expected.

Obviously Metallica's debut was hugely influenced by this album, for instance the song "Seek And Destroy", which is uncannily similar in sound to "Am I Evil?", this earned Diamond Head a huge level of respect imo, because it began Metallica's career, who then went on to become one of the biggest names in the metal world, and helped kickstart the 80's thrash Phenomenon. Diamond Head on the other hand, never achieved any near that level success, especially when compared with the big names in British Heavy metal, that forned around the same time, this was very unfortunate indeed.
Loading...
22.08.2022 - 17:38
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
DIAMOND HEAD's genre-defining debut album, "Lightning To The Nations", will be re-released as "Lightning To The Nations (The White Album) [Remastered 2021]" on September 30 via Silver Lining Music. The release will feature not only the original album from quarter-inch master tapes which METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich helped DIAMOND HEAD guitarist Brian Tatler retrieve back in 1990, but also alternative mixes of classic cuts "Lightning To The Nations", "The Prince", "Sucking My Love", "Am I Evil?" and "Sweet And Innocent" never publicly released (or heard) before. There is also brand-new cover artwork based on an idea Tatler had, to show a character referred to as "The Lightning God".

----
Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
Loading...
15.09.2022 - 09:51
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Good banger, only album from this band what has some kind value ...but its bad quality, band should re record it close to original notes, riffs, lines drums n vocal parts.
Bonus songs was cool actually.
----
Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
Loading...
15.09.2022 - 21:03
Rating: 8
Redel

Written by Bad English on 15.09.2022 at 09:51

Good banger, only album from this band what has some kind value ...but its bad quality, band should re record it close to original notes, riffs, lines drums n vocal parts.
Bonus songs was cool actually.

Been returning to this album quite a few times lately. Damn, this is still such a banger, aged well I think.
Loading...

Hits total: 15246 | This month: 46