![]() ![]() Otherwise, the band fully utilizes its newfound energy. The second half of the song, with its growling split vocals, adds some necessary idiosyncrasies to it, but not quite enough. Likewise “Bad Habits” hasn’t aged well, sounding more like a Cars knockoff than a Thin Lizzy classic. On Thunder and Lightning, the band was at its best when it could free its id, and the careful build-and-release doesn’t really pay off. The track feels trapped in the early ’80s, and it feels out of step with the rest of the album. ![]() “The Sun Goes Down” benefits from its somewhat obscure lyrics, but it suffers from its dated production. The metaphysical angst songs don’t always succeed. Thin Lizzy Thunder and Lightning, Warner Bros. If the message gets a little muddled, the anxiety and frustration still comes through. These questions peak with “The Holy War,” a takedown of religious leaders that raises theological questions. On “This Is the One,” the singer finds himself with a “bad situation” and a “certain reputation.” And while he’s “hell bent” and “hell raising,” he adds, “I can feel it in my soul.” The spiritual drama, of course, is part of the appeal, and its as much glory as catharsis or concern. That approach comes with consequences, and much of the album deals with them. Whether or not they knew it was their last go-round, they musicians make sure to release any pent up feelings while they have the chance. The thick guitar riff and the adamant vocals drive home the message: Thin Lizzy is here to rock and to fight, and that sort of primal drive powers the album ahead, whether the band tackles personal issues or existential questions. If the album cover didn’t give it away, the charged change of tone sticks out as soon as the title track begins the album. The group didn’t fully go there shredding remains an enhancement to the songs and not a focal point, and the pop sensibilities remain strong enough to keep them even from settling into that side of the metal spectrum. “Cold Sweat” provides the clearly example of the shift, with the squealing guitars and fast runs. The playing comes closer to thrash at times, and the guitar tone in general shifts into early ’80s metal. The group’s hard rock had hinted at metal over the years, but with Sykes on board, Thin Lizzy pushed more fully into the genre. He brought a fresh energy to the sessions (he hadn’t been on the botched tour or squabbled over studio plans like Snowy White had), but he also helped move the band’s sound to where it had been trending. The addition of Sykes may have been the key to the entire project. Late that year, Thin Lizzy assembled in its latest incarnation – Lynott on bass and vocals, Gorham on guitar, youngster Darren Wharton on keys, Brian Downey on drums and new member John Sykes on lead guitar – to record a new album. True to a classic rock narrative, the group wouldn’t go down without a proper finale, though. With Lynott’s solo career underway and everything barely holding together, the end was in sight. That year’s tour barely held together, with replacement artists and canceled shows. Of greater concern, the members personal problems increasingly became an issue, most notably because of founder Phil Lynott and long-time member Scott Gorham’s drug use. The group had begun to turn into a revolving door lineup. The band’s latest release, Renegade, had met with mixed (at best) critical reviews, deservedly so, and it hadn’t sold particularly well. Not Lizzy's best release, but a definite improvement over their other '80s studio output.Thunder and Lightning tour patch (Image: eBay)īy late 1982, Thin Lizzy had begun to disintegrate. Lizzy takes a stab at dance-rock with "The Holy War," while laying back with the tranquil "The Sun Goes Down" and the album's underrated highlight, the melodic "Bad Habits." Like Lizzy's other '80s releases, filler is present - "Someday She Is Going to Hit Back" and "Heart Attack" and disappointingly, guitarist Scott Gorham abandons his trademark harmony leads of yesteryear in favor of '80s-era high-tech shredding. But such heavies as "This Is the One" and "Cold Sweat" suit the band much better. While the title track served as the ensuing tour's raging opener, half-baked lyrics detailing a fistfight and an unwarranted synth-solo weakens what should have been a straight-ahead rocker. Although a pop-metal production hinders the tracks, there's more of a harder edge present than on their last release, Renegade. Guitarist John Sykes replaced Snowy White, and the new blood must have inspired Lynott and company to write some of their best compositions in years. Thin Lizzy's final studio release, Thunder and Lightning, was their most consistent album since 1979's Black Rose. ![]()
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