Nothing Thin Lizzy put out could ever really be considered all-out “heavy metal,” but thanks to Sykes, this album comes pretty damn close in a few places. Darren Wharton’s presence in the band also becomes fully fleshed out here, with songwriting credits and some wild keyboard playing that only contributes to the heaviness and hard rock feel, without detracting from it.
Right from the opening title cut, ”Thunder And Lighting” grabs the listener and does not let go. At its hardest and heaviest, this is the most aggressive and wild that Lizzy ever was. Tracks like “This Is the One” and “Cold Sweat” make this very evident.
And yet, the band does not sacrifice the more melodic and soulful elements of their sound either; “The