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 Sun Goes Down” is a slower-paced masterpiece that ranks as one of the band’s last great songs. Many classics and underrated deep cuts fill the record, which is brilliantly concluded with the eerily prolific “Heart Attack.”
”Thunder And Lighting” is THIN LIZZY’s last grand stand in the studio, and they make this record count, whether they knew it would be their last or not.
A masterpiece of CLASSIC hard rock that does not sacrifice everything that made the band musically diverse, the album gets this fan’s absolute highest recommendation.
01 – Thunder And Lightning
02 – This Is The One
03 – The Sun Goes Down
04 – The Holy War
05 – Cold Sweat
06 – Someday She Is Going To Hit Back
07 – Baby Please Don’t Go
08 – Bad Habits
09 – Heart Attack
Phil Lynott – bass, vocals
Scott Gorham – guitar, backing vocals
John Sykes – guitar, backing vocals
Darren Wharton – keyboards, backing vocals
Brian Downey – drums, percussion