Reviews list for Thin Lizzy - Thunder and Lightning (1983)

This is the catchiest "metal" record I've ever heard. It's got just enough shred to be considered metal for me, but otherwise it's very on the cusp. I've never really gone into their back catalog before too much but I am definitely aware of their hits as most are. I love a good cheese, and they do it really really well here even if at times it does get a bit repetitive at times, songs like the title track "Thunder and Lightning", "The Sun Goes Down", "Baby Please Don't Go" have very memorable rhythm guitar lines that hit into my soul just enough where it almost gets annoying how long they go with same 3-4 measures of notes get played throughout the song. I wouldn't say I found any song on here to be bad but many do just hit that 10 seconds too long but for the 4 minutes-ish before that they are very enjoyable. I actually found those aforementioned songs to be my favorites plus Bad Habits that I got an early pop punk vibe from. Even Heart Attack is a solid enough closer to the album, but by the time that it gets to that point in the album the cheese gets to be a bit much for me. It's barely a 40 minute album and I can't say there's really a bunch of extra fat on this to be cut out but I do think there is some bits and bobs that could to make this an even better just fun quick bop that's in and out and you get your full on this pop metal sound. Really enjoyable overall for me though.

Thin Lizzy were well into their career by this point, though I assume like many, my primary exposure to the band prior to this was through their more well known hits like "The Boys are Back in Town" or their version of the ballad "Whisky in the Jar".

Certainly, Thunder & Lightning doesn't feel too terribly far removed from those. It's 80s hard rock with enough of a NWOBHM spice to pass at times, especially in the frequently flashy guitar work ("Cold Sweat" being a sterling example). It's also a good dose of it for those who have had enough of more sleazy shock rock of the era; there's a certain level of restraint and even respectability about this. But there's also not a lot of weight or character to the music on show here. It's fine, but that's often all it is: just 'fine'. There's the occasional hook but not a lot, and songs like "Bad Habits" can be enjoyable, but they just don't leave much of an impact behind them.

The one real exception is "The Holy War". The constant beat there really does conjure the image of a march to war by an army of righteous crusaders, and it's catchy as hell to boot. Definitely the stand-out of the album. The title track also does strive for something a bit meatier than much of the rest, but the metalhead in me still craves something more.

To be clear, it's not an issue of Thunder & Lightning "not being metal enough" or the like. There's plenty of good rock material from this era, but Thunder & Lightning just plays it too safe to be anything more than passable.

Choice cuts: The Holy War, Cold Sweat