Lightning Strikes (Loudness album)

Lightning Strikes is the sixth studio album by the Japanese heavy metal band Loudness. The album, which was released on July 25, 1986, remained 15 weeks in the U.S. charts, peaking at #64 (Billboard 200).[4] The album was produced by Max Norman. Lyrics for the album are credited to Loudness, even though producer Max Norman did a lot of uncredited work on them.[5]

Lightning Strikes / Shadows of War
Studio album by
Loudness
ReleasedMarch 24, 1986 (Japan)
July 25, 1986 (US)
RecordedDecember 1985-February 1986
StudioSedic Studio and Take One Studios, Tokyo, Japan
GenreHeavy metal, glam metal
Length39:23
LabelWEA Japan (Shadows of War)
ATCO (Lightning Strikes)
ProducerMax Norman, Paul Cooper
Loudness chronology
Thunder in the East
(1985)		 Lightning Strikes / Shadows of War
(1986)		 8186 Live
(1987)
Singles from Lightning Strikes / Shadows of War
  1. "Let It Go"
    Released: March 10, 1986
Shadows of War cover
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal6/10[2]
Kerrang![3]

The album begins with the most commercial sounding song on the album, "Let It Go." However, the rest of the album is in a heavier mold, and is in a relatively similar style to the previous album, Thunder in the East.

The album is known as Shadows of War in Japan, where it was released on March 24, 1986. The tracks are in a different order, and the song "Ashes in the Sky" is known as "Shadows of War." There is also a slight difference in some vocal melodies[6] and arrangements, most notably an extended musical outro to "One Thousand Eyes".[7]

Track listings

All music by Akira Takasaki, except "Face to Face" by Masayoshi Yamashita. Lyrics by Minoru Niihara

Japanese version
Side one
  1. "Shadows of War" - 6:02
  2. "Let It Go" - 4:13
  3. "Streetlife Dreams" - 4:28
  4. "Black Star Oblivion" - 3:55
Side two
  1. "One Thousand Eyes" - 5:02
  2. "Complication" - 4:00
  3. "Dark Desire" - 4:19
  4. "Face to Face" - 3:49
  5. "Who Knows (Time to Take a Stand)" - 4:02

US Version
Side one
  1. "Let It Go" - 4:13
  2. "Dark Desire" - 4:19
  3. "1000 Eyes" - 4:35
  4. "Face to Face" - 3:49
  5. "Who Knows" - 4:02
Side two
  1. "Ashes in the Sky" - 6:02
  2. "Black Star Oblivion" - 3:55
  3. "Street Life Dream" - 4:28
  4. "Complication" - 4:00

Personnel
Loudness
Additional musicians
  • Masanori Sasaji - keyboards
Production
  • Max Norman - producer, mixing at Bearsville Studios, Bearsville, NY, USA
  • Bill Freesh - engineer
  • Masachi Goto - assistant engineer
  • Bob Ludwig - mastering at Masterdisk, New York
  • Paul Cooper - executive producer
  • George Azuma - supervisor
  • Mikio Shimizu, Sam Nagashima - coordinators

References
  1. Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Loudness Lightning Strikes review". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2011-07-13.
  2. Popoff, Martin (1 November 2005). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 202. ISBN 978-1894959315.
  3. Putterford, Mark (1986-06-26). "Another fine 'ness". Kerrang!. No. 123. p. 10.
  4. "Lightning Strikes - Loudness". Billboard. 1991. Retrieved 2010-03-14.
  5. Fischer, Michael (2007-06-19). "On Yer Bike with Studio Wizard Max Norman". Knac.com. Retrieved 2010-03-14.
  6. "Loudness - Lightning Strikes". Encyclopaedia Metallum. Retrieved 2010-03-14.
  7. Lundberg, D.C. (October 2007). "Loudness Shadows of War". Sleaze Roxx. Archived from the original on 2009-02-08. Retrieved 2010-03-29.
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