Loudness "Lightning Strikes"

Loudness "Lightning Strikes"

album cover

Loudness
Lightning Strikes
The Story
Loudness followed their popular "Thunder In The East" album with the chops-heavy hard rock of "Lightning Strikes", further evidence of guitarist Akira Takasaki's representing kind of an Eastern George Lynch. Powerful tracks such as "Ashes In The Sky" and "Street Life Dream" (a showcase of amazing Takasaki guitar work) drive the album, while "100 Eyes" is a mid-'80s primer of riffs. "Lightning Strikes" was the band's first album conceived specifically for the U.S. market, and was directed by veteran metal producer Max Norman (Ozzy Osbourne, Megadeth), who assisted the band by adding commercial elements into their classic metal sound for the first time. These guys have been pumping out beautiful, heart pounding musical pieces since 1981, and are still rocking on today.
The Music
04:13 Let It Go Vocal
04:19 Dark Desire Vocal
04:35 1000 Eyes Vocal
03:49 Face To Face Vocal
04:02 Who Knows Vocal
06:02 Ashes In The Sky Vocal
03:55 Black Star Oblivion Vocal
04:28 Street Life Dream Vocal
04:00 Complication Vocal
The Artists
Akira Takasaki Guitar
Munetaka Higuchi Drums
Minoru Niihara Vocals
Masayoshi Yamashita Bass
Max Norman Production
Bill Freesh Engineering
Masashi Goto Engineering Assistance
Bob Ludwig LP Mastering
Steve Innocenzi CD Mastering
Jeff Wilkinson Art Direction, Design
Joe Furley Photography
Joe Cornish Photography
Hiro Ito Photography
Recorded at Sedic and Take One Studios, Tokyo, December 1985 - February 1986.

Mixed at Bearsville Studios, Bearsville, New York.

LP mastered at Masterdisc, N.Y.C., New York.

CD mastered at Atlantic Studios.