Thunder And Lightning

About

With guitarist John Sykes replacing Snowy White (who'd replaced Gary Moore), Thin Lizzy’s 12th and final studio album—1983’s <i>Thunder and Lightning</i>—crackled and rocked with an energy not heard since 1979’s <i>Black Rose</i>. There’s a palpable chemistry between Sykes and lead guitarist Scott Gorham, starting with the opening title track. Phil Lynott’s rapid-fire phrasing comes out throwing punches over hard-muscled riffs that detonate into a wailing call-and-response of guitar leads between Sykes and Gorham. When things simmer down slightly in the tailing “This Is the One,” you can hear the band rock with the near self-referential gusto of its 1977 album <i>Bad Reputation</i>. And the fact that the group still manages to sound like Thin Lizzy under an overcooked pop-metal production only stands as a testament to its musicianship and songwriting. The heady ballad "The Sun Goes Down" was a minor hit and hinted at the solo direction Lynott would pursue before his untimely passing. Sykes experiments with some Eddie Van Halen and Randy Rhodes–inspired fretboard-tapping in the heavy metal standout “Cold Sweat.”

via Apple Music