| Lightning Strikes / Shadows of War | |
| Type: | Album |
| Artist: | Loudness |
| Cover: | Loudness Lightning.jpg |
| Released: | March 24, 1986 (Japan) July 25, 1986 (US) |
| Recorded: | December 1985–February 1986 |
| Studio: | Sedic Studio and Take One Studios, Tokyo, Japan |
| Genre: | Heavy metal, glam metal |
| Length: | 39:23 |
| Label: | WEA Japan (Shadows of War) ATCO (Lightning Strikes) |
| Producer: | Max Norman, Paul Cooper |
| Prev Title: | Thunder in the East |
| Prev Year: | 1985 |
| Next Title: | 8186 Live |
| Next Year: | 1987 |
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).[1] 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.[2]
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[3] and arrangements, most notably an extended musical outro to "One Thousand Eyes".[4]
All music by Akira Takasaki, except "Face to Face" by Masayoshi Yamashita. Lyrics by Minoru Niihara