Diamond Head Live and Electric 2022 Review
Diamond Head
Live and Electric 2022
Silver Lining Music
2025
Diamond Head really needs no introduction (unless you are under 30 maybe), and they are considered heavy metal royalty. Their origins and formation out of Stourbridge West Midlands date back to 1976 (I was born that same year!) and lead to the historic NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal) that began to take shape into the early 80’s. Metallica kind of owe the start of their career to these guys, as they have covered them throughout their existence. Ever heard “Am I Evil?”, “Helpless”, “The Prince” or “It's Electric”? Right, those songs? All Diamond Head covers. By the same token, Diamond Head kind of have Metallica to thank for putting them on most people's radar.
Being around for 49 years is no easy road to travel, yet here we are, discussing their latest release, Live and Electric 2022. This marks their first foray into a live album in over twenty years, and they sound absolutely fantastic. The album is mixed in such a way that you can kind of imagine you got your ears right up against the PA speakers and every vocal, guitar crunch, bass line and drum is clearly audible and not fighting for space. Members here are sole OG founder Brian Tatler, along with newer vocalist Rasmus Bom Andersen. They are joined by bassist Paul Gaskin, rhythm/lead guitarist Andrew “Abbz” Abberley, and drummer Karl Wilcox and they are all lockstep tight which further compliments Diamond Head’s no nonsense riffing and catchy song structures. The album was recorded while on tour with Saxon in 2022 at various UK spots such as Aberdeen, Blackburn, York, Cambridge, Cardiff, and Bexhill. In fact, all 14 shows were recorded on said tour which allowed the band to pick and choose from the best of them instead of hoping everything lined up for one show.
By now we all know what Diamond Head sounds like. It is classic UK heavy metal for those who appreciate Tygers of Pan Tang (still the best name out of all the NWOBHM bands), Witchfynde, Angel Witch and Saxon. The tracklist reads as a greatest hits setlist and the aforementioned Metallica covers are all represented here in their original machinations, but for me, the deeper cuts hit harder and carry their own weight stacked up against those timeless classics. ‘Messenger of Death”, balladesque ‘In the Heat of the Night”, and the crushing mid paced stomp of “Set My Soul on Fire” are personal highlights to my ears. Elsewhere newer tracks like ‘Belly of the Beast” show these old regal dogs can still write proto speed metal ragers with the best of them.
Behind the superb mix (by one Jay Shredder), the quality of the songs (12 in all) and the excellent individual performances from everyone in the band, Live and Electric 2022 has ensured that I probably need to grab a ticket and witness the leather clad mastery for myself before they call it a day. Judging from how good they sound here, luckily that doesn't seem to be coming any time soon. All hail Diamond Head and may they continue to bring lightning to the nations for many more years to come.
~TB