Thin Lizzy

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Thunder and Lightning is the twelfth and final studio album by Irish hard rock band Thin Lizzy, released on 4 March 1983.
Guitarist John Sykes was hired to replace Snowy White after 1981’s Renegade, and Sykes helped to provide a heavier sound and guitar tone than Thin Lizzy had used on previous albums.
However, the bulk of the songwriting (except for “Cold Sweat”) was completed before he joined the band.
Keyboard player Darren Wharton also offered a stronger musical influence to Thin Lizzy’s final studio album, co-writing many of the tracks including “Some Day She Is Going to Hit Back”, and the final single “The Sun Goes Down”.

Thin Lizzy’s final studio release, Thunder and Lightning, was their most consistent album since 1979’s Black Rose.
Guitarist John Sykes replaced Snowy White, and the new blood must have inspired Lynott and company to write some of their best compositions in years.
Although a pop-metal production hinders the tracks, there’s more of a harder edge present than on their last release, Renegade. While the title track served as the ensuing tour’s raging opener, half-baked lyrics detailing a fistfight and an unwarranted synth-solo weakens what should have been a straight-ahead rocker.
But such heavies as “This Is the One” and “Cold Sweat” suit the band much better. Lizzy takes a stab at dance-rock with “The Holy War,” while laying back with the tranquil “The Sun Goes Down” and the album’s underrated highlight, the melodic “Bad Habits.”
Like Lizzy’s other ’80s releases, filler is present — “Someday She Is Going to Hit Back” and “Heart Attack” and disappointingly, guitarist Scott Gorham abandons his trademark harmony leads of yesteryear in favor of ’80s-era high-tech shredding. [Review by Greg Prato]

Track listing

Thunder and Lightning – 4:56
This Is the One – 4:04
The Sun Goes Down – 6:20
The Holy War – 5:12
Cold Sweat – 3:06
Someday She Is Going to Hit Back – 4:05
Baby Please Don’t Go – 5:10
Bad Habits – 4:04
Heart Attack – 3:39

Phil Lynott – bass guitar, vocals
Scott Gorham – guitar, backing vocals
John Sykes – guitar, backing vocals
Darren Wharton – keyboards, backing vocals
Brian Downey – drums, percussion

Production

Chris Tsangarides – producer, engineer, mixing
Andrew Warwick – engineer
Chris Ludwinski – tape op, assistant engineer
Ian Cooper – mastering at Townhouse Studios, London

Notes
Released: 4 March 1983
Recorded: Late 1982 Studio Lombard Sound, Dublin, Ireland Power Plant, London, UK Boathouse Studios, London, UK
Genre Heavy Metal
Length: 40:36
Producer(s): Thin Lizzy and Chris Tsangarides

Label – Vertigo Records