Lightning Strikes (Loudness album)

Lightning Strikes / Shadows of War
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 24, 1986 (Japan)
July 25, 1986 (US)
RecordedDecember 1985–February 1986
StudioSedic Studio and Take One Studios, Tokyo, Japan
GenreHeavy metal, glam metal
Length39:23
LabelWEA Japan (Shadows of War)
ATCO (Lightning Strikes)
ProducerMax Norman, Paul Cooper
Loudness chronology
Thunder in the East
(1985)
Lightning Strikes / Shadows of War
(1986)
8186 Live
(1987)
Singles from Lightning Strikes / Shadows of War
  1. "Let It Go"
    Released: March 10, 1986
Shadows of War cover
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal6/10
Kerrang!

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). 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.

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 and arrangements, most notably an extended musical outro to "One Thousand Eyes".