10. Diamond Head Borrowed Time 1982 (MCA)
Heavy Metal
We're living on borrowed time.
Overview
By the time of their second studio album, Diamond Head were a band that were certainly living on borrowed time and that borrowed time was fast running out. As by 1982 their principal rivals Iron Maiden and Saxon were already three or four albums in and the likes of Def Leppard had already conquered the UK metal scene, and were now going down a scorcher in the US! While all this was happening, Diamond Head in 1980 and 1981 had squandered much of their time and were now seriously playing catch-up to those bands (something of course they never ultimately achieved sadly) Their debut album
Lightning to the Nations had been the greatest NWOBHM album imo (see review) but it had been marketed so badly that it bombed back in 1980! By 1982 Diamond Head were now under the auspices of a major label in MCA and were working on their second album
Borrowed Time, before this the band had released a four track EP as a taster called
Four Cuts which contained “Call Me” and “Trick or Treat” as it’s a-side with the former appearing on the
Borrowed Time album, on its b-side were “Dead Reckoning” and “Shoot Out the Lights” with the latter here a re-recording from their debut album sessions. Now instead of releasing this EP, what the band should’ve done in 1982 was to re-release their classic debut album and re-package it visually like an Iron Maiden album (they may have had problems with their previous label which could’ve prevented this anyway) and then release seven new original tracks for the
Borrowed Time album, as they had done so on
Lightning to the Nations. This would’ve given the band maximum exposure in 1982 (taking a leaf out of Saxon’s book in this regard) and given the band the huge commercial break they so desperately sought. As a metal band they were fully encompassed into the UK metal scene and had also made sure that
Borrowed Time got an album cover worthy of the band’s talents and potential status. As for the actual album, the big and fundamental decision that would surround
Borrowed Time was the inclusion of two pivotal tracks from the classic debut in “Lightning to the Nations” and “Am I Evil?” which was a strange move for a seven-track album, as there were only now five original tracks that would feature on their long-awaited sophomore set. This move was further undermined by the fact, that these two classic tracks were actually seen as inferior versions than what appeared on their debut album (probably had something to do with the crisper production the band now had as well) Production would be provided by Mike Hedges and the album would crack the top 30 of the UK album chart, with Steve Harris and Brian Tatler once again writing all the album’s material. In hindsight the album would be seen as the band’s biggest disappointment.
Verdict
So now with Diamond Head signed up to MCA and with huge expectations surrounding the band, did
Borrowed Time the band’s first major label release really measure up to the band’s capabilities? First off, I really think the band got it all wrong with the idea of releasing an album that carried two tracks over from their debut album and instead they should’ve released a complete collection of original tracks (it’s not as if the band had a shortage of material either as future expanded versions of the album would prove) Secondly the band probably gave too much emphasis on trying to meld their metal sound with a very palatable melodic rock, nothing wrong with this but in Diamond Head’s case it seemed to really water-down the inherent menace of the band. Now it’s largely for these negative pointers that the album only makes number 10 on this year’s list, but then again Diamond Head’s seconds were often better than many band’s firsts. Also the album itself was seen as a disappointment by the critics as well, due to the band’s greater emphasis on commercial sounding material which is highlighted on the five original tracks that they produced for the album, a factor that I can completely agree with to a certain degree, because Diamond Head were very much a band of sinister musings! With all this in mind, I’m still convindcd though that
Borrowed Time is a worthy album despite not being a classic and it's an album that has a certain allure as well. If we look at the five original cuts that appeared on the album “In the Heat of the Night” is the type of melodic track that the band did so well and its commercial mid-paced aura labels it as a track that an American fanbase would’ve thrived on. Now I’m less of a fan of the second track “To Heaven from Hell” which comes across as a somewhat static sounding hard rock plodder and even its speedier middle section doesn’t make its six minutes go that much quicker either. But “Call Me” like “In the Heat of the Night” is a track is built to last and one of the best put out by the band, despite its Foreigner sounding overtures! But the album’s crowning glory is surely its accomplished title track “Borrowed Time” a song perfectly suited to the vocal style of Steve Harris and the guitar lead of Brian Tatler. The fifth track of this bunch is the seven minute “Don’t You Ever Leave Me” which is a throwback to the 1970s with its bluesy section which dominates the latter part of the song. At times it’s actually difficult to see the influence that Diamond Head had on bands like Metallica and Megadeath and imo this link is actually overplayed, as Diamond Head’s melodic AOR tracks that frequently appear on the debut and especially on
Borrowed Time, are in many ways an antithesis of what extreme metal would be all about. But then again Diamond Head had put out some truly menacing tracks like “Am I Evil?” that showcased the full dynamics of the band, something that when combined with their more melodic side, truly made them a metal chameleon in every aspect.
Steve Harris- Vocals
Brian Tatler- Guitar
Brian Kimberley- Bass
Duncan Scott- Drums
Production- Mike Hedges