01.02.2010
REMASTERED SUPPLEMENT :
> Not only does the 2004 Remastered edition of Thunder In The East
sound excellent, it has two worthy bonus tracks: "Gotta Fight"
and "Odin", both from the Odin EP originally
released on June 21, 1985 in Japan. To the best of my knowledge,
the aforementioned EP is an original soundtrack to some movie in Japan.
"Gotta Fight" is a catchy tune with plenty of reminders that
Akira is at the helm. "Odin" is a somewhat
ethnic ballad that may not capture you right away, but I have come to appreciate
it greatly.
REVIEW:
> After the success (in Japan) of Disillusion,
Loudness
turned toward the West. Thunder In The East was Loudness'
first American release, as well as their first English (only) lyric album.
Unfortunately, it was only released here on vinyl in the USA, as far as
I know. The CD reviewed here is from Denon in Japan.
After becoming a fan of the group, the decision to buy this record was
a given. My purchase was wise.
> LOUDNESS/Thunder In The East (TITE) is a joy to hear, from
start to finish. In 1984, it was right on target with all the trends,
including heavy rhythm and emphasis on the chorus. The US radio scene
couldn't ignore the excellence of this album, as songs like "Crazy
Nights" and "Heavy Chains" actually got airtime.
Loudness came to Cleveland as an opening act for (I can't
remember the headliner; Stryper?), and Akira Takasaki's
guitar solo had the audience in a trance. The headliner's solo was
almost boo'ed, as it paled in comparison. I loved it! (-_-
> Although most of the album maintains a constant thread of heavy rock,
the musicians' talent makes each song take on its own identity. My
favorite song has to be "We Could Be Together", which is
one of two ballads. Geez... I listened to that song over and
over... From there, "Crazy Nights" (awesome in concert),
"Run For Your Life" (simply amazing rhythm), and "Never
Change Your Mind" (excellent ending ballad) are sure to make fans
of any discerning listener. I guess if you listen for it, Minoru's
Japanese accent can be heard. Even so, he can sing remarkably well
in English. Obviously, the (decent US) success of this album spurred
continued releases... |
![LOUDNESS / Thunder In The East [Remastered] | front cover](cva-Thunder_In_The_East_remastered.jpg)
![LOUDNESS / Thunder In The East [Remastered] | back cover](cvb-Thunder_In_The_East_remastered.jpg)