Diamond Head is best known as the favourite band of Lars Ulrich, drummer for Metallica. Ulrich and Metallica famously covered Diamond Head’s Holst-inspired “Am I Evil?”, making the song, if not the band, a household name. To say that Diamond Head’s turbo-charged, riff-packed brand of NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal) was influential on Thrash Metal as a genre would be an understatement.

Unfortunately, Diamond Head never achieved the same level of mainstream success as their thrashy brethren. Their debut record, the untitled, undecorated “white album” (or Lightning To The Nations depending on who you ask) was aptly described as “The Ark of the Convenant” by Eduardo Rivadavia writing for All Music Guide – connecting 70’s and 80’s metal in one monstrous record.

Later albums like Borrowed Time and Canterbury failed to replicate the sheer awesomeness of Diamond Head’s debut. With the former being pretty good and the latter being not-so-great. After a lengthy absence, the band reunited just long enough to record Death and Progress. The album, released in 1992, was a further departure from their signature sound: taking a more melodic tone and easygoing feel.

The record is highlighted by the ballads “Run” and “Calling Your Name” as well as upbeat numbers like “Dust” and “Home.” The harder-edged songs lack the aggression of Diamond Head’s older material. Yet somehow it all works. Perhaps not as a fierce metal record, but a fist-pumping piece of AOR. Death and Progress may not have been the type of record to inspire a generation, but it makes for a killer training montage.