Loudness – Thunder in the East (Release Year – 1985)
While strolling through my local music store, I found this lost gem that I once had in my collection several years ago. Before, I picked this up again, it had been well over 10 years since I have last heard Loudness, so I didn’t remember their music at all.
Thunder in the East was originally released in 1985 and reissued in 2003. This was the first album released in the U.S. in the english language. After a little digging, I found that this disc peaked at #74 on the Billboard charts. Quite an accomplishment for a virtually unknown Japanese metal band.
How does this music stand up today? Pretty well. This is still a pretty good metal disc. I can hear Stryper and Iron Maiden like elements. (It sounds nuts, but it works for this band.)
The opening track Crazy Nights is a catchy heavy rocker with an excellent guitar riff to open the song.
There are a bunch of other quality tracks on this disc including Like Hell, Heavy Chains, Get Away, and The Lines are Down.
Lead singer, Minoru Niihara does an pretty good job vocally on this disc. Lead Guitarist, Akira Takasaki reminds me of Oz Fox quite a bit, but plays much heavier than that.
I enjoyed this disc quite a bit. This band may look like a 80’s big hair band but they were actually quite heavy for their time. Metal fans who haven’t heard this should certainly give this a look. There are some above average metal tracks that are worth discovering!
Enjoy the videos I found from Thunder in the East! If these don’t take you back 20 years, nothing will. š
Crazy Nights
Like Hell
Heavy Chains
Get Away
Rating: 
Out of 10
Track Listing:
- Crazy Nights
- Like Hell
- Heavy Chains
- Get Away
- We Could Be Together
- Run For Your Life
- Clockwork Toy
- No Way Out
- The Lines are Down
- Never Change Your Mind
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This album by loudness-T. I. T. E. Kix some serious glutes!!! If I’m down, gone soon as the first riff roars. BAD ASS!
One of the best albums of the 80’s.
Akira, and the rest of the band were better musicians than most of the kind of music they were associated with, top notch all of them.
Akira’s guitar tone especially on this album is one of the best recorded in metal!
Metal Mark is right, ‘Crazy Nights’ got a ton of airplay on MTV back in the day and that opening gig for the Crue helped break them here in the U.S. Akira Takasaki is a guitarist that is severely under-rated.
They were so increible good. I love all their albums till ON THE PROWL.
Loudness were one of the better 80s rock bands, i have their 1st double Live album on vinyl. Crazy Nights is a killer song.
I bought this on cassette back when it came out in 85. Now I only have it on vinyl. It’s decent, but toned down from their earlier releases. Part of it’s success may have been due to the fact that they had the opening spot for Motley Crue during the first part of the Theater of pain tour. I believe Crazy Nights got some pretty good play from MTV.