Cold Sweat (Thin Lizzy song)
Encyclopedia
"Cold Sweat" is a song by Irish
rock band Thin Lizzy
, and is the fifth track on their final studio album Thunder and Lightning. It was co-written by guitarist John Sykes
and Phil Lynott
, and became the biggest single from the album, entering the UK charts at #27, and peaking at #23 in Ireland.
The song is known for Sykes' guitar solo, which features a tapping
playing style that was somewhat new at the time of the album's release, though also used at the time by players such as Eddie Van Halen
and Randy Rhoads
.
Thrash metal
band Sodom
did a cover of the song on their 1990-album Better off Dead
. The German Power metal
band Helloween
produced a cover version of this song for their 1994 EP Perfect Gentleman
. The Norwegian
Heavy metal
Band Jorn
covered the song on their 2007 cover album Unlocking the Past
. The thrash metal supergroup Dublin Death Patrol
also recorded a cover of the song for their debut album DDP 4 Life
. A cover version of this song also appears as a Japanese edition bonus on 12 Gauge, a 2010 album recorded by Finnish Melodic death metal
band Kalmah
. The Sword
played this song as part of their encore during a short tour in January 2010.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
rock band Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Two of the founding members, drummer Brian Downey and bass guitarist/vocalist Phil Lynott met while still in school. Lynott assumed the role of frontman and led them throughout their recording career of thirteen studio albums...
, and is the fifth track on their final studio album Thunder and Lightning. It was co-written by guitarist John Sykes
John Sykes
John James Sykes , is an English rock guitarist, who has played with Streetfighter, Tygers of Pan Tang, John Sloman's Badlands, Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, and Blue Murder, in addition to having a notable solo career....
and Phil Lynott
Phil Lynott
Philip Parris "Phil" Lynott was an Irish musician who first came to prominence as a founding member, principal songwriter, and frontman of the Irish rock band Thin Lizzy....
, and became the biggest single from the album, entering the UK charts at #27, and peaking at #23 in Ireland.
The song is known for Sykes' guitar solo, which features a tapping
Tapping
Tapping is a guitar playing technique, where a string is fretted and set into vibration as part of a single motion of being pushed onto the fretboard, as opposed to the standard technique being fretted with one hand and picked with the other...
playing style that was somewhat new at the time of the album's release, though also used at the time by players such as Eddie Van Halen
Eddie Van Halen
Edward Lodewijk "Eddie" Van Halen is a Dutch-American guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter and producer, best known as the lead guitarist and co-founder of the hard rock band Van Halen, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...
and Randy Rhoads
Randy Rhoads
Randall William "Randy" Rhoads was an American heavy metal guitarist who played with Ozzy Osbourne and Quiet Riot. A devoted student of classical guitar, Rhoads often combined his classical music influences with his own heavy metal style. While on tour with Ozzy Osbourne, he would seek out...
.
Cover versions
The GermanGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
band Sodom
Sodom (band)
Sodom is a German Thrash metal trio from Gelsenkirchen, formed in 1981.Along with the bands Kreator and Destruction, Sodom is considered one of the "big three" of Teutonic thrash metal...
did a cover of the song on their 1990-album Better off Dead
Better off Dead (album)
Better off Dead is the fourth album by Sodom. The song "The Saw Is the Law" in an altered version that was released on the EP The Saw Is the Law.-Track listing:#"An Eye for an Eye" – 4:25#"Shellfire Defense" – 4:23#"The Saw Is the Law" – 4:11...
. The German Power metal
Power metal
Power metal is a style of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. The term refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a...
band Helloween
Helloween
Helloween is a German power metal band founded in the mid 1980s by members of Iron Fist and Powerfool. The band was a pioneering force in the European Power Metal movement and their second and third studio albums, Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt...
produced a cover version of this song for their 1994 EP Perfect Gentleman
Perfect Gentleman (song)
"Perfect Gentleman" is a song by the German power metal band Helloween taken from the album Master of the Rings.-Single track listing:-Personnel:*Andi Deris - vocals*Roland Grapow - lead and rhythm guitars*Michael Weikath - lead and rhythm guitars...
. The Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
Heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
Band Jorn
Jørn Lande
Jørn Lande is a Norwegian hard rock and heavy metal singer who has sold over 2 million records worldwide. He is probably best known for being the lead singer of the power metal band Masterplan.-Biography:...
covered the song on their 2007 cover album Unlocking the Past
Unlocking the Past
Unlocking the Past is the fifth studio album by Jørn Lande.The album features covers of what Jorn states as his biggest musical influences, and as such, is composed mostly of classic hard rock and heavy metal acts such as Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Whitesnake and Kiss.All covers were recorded...
. The thrash metal supergroup Dublin Death Patrol
Dublin Death Patrol
Dublin Death Patrol is an American thrash metal band formed in 2006 by Testament singer Chuck Billy and former Legacy and Exodus singer Steve Souza....
also recorded a cover of the song for their debut album DDP 4 Life
DDP 4 Life
DDP 4 Life is the debut album from Dublin Death Patrol, a thrash metal band formed by Testament vocalist Chuck Billy and Exodus vocalist Steve "Zetro" Souza and released on Friday the 13th , 2007.-Track listing:#R.I.P...
. A cover version of this song also appears as a Japanese edition bonus on 12 Gauge, a 2010 album recorded by Finnish Melodic death metal
Melodic death metal
Melodic death metal is a heavy metal music style that combines elements from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal with elements of death metal. The style was developed during the early and mid-1990s, primarily in England and Scandinavia...
band Kalmah
Kalmah
Kalmah is a melodic death metal band from Oulu, Finland that formed in 1998. In less than a year after its formation, Kalmah was signed by Spinefarm Records. The word "kalmah" is Karelian and could be translated as "to the grave" or "to the death."-History:...
. The Sword
The Sword
The Sword is an American heavy metal band that formed in Austin, Texas, in 2003. Since its inception the band has comprised vocalist and guitarist John D. Cronise, guitarist Kyle Shutt and bassist Bryan Richie, and currently includes touring drummer Jimmy Vela following Trivett Wingo's departure in...
played this song as part of their encore during a short tour in January 2010.
Personnel
- Phil LynottPhil LynottPhilip Parris "Phil" Lynott was an Irish musician who first came to prominence as a founding member, principal songwriter, and frontman of the Irish rock band Thin Lizzy....
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, lead vocals - Scott GorhamScott GorhamScott Gorham is an American guitarist and songwriter who rose to international recognition as one of the "twin lead guitarists" of the Irish-formed rock band, Thin Lizzy...
– lead guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker... - John SykesJohn SykesJohn James Sykes , is an English rock guitarist, who has played with Streetfighter, Tygers of Pan Tang, John Sloman's Badlands, Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, and Blue Murder, in addition to having a notable solo career....
– lead guitar - Brian DowneyBrian Downey (drummer)Brian Michael Downey is an Irish drummer.Downey is the drummer and a founding member of the rock band Thin Lizzy, and a friend from childhood of co-founder and frontman Phil Lynott. Along with Lynott, Downey was the only constant member of the pioneering hard rock group until their break-up in...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Darren WhartonDarren WhartonDarren Wharton is a British keyboardist, singer and songwriter. He has fronted his own band, Dare since 1989, but first came to attention as a member of Thin Lizzy.-Biography:...
– keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...