Death and Progress
Encyclopedia
Death and Progress is a recording by Diamond Head
and was released in 1993 under Castle Music Ltd.
This was Diamond Head's first album since Canterbury
, released 10 years earlier. It was mixed by Andrew Scarth, who had previously worked for bands such as Bad Company
and Foreigner
. The album had a much cleaner and more polished sound than their previous three albums and featured two special guests, Tony Iommi
, of Black Sabbath
, and Dave Mustaine
, of Megadeth
, the latter also enlisting the help of his own producer Max Norman
.
Some of the tracks off this album were released on an EP in 1992 entitled Rising Up
, although this EP was only sold in specialist music stores.
and Megadeth
at the National Bowl
in Milton Keynes
on June 5, 1993, The Almighty was also on the bill. During the show Sean Harris came out dressed as the Grim Reaper, which Brian Tatler
reported in the British rock magazine Classic Rock
, was Harris' way of saying that NWOBHM was over. They opened with their flagship song, Am I Evil and ended with Helpless; both off their debut Lightning to the Nations
, as they thought this would go down well with the Metallica fan base. However, as Diamond Head had not been around for the majority of the previous decade and Metallica had covered both of these songs (Am I Evil was the B-side to Creeping Death
and Helpless appeared on The $5.98 E.P.: Garage Days Re-Revisited
), much of the crowd thought that Diamond Head were covering Metallica songs. On top of this, their performance was very under par, which was due to the pressure of playing live on MTV
, the fact Tatler was suffering from shingles at the time and Diamond Head had had very little rehearsal time prior to the gig. The band split up again and would not reform again until 2000.
, Tatler
Guests:
Diamond Head (band)
Diamond Head are an English heavy metal band formed in 1976 in Stourbridge, England. The band is recognised as one of the leading members of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and is acknowledged by later bands like Metallica and Megadeth as an important early influence.-Early history:Formed by...
and was released in 1993 under Castle Music Ltd.
This was Diamond Head's first album since Canterbury
Canterbury (album)
Canterbury is the third album by Diamond Head. The album was recorded and released in 1983, reaching Number 32 on the UK Album Chart.-Canterbury:...
, released 10 years earlier. It was mixed by Andrew Scarth, who had previously worked for bands such as Bad Company
Bad Company
Bad Company were an English rock supergroup founded in 1973, consisting of two former Free band members — singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke — as well as Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs and King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell. Peter Grant, who, in years prior, was a key component of...
and Foreigner
Foreigner (band)
Foreigner is a British-American rock band, originally formed in 1976 by veteran English musicians Mick Jones and ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald along with American vocalist Lou Gramm...
. The album had a much cleaner and more polished sound than their previous three albums and featured two special guests, Tony Iommi
Tony Iommi
Anthony Frank "Tony" Iommi is an English guitarist and songwriter best known as the founding member of pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, and its sole continual member through multiple personnel changes.Iommi is widely recognised as one of the most important and influential guitarists in...
, of Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
, and Dave Mustaine
Dave Mustaine
David Scott "Dave" Mustaine is the founder, main songwriter, guitarist, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Prior to Megadeth, Mustaine was the first lead guitarist and a co-songwriter of the heavy metal band Metallica until he was fired from the band in 1983. In 2009, he...
, of Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
, the latter also enlisting the help of his own producer Max Norman
Max Norman
Max Norman is a retired record producer and recording engineer in the 1980s and 1990s. He produced many acclaimed heavy metal releases, and was renowned for his top notch production. Max got his "big break" while he was the resident engineer at Ridge Farm Studios in London, England...
.
Some of the tracks off this album were released on an EP in 1992 entitled Rising Up
Rising Up
Rising Up is a recording by Diamond Head released in the winter of 1992, however, was only released in specialist music stores. Half of the tracks later appeared on the band's forth studio album, Death and Progress...
, although this EP was only sold in specialist music stores.
National Bowl Incident
The reunion of Diamond Head did not last. One major contributor to the second fall of the band was during the Death and Progress tour, when Diamond Head opened for MetallicaMetallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
and Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
at the National Bowl
National Bowl
The National Bowl is an entertainment venue in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England. The site was a former clay-pit , filled in and raised to form an amphitheatre using sub-soil excavated by the many new developments in the area and it has a current maximum capacity of 65,000...
in Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
on June 5, 1993, The Almighty was also on the bill. During the show Sean Harris came out dressed as the Grim Reaper, which Brian Tatler
Brian Tatler
Brian Tatler is an English musician, best known as the guitarist and co-founder of the Stourbridge based heavy metal band, Diamond Head.-Formation:...
reported in the British rock magazine Classic Rock
Classic Rock (magazine)
Classic Rock is a British magazine dedicated to the radio format of classic rock, published by Future Publishing, who are also responsible for its "sister" publication Metal Hammer. Although firmly focusing on key bands from the 1960s through early 1990s, it also includes articles and reviews of...
, was Harris' way of saying that NWOBHM was over. They opened with their flagship song, Am I Evil and ended with Helpless; both off their debut Lightning to the Nations
Lightning to the Nations
Lightning to the Nations is the debut album by heavy metal band Diamond Head. The album was recorded in 1979 and released in 1980 through their own label Happy Face Records, due to lack of interest from major labels and the band feeling that they needed to get the ball rolling as other bands from...
, as they thought this would go down well with the Metallica fan base. However, as Diamond Head had not been around for the majority of the previous decade and Metallica had covered both of these songs (Am I Evil was the B-side to Creeping Death
Creeping Death
-Covers:* New Jersey Hardcore band Shattered Realm includes a cover of "Creeping Death" on the reissue of their 2002 album "Broken Ties Spoken Lies"* Plays Metallica by Four Cellos by Apocalyptica.* During Ozzfest 2002 by Drowning Pool....
and Helpless appeared on The $5.98 E.P.: Garage Days Re-Revisited
The $5.98 E.P.: Garage Days Re-Revisited
At the end of "Last Caress"/"Green Hell" are a few bars of Iron Maiden's song "Run to the Hills", but is played out of key. Iron Maiden responded to this on a b-side cover of the Montrose song titled "Space Station No...
), much of the crowd thought that Diamond Head were covering Metallica songs. On top of this, their performance was very under par, which was due to the pressure of playing live on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, the fact Tatler was suffering from shingles at the time and Diamond Head had had very little rehearsal time prior to the gig. The band split up again and would not reform again until 2000.
Track listing
All songs by Harris & Tatler, except "Starcrossed (Lovers of the Night)" by Harris, IommiTony Iommi
Anthony Frank "Tony" Iommi is an English guitarist and songwriter best known as the founding member of pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, and its sole continual member through multiple personnel changes.Iommi is widely recognised as one of the most important and influential guitarists in...
, Tatler
- "Starcrossed (Lovers of the Night)" - 4:27
- "Truckin'" - 3:05
- "Calling Your Name (The Light)" - 4:06
- "I Can't Help Myself" - 3:37
- "Paradise" - 3:36
- "Dust" - 4:18
- "Run" - 4:43
- "Wild on the Streets" - 3:46
- "Damnation Street" - 3:17
- "Home" - 4:42
Musicians
- Sean Harris- Vocals
- Brian TatlerBrian TatlerBrian Tatler is an English musician, best known as the guitarist and co-founder of the Stourbridge based heavy metal band, Diamond Head.-Formation:...
- Guitar - Pete VuckovicPete VuckovicPete Vuckovic is a British/ Serbian singer/songwriter born in 1971 in Devon, England.He was a keen hard rock/ heavy metal fan as a youngster, playing bass in bands with his older brother throughout his teens in his hometown of Tiverton in Devon, his first success came in 1993 after leaving his own...
- Bass
Guests:
- Tony IommiTony IommiAnthony Frank "Tony" Iommi is an English guitarist and songwriter best known as the founding member of pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, and its sole continual member through multiple personnel changes.Iommi is widely recognised as one of the most important and influential guitarists in...
- Guitar on "Starcrossed" - Dave MustaineDave MustaineDavid Scott "Dave" Mustaine is the founder, main songwriter, guitarist, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Prior to Megadeth, Mustaine was the first lead guitarist and a co-songwriter of the heavy metal band Metallica until he was fired from the band in 1983. In 2009, he...
- Guitar on "Truckin'"
External links
- diamond-head.net — Official site
- Death and Progress promo video
- Official video for Truckin