Borrowed Time (Diamond Head album)

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Borrowed Time
Borrowed Time By Diamond Head.jpg
Cover art by Rodney Matthews
Studio album by Diamond Head
Released 12 March 1982
Recorded Playground Studios, London, 1981
Genre Heavy metal
Length 42:10
Label MCA
Producer Mike Hedges and Diamond Head
Diamond Head chronology
Lightning to the Nations
(1980)Lightning to the Nations1980		 Borrowed Time
(1982)		 Canterbury
(1983)Canterbury1983

Borrowed Time is a recording by Diamond Head. This is Diamond Head's fourth recording, their second on the MCA label. The album was recorded in 1981 and released in 1982, reaching Number 24 on the UK album chart.

In a recent interview guitarist Brian Tatler announced that this was his favourite period with Diamond Head and that the band "seemed to be getting somewhere after six years of building."[1]

Album information

This was the band's first major label released after being signed to MCA Records in 1981. As this was their first album under a major label, the album was much cleaner and better produced. However, some now say that MCA were the wrong label for Diamond Head, which is one of the contributions to their downfall.[2] Some have also questioned the necessity for "Am I Evil?" and "Lightning to the Nations" to be included on the album,[3] since they had already appeared on the band's debut album, Lightning to the Nations. Although the reason for this was that their first album was only meant as a demo with the idea of Borrowed Time being their first official album. However, things have not quite worked out that way with the former becoming their most notable work to date.

Style

This album also saw the band move away from all out heavy riffs and towards softer and more progressive songs, such as "In the Heat of the Night" and "Don't You Ever Leave Me", which was well received by fans, as the former has remained a regular in the live set list to this day. This album was only released on CD in Japan making it a highly collectible item. Although on 15 October 2007 it was released by Metal Mind Productions on CD format, with bonus tracks. However, this was limited to 2000 copies. The release contained B-sides, such as "Dead Reckoning", which were previously unavailable on CD. However, Geffen Records have now issued the album on general release.[4] The cover featured a lavish Rodney Matthews illustrated gatefold sleeve, based on the album's Elric theme, which was the most expensive sleeve commissioned by MCA at the time.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic 2/5 stars[5]
Martin Popoff 9/10 stars[6]

Commercial

The album managed to get to No. 24 in the UK album charts, becoming the band's first and only album to chart. The band went on to perform a full scale UK arena tour, performing large venues such as London's Hammersmith Apollo.

Critical

The album failed to live up to prior expectations as the band's more commercial take to their music turned out to be a disappointment to critics.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Sean Harris and Brian Tatler. 

Side one
No. Title Length
1. "In the Heat of the Night"   4:57
2. "To Heaven from Hell"   6:14
3. "Call Me"   3:54
4. "Lightning to the Nations"   4:09
Side two
No. Title Length
5. "Borrowed Time"   7:39
6. "Don't You Ever Leave Me"   7:56
7. "Am I Evil?"   7:21
2007 CD reissue bonus tracks
No. Title Length
8. "Trick or Treat" (from the Four Cuts EP) 3:30
9. "Dead Reckoning" (from the Four Cuts EP) 3:31
10. "Shoot Out the Lights" (from the Four Cuts EP) 3:23
11. "In the Heat of the Night" (single edit) 3:20
12. "Play It Loud" (live, b-side "In the Heat of the Night") 6:12
13. "Sweet and Innocent" (live, b-side "In the Heat of the Night") 3:33
14. "Interview with Sean Harris and Colin Kimberley by Tommy Vance" (recorded in June 1982, b-side "In the Heat of the Night") 13:38
The MCA Years bonus tracks
No. Title Length
8. "Borrowed Time" (BBC Radio 1 session) 6:54
9. "Don't You Ever Leave Me" (BBC Radio 1 session) 5:46
10. "Sweet and Innocent" (BBC Radio 1 session) 3:29
11. "Lightning to the Nations" (BBC Radio 1 session) 4:19
12. "Dead Reckoning"   3:34
13. "Trick or Treat"   3:30
14. "Shoot Out the Lights"   3:22

Personnel

  • Sean Harris – vocals
  • Brian Tatler – guitar
  • Colin Kimberley – bass
  • Duncan Scott – drums

References

  1. ↑ Get Ready To Roll!
  2. ↑ Classic Rock, Vol 115, pg 92
  3. ↑ Borrowed Time > Review
  4. ↑ Borrowed Time and Canterbury CD Re-releases
  5. ↑ Allmusic review
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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