British heavy metal legends Diamond Head have unveiled an animated video for their single The Messenger, the second track from their forthcoming live album Live And Electric, set for release on July 11, 2025, via Silver Lining Music. The video, created by acclaimed visual artist Costin Chioreanu, is available at:
Formed in 1976 in Stourbridge, West Midlands, Diamond Head features Brian Tatler (lead/rhythm guitars), Rasmus Bom Andersen (vocals), Karl Wilcox (drums), Andrew “Abbz” Abberley (rhythm/lead guitars), and Paul Gaskin (bass). The band, a cornerstone of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM), influenced Metallica with their seminal 1980 album Lightning to the Nations.
The Messenger, recorded live at the Cambridge Corn Exchange during the band’s 2022 UK tour with Saxon, showcases a powerful riff inspired by Cradle of Filth’s groove-heavy performance at the 70,000 Tons of Metal cruise, as noted by Tatler. Originally from their 2019 album The Coffin Train, the track blends seamlessly with classics like The Prince and In the Heat of the Night. Live And Electric, the band’s first live album in 20 years, captures performances from Aberdeen, Blackburn, York, Cambridge, Cardiff, and Bexhill, recorded and mixed by Jay Shredder with mastering by Andersen.
The 12-track album includes:
- The Prince (Live At The Bexhill De La War Pavilion)
- Bones (Live At St David’s Hall, Cardiff)
- The Messenger (Live At The Cambridge Corn Exchange)
- In The Heat Of The Night (Live At The York Barbican)
- Set My Soul On Fire (Live At The Bexhill De La War Pavilion)
- It’s Electric (Live At The Bexhill De La War Pavilion)
- Dead Reckoning (Live At The Aberdeen Music Hall)
- Death By Design (Live At The Aberdeen Music Hall)
- Sweet And Innocent (Live At The Aberdeen Music Hall)
- Helpless (Live At The Aberdeen Music Hall)
- Belly Of The Beast (Live At The Aberdeen Music Hall)
- Am I Evil? (Live At King George’s Hall, Blackburn)
It’s available for pre-order on 2xLP, CD, and digital formats at hyperurl.co/LiveandElectric.
The album delivers raw, in-your-face production, with reviews praising its energy: Fistful of Metal calls it “headbanging heaven,” while Metal Crypt notes its heavier sound and replayability. Dead Rhetoric highlights the band’s vitality, and Classic Rock applauds its powerful overview of their career.
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