Is Am I Evil a good place to start with Diamond Head?

Yes, Am I Evil is recommended as a starting point for new Diamond Head listeners. A thunderous blend of heavy metal riffs and soaring vocals, crafting anthems that resonate with themes of darkness and rebellion. Released in 1987, Am I Evil marked Diamond Head's return after a five-year hiatus following their influential debut album Lightning to the Nations. At this point, they were exploring more polished production while trying to maintain their heavy metal roots amidst the growing popularity of glam rock.

Who is Am I Evil for?

Am I Evil works well if you're into steady pacing for focused listening, mid-tempo anthems for sing-alongs and soaring melodies for emotional release.

How many songs are on Am I Evil?

Am I Evil has 8 tracks, running approximately 53 minutes.

Am I Evil

Diamond Head · 1987

53 min · 8 tracks · heavy metal

A thunderous blend of heavy metal riffs and soaring vocals, crafting anthems that resonate with themes of darkness and rebellion.

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Top tracks — play these first

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Am I Evil Start here — The title track stands out with its iconic riff and dark lyrical themes, embodying the band's signature style and influence on future generations of metal musicians.
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Heat of the Night — This song showcases a blend of melodic hooks and powerful instrumentation, illustrating the band’s ability to balance heaviness with memorable melodies.
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Borrowed Time — With introspective lyrics and dynamic shifts in tempo, Borrowed Time captures the emotional depth that sets Diamond Head apart from their contemporaries.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

53 /100

Foothills

Higher than 40% of albums we've rated

The album blends strong riffs and anthemic choruses, marking its place in heavy metal history.

What we noticed

Several tracks employ a verse-chorus structure, with anthemic choruses designed for audience participation.
The album's pacing varies, with mid-tempo tracks interspersed with faster, more aggressive songs, maintaining listener engagement.

Composition 25% of the score: 7/10
Craft 20% of the score: 6/10
Durability 25% of the score: 6/10
Distinctiveness 18% of the score: 7/10
Sequencing 12% of the score: 5/10

Influence 6/10

Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Is this for you?

Good fit if you like

steady pacing for focused listening
mid-tempo anthems for sing-alongs
soaring melodies for emotional release
immersive tracks with narrative flow

Maybe skip if you

prefer instant gratification tracks
seek short standalone songs

Where this album fits

In the catalog: Breakthrough — Marked a return and solidified their influence in heavy metal culture.
Themes: dark rebellion· heavy metal anthems· mid-80s glam contrast
Career context: Released in 1987, Am I Evil marked Diamond Head's return after a five-year hiatus following their influential debut album Lightning to the Nations. At this point, they were exploring more polished production while trying to maintain their heavy metal roots amidst the growing popularity of glam rock.
Stylistic neighbors: Metallica· Iron Maiden· Judas Priest