Life Live (2CD)

Recorded on their 1983 farewell tour, Life: Live spans 19 classic Thin Lizzy tracks over the course of two discs, and finds the band's sound edging ever slightly toward what would become metal over the course of the next decade. Sounding grittier, faster, and crunchier than usual on familiar tracks like 'Jailbreak' or 'The Boys Are Back in Town,' Phil Lynott's always smooth vocals careen casually over these gnarlier versions. The synths and chugging guitars of 'Angel of Death' find Lynott and the band sounding almost like a more fantastical Motörhead than the pool hall rock of their earlier studio albums. Recorded primarily at Hammersmith Odeon in London, the band is joined by former guitarists Eric Bell, Brian Robertson, and Gary Moore to jam on tracks like 'Black Rose' and 'The Rocker.'