Known for their sonic might, inventive riffs, and huge impact on bands like Metallica and Megadeth, Diamond Head's legacy ranks among the most influential of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Emerging in the early 1980s, the band didn't attain the commercial success of contemporaries like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Def Leppard, but their 1980 debut album, Lightning to the Nations, remains one of heavy metal's most iconic offerings, especially as it relates to the evolution of thrash. They have endured numerous breakups and lineup changes throughout the decades, with guitarist and co-founder Brian Tatler serving as the sole constant member. In 2019 the group issued their eighth studio long-player, The Coffin Train.