Time Tells No Lies
| Time Tells No Lies | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 3 April 1981 | |||
| Studio | Battery, London | |||
| Genre | Hard rock, heavy metal | |||
| Length | 39:04 | |||
| Label | Arista | |||
| Producer | Tim Friese-Greene | |||
| Praying Mantis studio album chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Time Tells No Lies | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [3] |
| Sputnikmusic | 4/5[4] |
Time Tells No Lies is the debut album by English rock band Praying Mantis, released on 3 April 1981.[5]
Release
Time Tells No Lies was released in 1981 after the band signed a worldwide deal with Arista Records following the Reading Rock '80 festival. Some copies came with a one sided A4 merchandise insert. It peaked at number 60 on the UK Albums Chart in April 1981 where it stayed for two weeks, while Cheated, the lead single peaked at number 69 on the UK Singles Charts.[6]
Artwork
The original cover is by Rodney Matthews.
Reception and legacy
Jack Butler-Terry of Metal Hammer said the album was "an absolute gem."[7]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead Vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Cheated" | Steve Carroll, Tino Troy | Carroll | 3:53 |
| 2. | "All Day and All of the Night" (The Kinks cover) | Ray Davies | T. Troy | 2:58 |
| 3. | "Running for Tomorrow" | Dave Potts, T. Troy, Chris Troy, Carroll | Carroll | 3:41 |
| 4. | "Rich City Kids" | T. Troy, C. Troy | T. Troy | 3:48 |
| 5. | "Lovers to the Grave" | C. Troy, T. Troy | C. Troy | 4:52 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead Vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6. | "Panic in the Streets" | T. Troy, Potts, Sandra Vermeulen | T. Troy | 3:43 |
| 7. | "Beads of Ebony" | T. Troy | C. Troy | 5:28 |
| 8. | "Flirting With Suicide" | T. Troy, C. Troy, Carroll, Potts | T. Troy | 5:04 |
| 9. | "Children of the Earth" | T. Troy, C. Troy | C. Troy | 5:37 |
| Total length: | 39:04 | |||
Personnel
Praying Mantis
- Tino Troy – guitars, vocals
- Steve Carroll – guitars, vocals
- Chris Troy – bass guitar, vocals
- Dave Potts – drums, all percussion
Additional personnel
- Tim Friese-Greene – production, piano on "Rich City Kids"
- Mike Shipley – engineering
- Freddy Silva – photography
Charts
| Chart (1981) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Albums (OCC)[8] | 60 |
References
- ^ "Praying Mantis singles".
- ^ "Praying Mantis singles".
- ^ Rivadavia, Eduardo. Praying Mantis – Time Tells No Lies at AllMusic. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
- ^ John, Dr (18 June 2014). "Praying Mantis – Time Tells No Lies". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
- ^ "Music Week" (PDF). p. 25.
- ^ "Time Tells No Lies Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
- ^ Butler-Terrypublished, Jack (31 January 2024). "10 obscure but amazing New Wave Of British Heavy Metal bands that should have been far, far bigger". Louder. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart on 12/4/1981 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 February 2024.