The band soon recruited bassist David Matine and recorded a benefit single for the West Memphis 3, which received press and acclaim from both the WM3 website[1] and Motorhead.
The album included an instrumental intro by local folk group Painted Trillium, and was recorded on tape in an attempt to capture a classic analog sound.
The band continued to play local shows, but also traveled to Chicago for Dame-Nation, a female fronted metal festival similar to Flight of the Valkyries.
The band hired Kevin "131" Gutierrez, known for being a multi platinum award winning producer and having worked with Shinedown, O.A.R., Johnny Cash, and Raven.
In 2013, A Sound of Thunder released an EP, Queen of Hell, and a studio album titled Time's Arrow, both on CD and vinyl through Mad Neptune Records.
[7] The "Legion Of Thunder Exclusive" Pleasure Slave EP, consisting of six cover versions and three original songs, also featured special guests from national acts, including keyboardist Tony Carey (ex-Rainbow), Veronica Freeman (Benedictum), John Gallagher (Raven) and Nik Turner (Hawkwind).
The album features covers of songs originally recorded by Alice Cooper, Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, Mercyful Fate, Manowar, Tool, Kansas, Black Sabbath, Wrathchild America, Dio, Dan Fogelberg, Deep Purple, and Judas Priest.
The album features a guest appearance by keyboard player Tony Carey (ex-Rainbow, Planet P Project) on the song "Death Alley Driver".
MetalNation gave the album high praise: "It Was Metal is nearly an hour long, yet feels like it flies by in hail of harmony, wailing vocals, and addictive riffs.