Def Leppard’s ‘Pyromania’ on face value is a natural inclusion here at Glory Daze, yet due to the constantly overplayed hits from the album many years later, its familiarity perhaps means a review isn’t necessary.
Written by: Dangerzone
ARTIST: Def Leppard
ALBUM: Pyromania
LABEL: Vertigo
SERIAL: 6359 119
YEAR: 1983
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: England
LINEUP: Joe Elliot – vocals * Phil Collen – guitars * Steve Clark – guitars * Rick Savage – bass * Rick Allen – drums
TRACK LISTING: 01 Rock Rock (Till You Drop) * 02 Photograph * 03 Stagefright * 04 Too Late For Love * 05 Die Hard The Hunter * 06 Foolin’ * 07 Rock Of Ages * 08 Comin’ Under Fire * 09 Action! Not Words * 10 Billy’s Got A Gun
WEBLINKS: Site Link
Background
Def Leppard’s ‘Pyromania’ on face value is a natural inclusion here at Glory Daze, yet due to the constantly overplayed hits from the album many years later, its familiarity perhaps means a review isn’t necessary. However the more forgotten tracks are worthy of closer inspection, and despite the daily radio bludgeon there is little doubt this is one of the greatest melodic hard rock albums of all time.
This saw a shift away from the rough and tumble, yet still melodic ‘High And Dry’, streamlining the AOR content further, and almost completely dispensing with any traces of the heavy metal formula of the debut. The story has been told over a million times, but Pete Willis was dismissed for allegedly abusing the bottle, making way for Phil Collen of Girl. The success Def Leppard reaped with this album was remarkable, and more than anything made them superstars in the US, leaving them almost forgotten back home in the UK.
The Songs
It’s doubtful anyone reading this has yet to hear ‘Photograph’, ‘Foolin’, ‘Rock Of Ages’ and ‘Too Late For Love’, surely among the most played tracks in classic rock radio history, all melodic anthems and a joy to behold upon first listen. It was for me all those years ago, but US radio has a tendency to ruin a good song to the point you never care to hear it again. No doubt there is someone discovering these for the first time as this is written and good for them.
Rarely has such perfect production been caught like ‘Mutt’ Lange managed to here, ensuring the tracks haven’t dated. For those delving deeper beyond the obvious, some of Def Leppard’s best work is found. ‘Rock, Rock (Til You Drop)’ possesses the harder edge of ‘High And Dry’, a timeless rock anthem that is as raw as the album gets rock wise.
‘Stagefright’ is one of Leppard’s best ever, an unsung classic with the richest melody the band ever conjured, the AOR hook an act of genius, as are the guitar solos, sweeping all in their path such is the harmony, backed by incessant keyboard interplay. Elliot does his best screaming also on this track, quite simply a band riding the crest of a wave.
The bands much vaunted vocal overdubs make their mark during ‘Die Hard The Hunter’, along with scintillating synth additions that almost read like Aldo Nova. The relentless melody continues through the moody ‘Comin Under Fire’, making you wonder how the harmonies were achieved to such perfect levels. Being so unique, there’s no other act to compare it to.
The riffs take a more metal direction during ‘Action! Not Words’, with Collen and Clark both delivering their trademark solos, both with individual style in the grand tradition of tandem legends such as Downing/Tipton or Murray/Smith, although Def Leppard were by now far removed from their one NWOBHM contemporaries. Saving one of the best tracks for last, ‘Billy’s Got A Gun’ should be compulsory listening for any AOR purist. The high drama of the ‘can you feel it in the air’ backing vocal is unmatched, and this is a masterful epic that Leppard used to specialise in.
In Summary
The way ‘Pyromania’ took the US by storm is something that we will likely never see again. For a young English band to become superstars through what is predominantly AOR is truly a remnant from a sadly bygone era. The fact is this deserved the accolades and sales.
Hysteria’ may have been bigger, but it never once approaches the general perfection of ‘Pyromania’, because here every song stands up as legendary, which cannot be said of ‘Hysteria’. There is much more to ‘Pyromania’ than the hits, which thankfully keeps the listening experience fresh. Def Leppard have never come close to equalling this musically and for once that’s not a bad thing.
Video
Photograph
Too Late For Love
Entire Album (Select Tracks)
