Release Date:30th October 2015 (Classic Rock Fan Pack Edition/iTunes)
Chart Peak: 11
I preface this review by saying the following: Def Leppard are my happy band. If I'm having a particularly good day and I have places to be, Def Leppard's unique brand of pop metal will no doubt be the soundtrack to my good vibes. They have a back catalogue of hits that would make most bands green with envy. Songs like 'Pour Some Sugar On Me', 'Photograph' and 'Rock of Ages' will no doubt highlight the band's UK tour throughout December and are forever etched in rock and roll history. That being said dig a little further and Def Leppard are a band who have constantly flirted with diversity and eclecticism since their 'Hysteria' days. While mid nineties album 'Slang' saw Joe and company try their hand at a grungier sound, 2002's 'X' saw them working with songwriters who'd previously teamed up with the likes of Britney Spears! It's this deceivingly diverse body of work that has contributed to the band simply calling this album 'Def Leppard'. As lead singer Joe Elliot explains "It's just called Def Leppard because that's what it sounds like. It doesn't sound like any one specific era of Def Leppard. It's got everything."
If you're a fan of the Def Leppard that let you know that 'Love is like a bomb' then don't worry too much. Album opener 'Let's Go' sounds like something straight out of Leppard's 1987 heyday with a riff that is so close to 'Sugar' that if any other band came up with it, Def Leppard may have had good grounds for copyright infringement. The harmonies that we all love are there as strong as ever. In short 'Let's Go' is probably the strongest first single from a Def Leppard album since 'Promises' from 1999's 'Euphoria'. "Welcome to the carnival" indeed!
Just as you're catching your breath, 'Dangerous' bolts out of the gate with the kind of killer riff usually reserved for an album like 'Pyromania'. What's of great comfort to this listener is how great Joe Elliot sounds. While some have argued that his voice has lost a lot of it's power over the years, Joe sounds as good as he has for a long time. If 'Let's Go' is the strong opener we all were hoping for, 'Dangerous' builds on such strong momentum. Meanwhile 'Man Enough' starts to break into that diversity we discussed earlier. With a bassline that Queen's John Deacon would be proud of, Leppard have got a song that clearly takes influence from Queen's 'Hot Space' era. It wouldn't sound entirely out of place on the aforementioned 'Euphoria' album and is just an indication that Def Leppard are more than just heavy riffs and screeching solos.
'We Belong' is a special treat for hardcore Leppard fans as all the members of the group share vocals throughout the verses. It makes total sense. We know they have great voices thanks to the beautiful harmonies that litter their back catalogue. It's a rare chance to hear each voice shine through on it's own and reminds us that it's more than Joe that's responsible for those harmonies.'Invincible' according to an interview with Joe in Classic Rock Magazine was the first song to come out of the sessions for the album. While it doesn't have the pomp and circumstance of a 'Let's Get Rocked' or 'Animal', it is a tight, chugging rock track that would have sat nicely on 2008's 'Songs From The Sparkle Lounge'. Where 'Invincible' improves on tracks from '...Sparkle Lounge' is the production. While their previous album sounded sparse in places, there is no sign of the same problem here.
The only way to describe 'Sea of Love' is as a definitive highlight. From the high pitched Queen-esque harmonies kicking off the track to the instant singalong chorus, 'Sea of Love' is the one song from the album that I've caught myself singing the most since purchasing this album. I also have to wonder if the lyric 'Keep yourself alive/take your mission to survive' is a cheeky reference to their mutual love of Freddie and co. The next track 'Energized' despite the name is somewhat of a drop in tempo in comparison to the likes of 'Dangerous' or 'Sea of Love'. That being said the song has the feel of a slightly upbeat version of 'Breathe A Sigh' from 'Slang'. By this point in the album we're deep into another side of Def Leppard. 'All Time High' once again has a '...Sparkle Lounge' kind of vibe but once again it's the harmonies that really stand out in this one.
'Battle of My Own', an acoustic offering for most of it's short run time has some interesting production going on too. It's the first song on this album that points towards what Def Leppard could become rather than what they have been in the past. While 'Broke 'n' Brokenhearted' has some pretty cornball lyrics to start with ("you've got no class, you're so crass/Get over here I'll kick your ass") there's still a great singalong chorus to save it. Once again those damned harmonies are there to show us what a force Def Leppard have been for decades now. Similarly 'Forever Young' isn't the strongest track on the album but a riff reminiscent of 'Nine Lives' and some more great harmonies help it hold it's own. 'Last Dance' is the closest this album gets to a track like 'Two Steps Behind' and certainly feels more reflective than most of the album at this point. It's placed perfectly on the album and would certainly feel at home as part of their acoustic section during the upcoming tour.
If Def Leppard's aim as they proclaim is to give us a cross section of their entire career, it certainly becomes more evident by the end of the album. To compare a track like 'Dangerous' to 'Wings of an Angel', showcases many differences between them. Of course that definitive Def Leppard sound is there but those initial tracks that open the album ape that classic 'Hysteria' sound. 'Wings of an Angel' like many other tracks on the second half of 'Def Leppard' is much more faithful to the latter end of the band's career. Album closer 'Blind Faith' couldn't be any different to the aforementioned 'Dangerous'. Some beautiful guitar work from Vivian Campbell and Phil Collen interweaves around Joe's vocal in a way that works sublimely. Although the band intend to continue to tour and record, they have admitted that they recorded 'Blind Faith' in the mindset that it was the last track they'll ever record. Joe even hits notes that he may not have attempted since the heady days of 'Pyromania'. It's a thoughtful end to an album that does exactly what the band promised it would do. If you're looking for 'Hysteria' Part 2 then once tracks 1 and 2 are over you may as well look elsewhere. If however you've been a fan of their output long after Nirvana and grunge made glam metal 'uncool' then 'Def Leppard' is the proof you need of how eclectic the band's output has been since then. Here's to more from Sheffield's finest! From the sounds of things they have a lot more left to give.
7/10
Best track: Sea of Love
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