DEF LEPPARD:PYROMANIA ALBUM REVIEW

[RJhog]

1. Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)...This is a very good hard rocking song. The vocals are outstanding. One of my favorite lyrics is the line "'cause your momma don't mind what your momma don't see". I forgot how good this song was...9/10

2. Photograph...This was one of those very popular songs that got Def Leppard going. It's definitely one of their best known songs. Elliott's vocals are very good, as well as the backing vocals. It's got the pop overtones but it keeps it's guitar driven rock side as well. Despite being played 10 billion times, it truly is a great rock song...10/10

3. Stagefright...The intro makes this sound like a live song. This song would really be at home on the previous album. The guitar solo is great. I don't know who played it, but based on the song Switch 625 from the previous album, my guess would be Steve Clark. I think this song is slightly above average...8/10

4. Too Late For Love...I love the intro, somewhat spooky. I cannot say enough about the wonderful lead and backing vocals on this song. The guitar solo is nice and full of soul (not one of those shredding solo's). Really good song...9/10

5. Die Hard: The Hunter...Absolutely love the helicopter/machine gun/guitar intro. This is an incredible song. The music is just awesome. Some of the backing vocals are a little muddled, but other than that they are sweet!! Another beautiful and long guitar solo with an awesome breakdown right in the middle of it. If you don't know this song and you like rock guitars, you need to give this a listen...10/10

6. Foolin'...This is definitely not a power ballad, but a hard rocking slow song. I sound like a broken record, but lead and backing vocals are superb. This is another very good song for this album...9/10

7. Rock Of Ages...This is another one of Def Leppard's best known songs, but not one of my favorites. I don't think it's a bad song, I just don't like it that much. It has a very famous intro that I think everyone is familiar with. The playing and vocals are good, and since it is so well loved by everyone but me, I'll give it...8/10

8. Comin' Under Fire...Another very good sounding guitar intro. This is another slower paced but fully rocking songs. The backing vocals on this song may be the best on the album. I think this is an underrated song in Def's catalogue. Very good song...9/10

9. Action! Not Words...This is the first sign of filler material on the album in my opinion. Not that the vocals or playing is bad, I just don't think it's that good of a song. I'm sure the majority of bands wish they could say the first filler track on their album is track number 9...6/10

10. Billy's Got A Gun...I love the prominent bass on this song. This is not filler. This song puts them back on track with the first 8 tracks. Nothing fancy about the guitar solo, but it really fits this song. Dare I say that the vocals, lead and backing, are excellent. It does have kind of a strange transition from the first half of the solo to the second half and also quite a strange outro...8/10

I said on my review for Def Leppard's previous album High 'N' Dry that I wasn't sure which of these two I thought was better. I will have to give the edge to "Pyromania". I think you can hear a difference in the production from the previous album to this one. It's definitely more slick. The songwriting is just phenomenal on this album. Only one filler track in my opinion. It's been 26 years since this album was released (1983). That's a long time, but all of these songs stand up to anything being released today. I truly believe that DL provides the best, most melodic backing vocals of any band out there. And just think, I haven't even gotten to the album that made them one of the most popular bands in the world (Hysteria). You would think after such a glowing review that Def Leppard would be my favorite band, but they are not. They are pretty high on the list, however.

This could easily be called one of those studio albums that really is a greatest hits album. Although I could easily include 9 tracks off of "Pyromania" for a best of compilation, I will shave a few songs off. The songs I would include are:

Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)
Photograph
Too Late For Love
Die Hard: The Hunter
Foolin
Rock Of Ages (because it's popular, not because I like it)
Comin' Under Fire

That's seven out of ten songs. It's hard to find studio albums with such a high percentage of great songs.....

[Randy Parker]

I just read an article about the recording of this album and I thought that it was funny that late in the recording process producer John "Mutt" Lange wanted to add some keyboards to a few songs and he called in a new unknown session keyboard player to help out. The keyboard player was none other than Thomas Dolby...yes that Thomas Dolby of "She Blinded Me With Science".

Great review, I love this album and they are a great band.

[DANNO LONGHAIR]

Pyromania was the album that me and a (hey Mirror Mirror just came on the satellite radio, wierd) me and a young lady that I would end up falling head over heels for listened to obssessively. She turned me onto OTTN and H'n'D. She was a real rocker chick for a while. So it is one of those albums that takes me back. Especially listening to Photograph.

I saw them about 5 or 6 years ago for the X tour, and man o man, of all the shows I've been to, this was the best actual rock 'n' roll show I have ever seen. I friend of mine went a little while back and he was skeptical. I told him to go and be prepared to get blown away. he came back the next day and was in awe.

oundog-gleebin-glouten-globen!!!! or whatever the hell that lines is from Rock of Ages, haha!

[Guitarman]

This album was a good one I remember hearing it in all the clubs I went to, and did buy the album. But I thought "High N Dry" was better a little more raw sounding. I believe "Me And My Wine" was dropped from the album/CD sold in the United States after the car accident with Rick Allen and can only be purchased on and import, at least that was it several years ago.