csberry

Just thinking of Pyromania brings back images of a park near Neabsco Elementary school in Dale City, Virginia. I was in 4th grade and someone had the tape blaring from their car or boombox. At the time, Def Leppard was one of the hardest hitting metal bands I heard (other than brief viewings of Twisted Sister and Motorhead on MTV).

I earlier had to review Hysteria. Pyromania is polished hard rock, but it doesn't have the chrome shine that their next album would take. The first track, "Rock Rock (Till You Drop)" sounds like AC/DC and has a grittiness that would be completely removed by the next album. The crowd noise and distortion on "Stagefright" are also a welcome bit of rough edges that Mutt would never have accepted later. But the brilliant pop-metal stylings come into play on "Photograph" (which is still my favorite Def Leppard song EVAR), "Too Late for Love," "Foolin'," "Rock of Ages," and "Comin' Under Fire." The album fits right in with Judas Priest, AC/DC, and early 80's metal...just with some effort put into the production to smooth out the sound.

Songs I knew I liked: "Photograph," "Foolin'," and "Rock of Ages"

Songs I didn't know but now like: "Stagefright," "Too Late for Love," and "Comin Under Fire"

Songs I can go the rest of my life without hearing again: My brain still can't retain what "Action! Not Words" and "Billy's Got a Gun" sound like after 3 hours of having the album on repeat. So, while I don't hate them, my brain has deemed them unworthy of my attention. ;)