Def Leppard: Staving Off Adversity

Def Leppard has gone through several recent tragedies. on New Year's Eve 1984, the drummer Rick Allen lost an arm in a car accident, yet three years later Leppard released Hysteria, an album which topped their previous album Pyromania. In January of 1991, Def Leppard lost their lead guitarist, Steve Clark, after a long battle with alcoholism. I didn't expect an album so quickly afterward, and I certainly didn't expect it to be this good.

Def Leppard's new album, Adrenalize, is a knockout punch in a velvet glove. Combining hard and soft guitar, this album will sway even the most adamant opponent of hard rock.

Many bands fall into the trap of trying to outdo themselves and end up sounding contrived, but not Def Leppard. Adrenalize is a wholly original album that has some of Def Leppard's best trademarks yet is not a direct copy of their previous successes.

The album has a dual nature. It has the hard rock party anthems, like "Let's Get Rocked," the uncontrolled hormone action in "Make Love Like A Man," yet at the same time it has thoughtful, romantic tracks that Leppard fans have come to expect.

Adrenalize has the hauntingly aching rock ballad "Tonight." Joe Elliot's vocals have the right amount of angst to give the song its emotional strength. Phil Collen's guitar is hypnotic. This is not the only track where the guitar takes control. "White Lighting," a tribute of sorts to the Steve Clark, has mesmerizing guitar riffs that are reminscent of Clark's work in "Bringin' on the Heartbreak."

Adrenalize gets the blood pumping but it also a thoughtful enterprise that engages the heart and the mind. Although some might miss the powerful two guitar sound of Pyromania and Hysteria, others will find that its softness is not a drawback but a strength. With its lighter guitar, Adrenalize has shown the versatility of Def Leppard.

Adrenalize is an energetic production that should appeal to all rock lovers. Its rock balladry is excellent and its softness is an original twist on their usual image