Pyromania

Def Leppard

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: 1983
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Island / Mercury
• ASIN: B000001F2V
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (162 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #712 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #3 in	Music > Hard Rock & Metal > Pop Metal
  #11 in	Music > Pop > New Wave
  #12 in	Music > Alternative Rock > New Wave & Post-Punk

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Def Leppard's rock sensibilities shot them right to the top of the charts in the '80s. On their third album, Pyromania, the band reconciled new wave melodicism with heavy metal and catchy hooks without compromising any of its edge. The album has sold over 10 million copies, due in part to heavy rotation on MTV. But even without their ubiquitous television presence, anthems like "Rock of Ages" and "Foolin'" still had the stuff that drove the kids crazy. Bursts of screaming guitars and simple power riffs joined forces with choruses that begged to be shouted along to. Guitarists Phil Collen and Steve Clarke may have provided all the pyrotechnics on Pyromania, but the focal point of Def Leppard's sound, particularly for their teenage female fans, was singer Joe Elliott's voice (and, of course, his hair). The record--an essential brick in the foundation of '80s metal--also contains the hit "Photograph." --Steve Gdula

Product Description
UK 180 gram LP pressing. Contains a voucher enabling the purchaser to download MP3 versions of the songs within. Tracks, Rock Rock (Till You Drop); Photograph; Stagefright; Too Late For Love; Die Hard The Hunter; Foolin'; Rock Of Ages; Comin' Under Fire; Action Not Words and Billy's Got A Gun. Universal. 2008. --This text refers to the Vinyl edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Arguably the greatest pop/metal album of all time, July 12, 2003

By	M. B. Link "tkdmateo" (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Pyromania(1983). Def Leppard's third studio album, and the
first one with Phil Collen on guitar.

DL has always been one of my favorite pop/metal bands to arrive on the 80's music scene. They started out in 1980's On Through The Night as a purely metal NWOBHM act (New Wave Of British Heavy Metal to the uneducated) and as they gained fame and fortune, DL gradually grew into more of a pop rock act. Pyromania sees DL at the height of their pop/metal powers just before the pop sound would take over on the albums that followed. To give this album more of an "edge" over the current rock competition, DL brings back producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange (that's right, High And Dry was his first time producing for DL, NOT PYROMANIA), and sends the band into the studio working hard for about a year. Pyromania was the direct result and in more ways than none, IT PAID OFF BIG TIME. Let's take a look:

1) Rock Rock- DL kicks off the album with this amazing head banger. As another reviewer put it, it draws great similarities to High And Dry's "Let It Rock". The intro always sends chills down my spine, and that's a good thing. 9/10

2) Photograph- One of the four big singles off here. This song became famous for a reason, and that reason is because IT ROCKS! Great guitar work and vocals. One of the songs that got me to be a huge DL fan. 10/10

3) Stagefright- A very catchy, fun, and ambient fast rocker. It's truly an underrated track, as I believe it would have made for a great single. Sadly, this is the last time drummer Rick Allen would play this fast before losing his arm a couple of years down the road. 9/10

4) Too Late For Love- A GREAT GLOOMY BALLAD, unlike many of the sappy ballads DL would be writing from Hysteria(1987) on. Joe Elliot's vocals really stand out here. With as much radio play as this song has seen, WHY DIDN'T THIS TRACK FIND ITS PLACE ON VAULT(1995)? 10/10

5) Die Hard The Hunter- BY FAR MY FAVORITE TRACK OFF OF PYROMANIA, and one of my four all time favorite DL songs ("Gods Of War", "White Lightning", and "Ring Of Fire" being the other 3). It starts out with synthesized war sounds and changes into a steady head banger with a killer chorus and guitar solo. VASTLY UNDERRATED AND EXCELLENT. 10/10

6) Foolin'- Another famous gloomy ballad like track 4. Once again, Joe's vocals really soar on this one, making it a winner. 9/10

7) Rock Of Ages- Ahh the classic rock 'n roll anthem, and one of the catchiest songs DL has ever made, pop years included. It hints at the next few albums down the road. Some people may hate ROA, but it still stands strong alone, even on the poorly-put-together greatest hits cd Vault. 9/10

8) Comin' Under Fire- I didn't pay much attention to this gloomy ballad at first, but it certainly grew better with each listen, and now I consider it to be a DL DEFINING MASTERPIECE. Very melodic and probably the best of the gloomy ballads. TRULY UNDERRATED FOR WHAT IT IS. 10/10

9) Action! Not Words- A mid-paced rocker with a cool guitar solo. Most likely, this is Pyromania's weakest song because it does nothing to stand up to the rest of the tracks. 8/10

10) Billy's Got A Gun- A great melodic slow-paced rocker, with excellent vocals and synths strewn about throughout the track. For some strange reason, as soon as the song ends an odd synthesizer drum beat pattern emerges and plays for about two minutes. Not sure why this was left on. 9/10

If I haven't stated it enough throughout this review, let me say it again: PYROMANIA IS A POP/METAL MASTERPIECE! Five stars for excellent songwriting and musicianship. If you see it in the stores, don't hesitate to pick it up. Some people may decide that they aren't huge DL fans, so they may settle for Vault. BIG MISTAKE. Like I stated above, Vault is a very poorly put together greatest hits cd. AVOID VAULT AT ALL COSTS! Instead, just buy Pyromania and Hysteria and then decide if you like DL or not. PYROMANIA IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO ANYONE WHO LIKES POP/METAL.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gonna start a fire..., June 17, 2004

By	Renee A. Lindsey (Arkansas) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Why can't it be 1983 again? Why did "alternative" music ever have to be created? Why do people laugh at my red leather jacket? I don't know, but one thing I do know is that this album still rocks after 20 years. Put in on and crank it up! And just for a moment, it will be 1983 again.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Influential, accessable, perfect Def Leppard, March 14, 2000

By	Karl John Krumrey IV (Detroit area, Mi) - See all my reviews

Pyromania, the band's sophomore effort with Mutt Lange and third release overall, was the band's attempt to make a 'Sgt Peppers' for the 80s, something that combined influences, new sounds, slick production, and raw talent and energy into a massivley influential, commercial monster. It succeeded in every facet.

From the keyboard kickoff of Rock Rock! (something every 80's band would copy), this album never lets up. It's not as raw and uneven as the slightly heavier High n Dry, but it definitley keeps it's edge throughout, thanks to Steve Clark and Phil Collen's relentless guitar attack.

Everyone knows the singles (photograph, Foolin, Rock of Ages) but the treasures on this album are the epic tracks, like Too Late, Die Hard the Hunter, and Billy's Got a Gun. Storytelling masterpeices, they're just long enough to be epic, without seeming as overblown and Rush-ish as 'The Overture'. The rest of this album measures up as well, not a single weak track is to be found.

Joe Elliot finally finds his voice, as well. On his first two releases he couldn't really carry a tune all too well, but Pyromania shows him really developing a strong voice in all areas, rock-outs and ballads.

Pyromania laid the groudwork for the rest of 80's rock-pop to follow. Leppard would repeat this trick with the slightly-not-as-good Hysteria 4 years later, but Pyromania stands as their finest hour.