Customer Reviews

Pyromania

5 star:		(145)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

Pyromania is the brdige between a very good album, (High N Dry) and a pretty good one(Hysteria). Pyromania is the great one. This album kicked off what Back in Black, by AC/DC almost did. Placing metal in the mainstream and keeping it there for sometime. Remember, for about 10 years after this album, Metal music was a norm on top 40 radio. In the same way hip hop is in control of radio and videos today, Pop Metal was by far the biggest thing going on MTV and top 40 radio for about a decade. Although, The Seattle movement is credited for putting and end to it, Nirvanna, Peral Jam, ect, in reality, they were still Hard Rock bands that thrived off of top 40 Radio and MTV, which would have never happend 10 years before. Pop Metal opened the door for allowing Heavy music to be heard by the casual observer. Def Leppard's Pyromania is revolutionary, not only for the metal bands that followed, but for the Metal bands that already were and received larger appeal( Van Halen, Bon Jovi, Motley Crue, Areosmith, Metallica) due to what Pyromania jump started. Therefore, setting up even the hard Seattle bands. When you hear Photograph and Rock of Ages on the radio today they still sound fresh. Def Leppard's Pyromania, a true classic and true Rock of the Ages

From receiving a hot little cassette for Christmas in 1983 to purchasing the (now scuffed-up) CD in 1990 to loading these tunes onto my iPod recently, I've always got a copy of "Pyromania" somewhere in my rock-music arsenal. Millions of young and hungry rock `n' roll fans bought the vinyl record version of "Pyromania," and I shudder to think how many of those are wasting away in landfills all over the country. Be that as it may, Def Leppard's third release stands as possibly the greatest CD in my collection, even after all these years.

I've read that the guys in Def Leppard muddled around with their producer, Robert John "Mutt" Lange, in the studio before recording this album, creating riffs and eventually formulating them into coherent songs. The process apparently wasn't easy or quick, and the band has attested many times that Mutt was a slavedriver throughout the arduous process. All the hard work paid off, however, as is evident from the first operatic notes of "Rock Rock (Till You Drop)" to the bizarre industrial-like shuffle that follows "Billy's Got a Gun" at the end of the record. Top to bottom, these 10 songs are simply classic and unstoppable.

It may be hard to fathom now, but at one time Def Leppard were a young and edgy band that set the rock `n' roll world on fire (no pun intended). Leppard's look on MTV in the early 1980s was hardly glossy or eye candy for the masses. "Pyromania" features a Joe Elliott whose voice is raspy and angry; on TV, the guy looked to be in harrowing pain as he screamed into his microphone with abandon. Armed with two arms, young Rick Allen's drumming was lightning quick and amazing at the start. To this day, I'm not sure I've heard better drumming than what's on the lo-fi On Through the Night. Phil Collen apparently brought loads of enthusiasm when he joined the outfit in 1983, after Pete Willis was fired for too much drinking, while Steve Clark and Rick "Sav" Savage looked to be in a hungover-/strung-out-induced daze during the "Rock of Ages" video. The point of all this rambling is, these guys didn't look to be a band you took home to Mother during their early years, which is a far cry from the gentler-looking (and sounding) Hysteria days that loomed ahead.

Riffs abound on the slickly produced "Pyromania," all of them air-guitar-in-front-of-the-mirror worthy and memorable. The burning riff that leads off "Photograph" is classic, as are the rumbling opening chords of "Rock of Ages," perhaps my favorite song of all time. It's been said that Leppard and Lange perfectly melded pop and heavy metal, and that's definitely an accurate assessment, though "Pyromania" features some pretty heavy pop sounds. "Stagefright," for example, opens with a wild Elliott screaming, "I said ah welcome to my shooooooow!/We got the whole damn night to go!" The sharp chugging riff that follows Elliott's yell is downright scary in its ferocity, but in typical Def Leppard fashion, the band evens things out with a melodic and hearty chorus that even little kids could sing along with. For all its speed and heavy metal thunder, "Stagefright" is ultimately a romantic song that captures the band on the cusp of superstardom, simply dealing with the pressure of going on stage night after night and doing well. (What goes on backstage is also sung about within the tune.)

Some of the "artier" songs on "Pyromania" include the foreboding and somewhat desolate "Too Late for Love;" the absolutely amazing and rocking epic "Die Hard the Hunger" (perhaps Leppard's best song ever); and "Billy's Got a Gun," which displays the band in full-throttle darkness, a mood that seems to agree with Leppard best. Sing-along anthems are in full force on "Pyromania," including the hit "Foolin,'" the hit-worthy "Comin' Under Fire" and the enthusiastic "Action! Not Words."

It's been said that every note, beat, rhythm and vocal on this record was slaved over for complete perfection in the eyes of Mutt Lange, and, as stated before, all that effort in the studio was totally worth it. This classic record defines a moment in time and led the way for many imitators who would, for better or worse, follow. None of those later bands would match "Pyromania's" greatness, however, arguably even the band who created this masterful work.

This tops everything the band had ever done up to this point, and its easily the best thing the band ever released 23 years on. There is not one dud on this release, every song is a hit between the eyes. Photograph, Foolin', Rock of Ages, Rock Rock, Too Late for Love are all the radio staples, and classics, but man Die hard the Hunter and Billy's Got A Gun are just killer. Killer songs, with killer vocals, hooks, solos, sounds, everything. This album is great from beginning to end. They've never topped this release in my opinion.

One of the best hard rock albums of all time. One of the few cds in which every song is (at the very least) great. The highlight of Def Leppard's career, as far as I'm concerned. I can work out to it (it's inspiring!) or rock out to it in my car, singing along to every word.

You've heard the hits: Foolin', Rock of Ages, Too Late for Love, and (Oh yes!) Photograph (which contains one of the best vocal screams in rock & roll). But Comin' Under Fire, Stagefright, and Billy's Got a Gun are all great rockers as well. Not one bad song. If you are a fan of 80's hard rock, you must own this cd!

Def Leppard's straight-forward but underappreciated debut album "On through the Night" (1980) got the band off to a good start. With their sophomore classic, "High and Dry," (1982) (the band's first collaboration with producer Mutt Lange) Def Leppard found their signature sound and greatly expanded their fan base. It was Def Leppard's third album, however, "Pyromania" (1983) that saw the band explode and become one of rock's premier acts. With "Pyromania" and its follow-up "Hysteria," (1987) Def Leppard etched their place in history as the definitive pop-metal band of the 1980s.

Along with Van Halen's 1978 self-titled debut album, Def Leppard's "Pyromania" became the blueprint that countless bands emulated. Def Leppard's brand of heavy but melodic songs, with infectious riffs and sing-along choruses, became the definitive sound known in the 80s as pop-metal. Bon Jovi, Dokken, Extreme, Slaughter, Warrant, Tesla, among others all drew inspiration from the band's sound.

The band's first two albums "On through the Night" and "High and Dry" were straight-ahead, no frills rock n' roll, albeit somewhat derivative of Judas Priest and AC/DC. By the release of "Hysteria," the band had smoothed out the hard-edges of the earlier releases, and replaced it with an ultra slick, commercial one. While some fans may prefer the sound of "Hysteria," others may be more taken with the more rocking early albums. Released in the middle of this transformation, "Pyromania" strikes the perfect balance between the hard-rocking "High and Dry," and the pop-sensibility of "Hysteria." While most would argue "Hysteria" to be the bands magnum opus, I'd make the case for "Pyromania."

Guitarist Steve Clarke was what really made those early Def Leppard albums shine. His playing and solos were intense and stunning; yet never self-indulgent or lacked substance. Churning out the catchiest, most infectious riffs of the genre, he was undoubtedly the bands biggest asset. With "Pyromania," Clarke really got his groove.

The early Def Leppard albums see singer Joe Elliot's prime vocal performances. On those early albums Eliot more-or-less emulated the late Bon Scott, (AC/DC) but still added his own signature harmonies. On later albums, Eliot sounds far too smooth and "professional" for his own good.

"Pyromania" is the third and final Def Leppard album to feature guitarist/songwriter Pete Willis. He was fired during the recording of "Pyromania" for alcohol abuse. As he co-wrote many of the band's songs, his loss to the band is underappreciated. While guitarist Phil Collen served as an adequate replacement, all subsequent Def Leppard releases lacked the fire and intensity of the first three albums. The chemistry of the original band, especially between Willis and Clarke, is what made those early albums so great. After the loss of Willis, the band was still good, but something was gone.

Bassist Rick Savage and drummer Rick Allen provide a dynamic and exciting rhythm section. The album benefits from Allen using a real kit and not an electric one. Willis's replacement Phil Collen contributed some additional guitar work.

There are no duds on "Pyromania," each and every song is a winner. Not only does the album contain such classics as "Photograph," Foolin'" and "Rock of Ages," but the songs surrounding the big hits are all great as well, leaving no filler.

"Pyromania" gets off to a great start and shows its teeth with the hard-edged "Rock Rock (Till you Drop). The album's big hit and centerpiece "Photograph" shows the band's innate sense of pop-sensibility, without being overtly commercial. "Stagefright" takes its cue from "Photograph," but is slightly heavier and with an equally memorable sing-along chorus. The atmospheric, soft-spoken "Too Late for Love," shows the bands more sensitive side, without being candy-ass. "Die Hard the Hunter" is one of the album's more underrated songs. Starting off slow, the song quickly builds up into a captivating Led Zeppelin-like groove. The album's obligatory power-balled "Foolin" sounds far more sincere and edgy than most others of its type. "Rock of Ages" is the archetypical 80s arena-rock anthem, and is a true classic of the genre. "Commin' Under Fire" is another underrated song, akin to "Foolin.' Its melodic chorus is one of the brightest moments of the album. The straight-forward "Action, not Words" sounds as though it could have been used for "High and Dry." It's a no-thrills rocker that keeps up the momentum. "Billy's Got a Gun," about a man gone insane, is both edgy and dark and is just the thing way to conclude the album

While you might not recognize it by the bands more recent brand of adult-contemporary "rock," Def Leppard was once a great, kick-ass rock n' roll band. "Pyromania" stands not only as the band's crowning achievement, but is probably the greatest record of the entire 80s pop-metal genre.

The title of this review says it all. Def Leppard may not be a headbanging group, but they sure know how to rock hard (at least on this album they do). I was a little nervous about this cd at first since it was pop metal and had such heavy MTV exposure in the early '80s. But this album caught my attention and kept it, something other cds failed to do. Now lets see why shall we?

1.Rock Rock-That says it all. Even though this is pop metal, Leppard never fails to satisfy the "rock" side of their fanbase.A perfect anthem song.

2.Photograph-I wasnt around in 1983, so im not tired of this song like everyone else. This song i will always remember because it was the one that got me into Leppard. Joe really shows his vocal talent on this one. It was meant to be a single.

3.Stagefright-The fake audience at the start gets you going. A nice rocker with a catchy chorus.

4.Too Late For Love-Another single. Great song with good riffs but to me it just seems generic.

5.Die Hard the Hunter-Could have been better if shorter. I lost attention around the first three minutes.

6.Foolin-Yet another single. Haunting song that has Joe going from a pleading tone to a voice that is just booming with authority.

7.Rock of Ages-Oh man another single. Again the boys go from rock n roll verses to catchy choruses. Is there anything they cant do?

8.Comin Under Fire-One of my top 5 Lep songs hands down. Why wasnt this a single instead of Too Late For Love?

9.Action Not Words-Kind of weird but it fits right in with the other songs. KILLER guitar solo.

10.Billys Got A Gun-Joe really hits some high notes on this one. A great way to end a great album.

So in other words just buy the dang thing. You shouldnt have to read reviews to know this album rocks. Sadly this was the last album that Rick drummed with both hands. He drummed well with one hand, but listen to their debut "On Through The Night" and you'll wish he still had both. That guy could really let loose before they went into pop metal. Hey you still gotta admire the guy for having the guts to drum with one hand (and he does it well too). This was also the last album to have a distinct rock sound so if you hate their pop stuff then dont get any of their post-1983 albums.

If you don't know who Def Leppard is or have never heard of the album Pyromania then you are probably not an 80s child and if you were then you lived under a rock. This album is the genesis for Dep Leppard. There were albums before this one but this album really got people to notice who the band was and what they were capable of. Anyone who is a die hard DL fan will tell you that this album is significant because most everyone agrees that every song is a hit. This phenomenon is rare and Tesla's Mechanical Resonance is the only album that I know of who's fans will say the same of. Don't waste your time or money on any other album if you aren't sure if you like DL. Any greatest hits album (i.e. "Vault") will contain about 75% of the songs from this album and leave you missing out of the other outstanding 25%. Just get it, you know you wanna.