Summary

The new Def Leppard album "Diamond Star Halos" receives a positive review, with the reviewer particularly enjoying the mix of rockers and ballads, featuring guest star Alison Krauss, and highlighting standout tracks.

Abstract

In a recent review, the 2022 Def Leppard album "Diamond Star Halos" is praised for its appealing combination of rock anthems and heartfelt ballads. The reviewer, who was not a devoted fan of the band in the 80s, admits to being captivated by the new release, citing the album's ability to blend classic Def Leppard elements with a fresh sound. The review singles out tracks like "Take What You Want," "Kick," and "U Rok Mi" as highlights, while also commending the ballads "This Guitar" and "Lifeless," which feature Alison Krauss. The album's closing track, "From Here To Eternity," is noted for its classic yet contemporary feel, with special mention given to its impressive guitar solos. Overall, "Diamond Star Halos" is described as a strong addition to Def Leppard's discography, potentially earning a spot on the reviewer's 'Favorite Albums of The Year' list.

Opinions

The reviewer was not a superfan of Def Leppard in the 80s but has been won over by the new album.
"Diamond Star Halos" is enjoyed in its entirety, with no disliked tracks mentioned.
The album's rock tracks are particularly favored, with "Kick," "U Rok Mi," and "All We Need" listed as the reviewer's current top three.
The ballads on the album are also appreciated, with a slight preference for "Lifeless" over "This Guitar," both featuring Alison Krauss.
The closing track, "From Here To Eternity," is praised for its classic Def Leppard sound while still feeling new, with its guitar solos being a standout feature.
The reviewer rates the album 4 out of 5 stars, indicating a high level of satisfaction with the release.
The album is considered a strong contender for the reviewer's year-end list of favorite albums.

Still Hot & Sticky Sweet: The New Def Leppard Album Rocks!

A look at the band’s 2022 album ‘Diamond Star Halos’

Album Review #13 of 100 in 2022

Image Source: Bludgeon Riffola & Mercury Records via Discogs.com

I have a confession to make that may shock some of you who know how much I love music from the 1980s:

I was never a big fan of Def Leppard back in the 80s.

Oh, don’t get me wrong — I didn’t dislike them. I loved (or at least strongly liked) the majority of their hit songs like “Photograph,” “Pour Some Sugar On Me,” and “Love Bites.”

I just wasn’t a “superfan” of them like most music lovers around my age seemed to be back then. I never had any desire to see them in concert and I didn’t even own copies of their most popular albums from the 80s: High ’N’ Dry, Pyromania, and Hysteria.

The first album I bought by Def Leppard was Adrenalize from 1991. I got it when it was brand new and I instantly loved it. However, up until this month, Adrenalize was the only Def Leppard album I’d ever listened to in its entirety.

That changed with the recent release of their album Diamond Star Halos, which came out on May 27, 2022. A few weeks before the album’s release, I’d heard and thoroughly enjoyed the single “Take What You Want” from it, so I was excited to give the new album a listen.

Take What You Want

That one is the opening track on Diamond Star Halos and it’s the first of many great songs on the album. In fact, I’ll go so far as to say that there are no songs on it that I dislike.

While most of the songs are rockers, there are also some very good ballads on the album, including these two that feature guest star Alison Krauss:

This Guitar

Lifeless

I like both of them a lot, but I have a slight preference for “Lifeless.”

As much as I like the ballads, the songs on the album I love the most are the more rocking ones. Though I’m sure my favorites will change over time (they always do!), these are my current Top Three favorite songs on the album:

Kick

U Rok Mi

All We Need

Another one I love a lot is “From Here To Eternity,” which is the closing track on the album. There are elements of it that remind me a lot of the first songs I heard from the band when they first started to become popular in the early 1980s. But, while “From Here To Eternity” sounds a lot like classic Def Leppard, it still has a very “new” sound to it — which makes it sound both classic and “fresh.”

I especially love the great guitar solos that come at the middle and end of the song, which is why I’m sharing the entire audio-only video of it from the band’s YouTube channel — because they probably won’t be featured prominently in the short clip I’d get from Spotify.

From Here To Eternity

I think this song was a great choice to end the album with — due to both the great music and because of the song’s title.

Here’s the complete album on Spotify:

All in all, Diamond Star Halos has impressed me a lot. I’ve played it several times since I first heard it a few weeks ago — and I love it more and more each time I listen to it.

I may not have been a “superfan” of Def Leppard before — but I am now.

I know that 2022 isn’t even halfway over yet, but I won’t at all be surprised at the end of the year if I include Diamond Star Halos in my ‘Favorite Albums of The Year’ article that I’ll write in December.

Out of 5 possible stars, I give the album….drumroll, please…4 stars!

Image created by Penelope Mayfield in Canva.com

The above review is part of a series I’m doing in which I listen to and review 100 new-to-me albums in 2022. Here are the other albums I’ve done so far:

100 New-To-Me Albums In 2022

New-To-Me Albums In 2022 piercemcintyre.medium.com

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