Def Leppard Album: “Adrenalize”

Adrenalize caught a lot of flak from fans and critics when it first came out in 1992, and as my title indicates, even the liner notes of the deluxe edition admit that it's the "runt" of the trilogy (Pyromania, Hysteria, and Adrenalize). And I certainly know that many people would've liked to have seen a deluxe edition of High 'N' Dry instead of Adrenalize. But I happened to think Adrenalize was a decent follow-up to Hysteria and that despite some shortcomings, the deluxe edition is still a nice addition to my Def Leppard collection.

The deluxe edition contains all 10 tracks from the original album remastered on the first disc. Although admittedly no Pyromania or Hysteria, Adrenalize contains some great tracks: "Make Love Like a Man", "Stand Up (Kick Love into Motion)", "Tonight"...just to name a few. It would be an understatement to say the album isn't too deep, but then again Def Leppard was never exactly known for thought-provoking music. I personally enjoy the carefree, light, tongue-in-cheek attitude that defines most of the tracks (it's the funniest Def Lep album to date, but in the best way possible). Just like with the deluxe edition of Pyromania, I've heard people complain that the remastering is not really noticeable, but again I have to disagree. The sound quality is definitely improved and it does help give the songs a boost. And just like Pyromania, it really is nice to hear remastered versions of some of the lesser-known songs that haven't made their way onto a compilation album ("Tonight" and "Personal Property" are great examples).

The second disc contains the Adrenalize B-sides as well as some live recordings. The B-sides are nice to have on one disc, though to be totally honest most of them are nothing special. The exception is the "Tonight" demo, which I think may even be better than the version that actually made it onto the album. The only real problem I have, though, is with the live recordings. Of the four live recordings (all from a Bonn concert in '92), only ONE track is of a song off Adrenalize ("Let's Get Rocked"). While the others: "Hysteria", "Photograph", and "Pour Some Sugar On Me", are great recordings, it just doesn't make sense to me why they didn't include more songs from Adrenalize in the deluxe edition of Adrenalize. How about a little "Make Love Like a Man" or "Stand Up (Kick Love into Motion)" instead? I would've loved to have live versions of those songs (which, excepting poor-quality bootlegs and extremely rare DVDs, don't exist).

Unlike the Pyromania re-release, this one isn't necessarily a mandatory purchase. In conclusion, it's pretty decent and there's just enough worthwhile bonus material to keep it from being superfluous. I say if you don't already own Adrenalize and are looking to get it, buy this instead of the original 1992 version. The extra money you'll have to pay is still worth it.

I must say that the deluxe editions of the Def Leppard classics are fantastic. Great bonus cuts and packaging. I must give them props for giving the deluxe treamtment to Adrenalize, as one would expect only Pyromania and Hysteria, their two biggest sellers, to be remastered.

To those who are calling this their least favorite album, I must say that it was a huge success when released. I look at albums like X, Euphoria and Songs from the Sparkle Lounge and realize that the Steve Clark connection is what makes this album still listenable nearly twenty years on. To me, every song is great and worth the rediscovery.

The passage of time has curtailed my harsh criticism and disdain of what I still feel is Def Leppard's weakest, most phoned-in effort ever, 1992's "Adrenalize." But after listening to it all these years later, with the hindsight of numerous trends in the music industry like boy bands, flashy country and rap artists, hardcore nu metal and other fads and phenoms that have surfaced between '92 and now, perhaps "Adrenalize" isn't so awful. I can now better enjoy -- albeit rather guiltily -- the CD's overly saccharin hooks and easily digested melodies. Yes, the lyrics are cornball nearly the entire way through; but songs like the somber "White Lightning" and the rockin' "Personal Property" and "Tear it Down" are solid enough to make up for the album's mistakes like "Let's Get Rocked" and "Make Love Like a Man," silly tunes that almost come off as band parody. To be fair, the guys in Def Leppard were dealing with a tough loss at the time, the sad death of guitarist Steve Clark, and to carry on at all must have been difficult. That said, it's surprising the group didn't come up with something weightier and more meaningful at the time to better memorialize Clark's passing. Though the production is too slick, the lyrics too juvenile and the overall sound too sophomoric, "Adrenalize" does have its good moments, and a remastered version isn't a crime against humanity.

The second disk in this two-CD set is what really makes it a worthwhile purchase if you like Def Leppard. The band sounds great on popular tunes like "Hysteria" and "Pour Some Sugar On Me" in a May '92 club concert in Bonn, Germany. Additionally, two beautiful cover songs played with the Hothouse Flowers contain an intimate, whiskey-soaked Irish vibe. Indeed, the musicians were in fact knocking back a few whiskeys in the studio, as noted by Def Leppard singer Joe Elliott in the CD's liner notes. The two alternate versions of "Tonight" and an acoustic rendition of "Two Steps Behind" are good but nothing special. However, a cover of Queen's "Now I'm Here," played live with Brian May at The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in London back in 1992, as well as live versions of "Women" and an especially mesmerizing performance of "Too Late for Love," are reminders of how great this band is onstage, playing before thousands.

Long before the overpoppy "X" came out, there was a record called Adrenalize by Def Leppard. Rated by many as a failed successor to Hysteria, I think that isnt completly right. Adrenalize isnt incredible as Hysteria, but it is pretty damn close.

It starts off with a bang, "Lets get Rocked", which is a awesome rocker, perfectly in the veins of Hysteria.

"Heaven is" isnt great, but still, it works as a great filler.

"Make Love like a Man" is a weird song, and the title kinda scares me, but it shows that Def Leppard still plays around with their music, and it is a catchy chorus.

"Tonight" Reminds me of the music on Pyromania, listen to it because it is hard to describe it very clearly.

It goes over to "White Lightning", a song built up on Guitars. Not that great really, but it makes way for my favoritesong on the album,

"Stand up(Kick love into Motion)" Ohhh...for those who have read my reviews of other things, you are aware of my knack for power ballads. This song fits perfectly. Wonderful verse and chorus, a great song for lovers. If Animals had this chorus, Animals would have been the perfect song. They really sound alike.

After a repeat, its time for song number 7, "Personal Property", and this song isnt any special. Its what they call another Rocker, ala Def Leppard.

Then, to my all time favoritesong of Def Leppard, the most wonderful song they have made.

Oh well, back to reality and the rest of the Record. "I wanna Touch U" is an uplifting rocker, with a good chorus, one of the better songs on the record.

So whats this I see? Adrenalize not being a good record? Wake up people, Adrenalize is a great record, maybe due to the fact that some of its songs are much better than on Hysteria, but the whole isnt, so its not better. If you can forget about Hysteria, or start with this one, Adrenalize is a great rockrecord from one of the best bands out there!

To me, Def Leppard's ADRENALIZE is so underated and every song on the album is a hit. I think more people would like the album if it came out a lot earlier than what it did back in the spring of 1992. I have been listening to this album recently and it just gets better, and once again when it comes to Def Leppard every song is a hit from the beginning of the album to the end of the album.