Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Def Leppard - Rock Of Ages: The Definitive Collection - 5/2005 - Universal Records

Track Listing1. Pour Some Sugar On Me 2.Photograph 3.Love Bites 4.Let’s Get Rocked 5.Two Steps Behind - acoustic 6.Animal 7.Heaven Is 8.Foolin’ 9.Rocket 10.When Love & Hate Collide 11.Armageddon It 12.Have You ever Needed Someone So Bad 13.Rock Of Ages 14.Hysteria 15.Miss You In A Heartbeat 16.Bringin’ On The Heartbreak 17.Switch 625 18.Rock Rock (Till You Drop) 19.Let It Go 20.High ‘N Dry (Saturday Night) 21.Too Late For Love 22.No Matter What 23.Promises 24.Mirror, Mirror (Look Into My Eyes) 25.Women 26.Another Hit And Run 27.Slang 28.Stand Up (Kick Love Into Motion) 29.Rock Brigade 30.Now 31.Paper Sun 32.Work It Out 33.Die Hard The Hunter 34.Wasted 35.Billy’s Got A Gun

In reviewing the 25 year history of Def Leppard it was quite the treat to listen to this Anthology piece. Entitled “Rock Of Ages” after one of their biggest hits this 2 CD set contains 35 tracks from their long and prosperous musical career. In an instant I felt that you cannot go wrong with a CD that gives you this much music for the dollar. Especially when many bands place these items on the shelf and load them with new songs or the selection of real hits is limited. I feel that the fans that have followed the group from the very beginning will enjoy this the most for there is a large amount of emphasis placed on the bands first three releases. Most prominently figured and almost an expectation is the album “Pyromania”. The record broke ground for Hard Rock music and back in 1983 it achieved a chart position of #2. This is impressive since we were just coming off the Disco craze and Rock music was again taking hold based on that new thing we were calling “MTV”. Seven tunes from this album are present but there are also many of the staple tracks from "High & Dry" and "Hysteria". It seemed you could not turn on this music video channel (as it really did play videos once) and not see Def Leppard in every half hour of broadcast.

Included is a full-color booklet which is loaded with photos from over time but also each track has a commentary from the band on what was on their mind at the time. I really liked the addition of this, as it gives you a clearer look into the workings of this great band. There is also many tracks from the later albums but by that time I had moved on from Leppard and left it to newer fans, I stuck with the first 4 CD’s (which were vinyl albums at the time) as their newer music delved too much on the commercial for me. However, it did not stop the band as legions of supporters still came out in droves to see them. There is also a new track from the forthcoming “Covers” CD, which while good, should have been left for another classic piece perhaps from “On Through The Night” like “Hello America”.

The lineup has remained Joe Elliot, Phil Collen, Rick Savage, Vivian Campbell and Rick Allen for many years now and it seems as though there is no sign of letting up yet. Two new releases are planned and a US Tour with Bryan Adams is in the works. I think there is something for everyone on the CD, and especially those who want to return to a time of no downloaded music, or personal computers, simple dividing lines of the musical genres and no American Idol to watch. Reality TV was the news and the 80’s were getting set to be taken over by Metal and Hard Rock. It was an interesting time and this CD helped me recall a lot of that. Thanks guys.

Rating: 8.5


-- Ken Pierce 06.24.05