BLUDGEON RIFFOLA
The best rock album of 2022 is also the best Def Leppard album since 1992. They’ve made other strong records in the 30 years since Adrenalize, but with Diamond Star Halos they’re thinking big, and also thinking outside the box.
Their career is built on rock anthems, and this one is front-loaded with three bangers: Take What You Want, Kick and Fire it Up. But there’s a more experimental approach evident in three other standout tracks: This Guitar, a beautiful country-flavoured song, co-starring singer Alison Krauss; Goodbye For Good This Time, a 70s-style, strings-laden epic featuring former Bowie pianist Mike Garson; and the dramatic finale From Here To Eternity, described by singer Joe Elliott as “our murder ballad”.
Diamond Star Halos is a truly great Def Leppard album. And they’ve already started on the next one. PE Killer track: From Here To Eternity
Def Leppard celebrated their 45th anniversary in 2022 with the release of a brilliant new album, followed by The Stadium Tour in the US, on which they co-headlined with Mötley Crüe. For Leppard singer Joe Elliott, another highlight was singing the band’s classic anthem with pop superstar Miley Cyrus, backed by two ex-members of Nirvana on guitar.
