2022 - Diamond Star Halos

[diva]

May 23, 2022 9:35:23 GMT -8 quarky said:

May 23, 2022 8:55:17 GMT -8 kylen4 said:

My question for you is how were Joe’s vocals overall on the album?

He’s been solid late in his career but, I feel like there’s been a couple of albums late in their career when he’s played it kind of safe. Although he took it up a notch on the self titled record.

Yeah I thought his vocals were good. He isn't getting younger obviously, but I like what he did here. The songs with Alison Krauss were a bit different vocally from anything done recently I think, but done really well. Can't remember the parts not, but I am sure I remember a few where it sounded like he was really feeling it, definitely not going through the motions to finish a song or anything like that.

Thanks for telling us everything!

[CindyJ]

REVIEW: DEF LEPPARD – DIAMOND STAR HALOS (2022)
BY ANDY THORLEY -MAY 23, 2022

Def Leppard can be kind of lumped in with Kiss and Van Halen when it comes to my musical tastes. That is to say, I should like them a lot more than I actually do. Even as a hard rock obsessed kid in the 80s I can’t claim to love them or know their back catalogue forensically, For clarity, I like some of their albums particularly “Pyromania” and “Slang” a lot, never been mad on “Hysteria”. I’ve seen them live a few times, they’ve been ok. The last twice I saw them, I confess, it was for the supports.

Regular readers will know that MV doesn’t review records for the sake of it and I’d never review a record that I didn’t like. So, here’s something I didn’t think I’d be writing: “Diamond Star Halos” is absolutely superb

I’d heard the glam rock single “Kick” a few weeks ago, when it was put on these pages, and honestly, unless you had a sense of humour bypass, there’s nothing not to love in it. Ok, I thought, yeah but Leps always been a “singles” band in my opinion. Not here, not a chance, they sustain it for more or less all of “….Halos” 15 songs.

“Take What You Want” the opener, begins like Mott The Hoople playing arenas, and that’s just perfect because that proves the band are doing what they love, and when they kick in with the groove, its got the classic early feel, not the mid period stuff with no life. Then the solo hits. Good lord, Campbell and Collen let fly. Right, I am all in, lets go.

“Fire It Up” is all fists in the air and a heartbeat away from explaining “love is like a bomb, baby come and get it on”, but for all that, it sounds like it was born to rock.

And you can get ready for shocks, too. “This Guitar” – with simply glorious harmonies from Alison Krauss – is as country as they’ll ever get and is a love song like no other. “Love And Hate Collide” this is not. Even “SOS Emergency” pulls off a very neat trick. It manages to sound – pretty much – like a song called that by this band was always going to, and still sound fresh, “Liquid Dust” does its balladry through gritted teeth. “U Rok Mi” (forget the terrible title) is actually pretty funky acoustic led fun, and “Goodbye For Good This Time” is lifted from the humdrum by two things: first it sounds like an Elton John song and second, they’ve got Bowie’s pianist, Mike Garson in to play on it (which must have been special for the band).

“All We Need” has a touch of early U2 about it, and “Open Your Eyes” is a vehicle for Rick Savage’s bass to shine, which it does. Now, I’ll be honest, when I read the titles I assumed “Gimmie A Kiss” was going to be a ballad – and a crap one at that – its neither. It’s actually one of the most fun and catchy tunes here. Look, the lyrics aren’t going to win prizes, but you will be singing it. I promise.

Those words could apply to any of these. “Angels (Can’t Help You Now)” needs a couple of listens to reveal itself. A bit more bleak than you might expect, and a contrast to the more immediate stuff elsewhere, it lurks rather than punches outright.

Krauss is back for “Lifeless” and its pop overtones, “Unbreakable” does classic Leps one last time (and in honesty is the track that might have been cut here) while “From Here To Eternity” feels like the credits are rolling, it is big, it is bombastic. It’s a Bond theme in all but name and it ends the record in rather left field fashion

Indeed, “Diamond Star Halos” seems to have arrived slightly from the outer reaches. Their first for seven years (I don’t think I even heard the last one) it doesn’t feel like they’ve released it because they had to, but rather because they were brimming with ideas as they sat at home (it was made in three countries, Joe Elliott in Ireland, Savage in England and the others in the US) and they just had to get them done.

Whatever, its difficult to imagine that Def Leppard could have, at this stage of their careers, made a better album than this one. Moreover “Diamond Star Halos” is a good deal better than many they made that are lauded as classics.

Rating 8.5/10

Source

[DesertSun81]

Nice to read a review where the quality of the album is high enough that someone who is outspokenly NOT a fan loves it.

The clock on the wall ticks away the hours...!

May 23, 2022 15:03:44 GMT -8 CindyJ said:

REVIEW: DEF LEPPARD – DIAMOND STAR HALOS (2022)
BY ANDY THORLEY -MAY 23, 2022

Def Leppard can be kind of lumped in with Kiss and Van Halen when it comes to my musical tastes. That is to say, I should like them a lot more than I actually do. Even as a hard rock obsessed kid in the 80s I can’t claim to love them or know their back catalogue forensically, For clarity, I like some of their albums particularly “Pyromania” and “Slang” a lot, never been mad on “Hysteria”. I’ve seen them live a few times, they’ve been ok. The last twice I saw them, I confess, it was for the supports.

Regular readers will know that MV doesn’t review records for the sake of it and I’d never review a record that I didn’t like. So, here’s something I didn’t think I’d be writing: “Diamond Star Halos” is absolutely superb

I’d heard the glam rock single “Kick” a few weeks ago, when it was put on these pages, and honestly, unless you had a sense of humour bypass, there’s nothing not to love in it. Ok, I thought, yeah but Leps always been a “singles” band in my opinion. Not here, not a chance, they sustain it for more or less all of “….Halos” 15 songs.

“Take What You Want” the opener, begins like Mott The Hoople playing arenas, and that’s just perfect because that proves the band are doing what they love, and when they kick in with the groove, its got the classic early feel, not the mid period stuff with no life. Then the solo hits. Good lord, Campbell and Collen let fly. Right, I am all in, lets go.

“Fire It Up” is all fists in the air and a heartbeat away from explaining “love is like a bomb, baby come and get it on”, but for all that, it sounds like it was born to rock.

And you can get ready for shocks, too. “This Guitar” – with simply glorious harmonies from Alison Krauss – is as country as they’ll ever get and is a love song like no other. “Love And Hate Collide” this is not. Even “SOS Emergency” pulls off a very neat trick. It manages to sound – pretty much – like a song called that by this band was always going to, and still sound fresh, “Liquid Dust” does its balladry through gritted teeth. “U Rok Mi” (forget the terrible title) is actually pretty funky acoustic led fun, and “Goodbye For Good This Time” is lifted from the humdrum by two things: first it sounds like an Elton John song and second, they’ve got Bowie’s pianist, Mike Garson in to play on it (which must have been special for the band).

“All We Need” has a touch of early U2 about it, and “Open Your Eyes” is a vehicle for Rick Savage’s bass to shine, which it does. Now, I’ll be honest, when I read the titles I assumed “Gimmie A Kiss” was going to be a ballad – and a crap one at that – its neither. It’s actually one of the most fun and catchy tunes here. Look, the lyrics aren’t going to win prizes, but you will be singing it. I promise.

Those words could apply to any of these. “Angels (Can’t Help You Now)” needs a couple of listens to reveal itself. A bit more bleak than you might expect, and a contrast to the more immediate stuff elsewhere, it lurks rather than punches outright.

Krauss is back for “Lifeless” and its pop overtones, “Unbreakable” does classic Leps one last time (and in honesty is the track that might have been cut here) while “From Here To Eternity” feels like the credits are rolling, it is big, it is bombastic. It’s a Bond theme in all but name and it ends the record in rather left field fashion

Indeed, “Diamond Star Halos” seems to have arrived slightly from the outer reaches. Their first for seven years (I don’t think I even heard the last one) it doesn’t feel like they’ve released it because they had to, but rather because they were brimming with ideas as they sat at home (it was made in three countries, Joe Elliott in Ireland, Savage in England and the others in the US) and they just had to get them done.

Whatever, its difficult to imagine that Def Leppard could have, at this stage of their careers, made a better album than this one. Moreover “Diamond Star Halos” is a good deal better than many they made that are lauded as classics.

Rating 8.5/10

Source

[deef]

I’m wondering if Joe lets out any high notes on this record? I only ask because he’s still very capable of some high screams, it was very evident on older songs the band performed in vegas 3 years ago.

[treffo]

Just thought about a thing:

Soon Def Leppard will be in an extremely exclusive group of bands, together with Led Zeppelin and Beatles, that have at least three original diamond albums in the USA!

How about that?

[quarky]

May 23, 2022 18:33:57 GMT -8 deef said:

I’m wondering if Joe lets out any high notes on this record? I only ask because he’s still very capable of some high screams, it was very evident on older songs the band performed in vegas 3 years ago.

I think there was some higher stuff. Not Photograph high, but higher than what we have heard. Difficult to remember after just hearing it the once.

May 24, 2022 1:27:58 GMT -8 treffo said:

Just thought about a thing:

Soon Def Leppard will be in a extremely exclusive group of bands, together with Led Zeppelin and Beatles, that have at least three original diamond albums in the USA! How about that?

Wow, that would actually be great wouldn't it!

[timzy]

What a great review, thanks Cindy for posting. I am so proud of the guys, I feel like showing off, its like my band have still got it you know? :-)

[quarky]

datetimego.com/how-many-hours-until-friday



..too many.

[melodicrock]

What do you all think when some band members are calling this the best they have ever done?? Those of you that have heard the full album, would you think or say it’s the best album the band has ever done??

[rsebastyan]

May 24, 2022 14:15:51 GMT -8 melodicrock said:

What do you all think when some band members are calling this the best they have ever done?? Those of you that have heard the full album, would you think or say it’s the best album the band has ever done??

I think it's definitely the most diverse and mature sounding album. It's pretty incredible! My girlfriend is very picky and one of the songs is her absolute favorite song ever.

[edwardcreighton]

from a man who knows about these things!

48 hours ish waiting for me. hope quiet day at work friday!

[Armageddonit]

Anyone know when the earliest we may get to listen? I'm thinking early Thursday morning (PST for me) via You Tube Australia.

[TurnToDust86]

iTunes Review (Phil track by track)

If it wasn’t obvious, the title of Def Leppard’s 12th album—which steals a lyric from T. Rex’s 1971 glam-rock hit “Bang a Gong (Get It On)”—nods to the music the band grew up on. It’s also a long-running reference between singer Joe Elliott and guitarist Phil Collen. “We always referred to the era that we got baptized into music as ‘hubcap diamond star halo’ because it’s kind of a ludicrous line from that song,” Collen tells Apple Music. “We didn’t really know what it meant, but we also knew exactly what it meant.” As such, Diamond Star Halos harks back to England’s classic glitter-rock bands. “I remember seeing David Bowie on Top of the Pops when I was 14,” Collen recalls. “That was the moment that life went into technicolor. It changed everything.” Below, he comments on each song.

“Take What You Want”
“Because of the intro, it actually sounds like the start of an album, so it became an obvious track to open with. [Bassist] Rick Savage pretty much done all the music for this one, and I think had the title—and then Joe wrote the lyrics. It represents the rock side of Def Leppard that came a bit later. I want to say that I almost hear the New York Dolls in there as well.”

“Kick”
“I wrote this one with a friend of mine, David Bassett. It was influenced by The Glitter Band and T. Rex and Slade, but we originally wrote it with a female artist in mind. Then I played it for Joe, and he said, ‘Are you insane? This is obviously a Def Leppard song.’ We’d actually finished all the other songs for the record at that point, so this was the last one to come in. My demo guitars and demo backing vocals are on there, so there’s this rawness.”

“Fire It Up”
“I wrote this one with a guy called Sam Hollander, who’s the most amazing songwriter. He did ‘High Hopes’ by Panic! At the Disco. Again, it wasn’t originally meant to be a Def Leppard song, but we were trying to write fist-in-the-air stadium rock, somewhere between ‘We Will Rock You’ and ‘Pour Some Sugar on Me,’ but they’re really hard to write. When I suggested it to the band, they felt it was obviously a Def Leppard song. Our producer, Ronan McHugh, really put his magic touch on this one.”

“This Guitar” (feat. Alison Krauss)
“My friend C.J. Vanston and I wrote this song 17 years ago. Every five years or so, we’d revisit it, but the general consensus—well, mainly from me—was that it sounds a bit country for Def Leppard. We’ve delved into that before, the way the Stones could do country or the Eagles could do country, and obviously we’ve worked with Tim McGraw and Taylor Swift, but this song was slightly different. This time, Joe asked me to make an acoustic demo for him to sing over, and I think his lead vocal is from the demo. Then Joe was talking to Robert Plant, and Alison come up. Robert knows she’s a huge fan, so Joe asked if she’d want to sing something on the album. Her duet with Joe is just beautiful. She’s a goddess on vocals and just an amazing person.”

“SOS Emergency”
“I started writing this one a few years ago, around 2014. I had the music and the chorus, and to me it sounded like a blend between latter-day Police and the Foo Fighters. That was the vibe, melodically. Then I sent it to Joe, and he just couldn’t stop writing lyrics. He took the chorus and made it something completely different. It’s got an energy that’s different to the rest of the album, and I just love that.”

“Liquid Dust”
“I’ve traveled to India a bunch of times, and I’ve always had melodies floating through my head. So, I kind of annexed this rough idea of a melody, and I wanted to have some almost Indian percussion and mix it with trap and hip-hop drum loops—which I did. It’s about coming towards the end of your life and realizing that you need more time. What happens after that? So, it’s about self-reflection and wondering whether there’s reincarnation.”

“U Rok Mi”
“The song is about being inspired—it’s not a reference to a person. The spelling could be from a text message, but it’s also something that Prince used to do all the time as well. My daughter wanted a ukulele a few years ago, so I got her one—and then we all got ukuleles on tour. So, I ended up playing one pretty much every day, and this idea came out. It starts as, like, a folky-type thing that sounds like it should be on Zeppelin III, but then I used these hip-hop drum loops, and it explodes into this big rock chorus.”

“Goodbye for Good This Time”
“Joe and me, our favorite Bowie album is Aladdin Sane. That’s where we first heard Mike Garson, who played piano with Bowie from that album until he died. Joe had been doing some birthday tribute celebrations for Bowie with Mike, so he knew him. Joe had written two great piano ballads that reminded me of early Elton John, like Madman Across the Water era, so he asked Mike, ‘Would you?’ The next thing you know, we’ve got our favorite pianist on the album! He really added another dimension to this song as well. In the middle, I play a Spanish acoustic guitar solo that’s a tribute to Bowie’s guitar player Mick Ronson.”

“All We Need”
“This is a real hopeful song, a kind of celebration. It was one of the first ones that me and Joe wrote during the pandemic, when we were sending ideas back and forth to each other and talking about the album as we went into lockdown. He was in Dublin, I’m in California, so we’d each wake up to the other’s new ideas. I really enjoyed that process of writing and recording. I done all my guitars and vocals on a laptop, and Joe did some of his vocals on his laptop with a real cheap little microphone. It sounds great, and I’d hate to go back to the other way of recording.”

“Open Your Eyes”
“This was the very first one that Joe and I did during lockdown, and we realized that working this way was a total energy-saver. I had ordered this Squire bass and wrote the opening riff straight out of the box. I sent it to Joe and before you knew it, we had a song. Rick Savage replaced my bass with a killer sound he had at home—a bass he pulled out of his closet—and boom! We sent our demo over to Ronan McHugh, our producer, engineer, and out-front live guy, and he put it all in a session and made it sound incredible.”

“Gimme a Kiss”
“This one’s got some Johnny Thunders and some Chuck Berry inspiration. All my demo guitars are on it, so it’s got a rawness that’s cool. It’s just a fun, smash-you-in-the-face rock song that’s not to be taken too seriously. It’s pretty hefty sounding, I think, because we kept so much of the demo. We added to it, obviously, with proper drums and Sav playing bass and Vivian on guitar. We all sung on it, but we kept the original spirit of it, which was really important.”

“Angels (Can’t Help You Now)”
“Mike Garson is on this one as well, and it’s just a beautiful song. Joe wrote this and felt that, perhaps, it wasn’t a Def Leppard song because of the piano. But I said, ‘Why not? Why can’t we do what we want at this stage?’ And of course, when Mike played it, it took on a different dimension again. Songwriting-wise, it reminds me of Elton John again. But by the time we get to the last chorus, it sounds like Pink Floyd, from Dark Side of the Moon.”

“Lifeless” (feat. Alison Krauss)
“Again, I started this one almost like when the Stones do country, and I was trying to find a way where Def Leppard could do it. I think if U2 were country and Def Leppard was playing the song, it would sound something like this. I had the chorus and sent it to Joe. He came back the next day with the whole thing. We always say we can finish each other’s sentences, but we can also finish each other’s songs. Alison added all these harmonies and countermelodies that were just like, ‘Wow!’ It’s like a beautiful choir of one of our favorite singers.”

“Unbreakable”
“Joe had the idea for this one a while ago—I remember him playing bits of it when we were on tour last. We initially tried it like a rock thing—it almost sounded like AC/DC—but it wasn’t working. So, we shifted tracks and almost took on an element of INXS—not that we’re trying to copy Australian bands, but it sounds better with this vibe. We used a whole different palette of guitar tones because the standard ones weren’t working. Joe had already written the lyrics, but he then presented them in a different way, almost like an actor choosing a role.”

“From Here to Eternity”
“This is a Rick Savage song. It’s very different to everything else on the record, but we were working on the lyrics and the phrase ‘film noir’ came up. With that image, we were able to finish the lyrics and, all of a sudden, we knew what the song was going to be. It took on a little bit of a Queen direction. It’s the longest song, so it was obviously going to be at the end of the album, and it’s probably my favorite guitar solo that I’ve done on the record.”

music.apple.com/us/album/diamond-star-halos/1611600326

[CindyJ]

Def Leppard – Diamond Star Halos
Florian Buechting 25. May 2022 Media Review

Rating: 4.8 out of 5

FLYCTORY.COM PROS
Great hard rock / glam metal album
There's even a country music song
15 songs

They gave us songs like Pour Some Sugar On Me – Def Leppard are truly hard rock and glam metal legends. The British band is releasing a new album on 27th May 2022. I had the opportunity to listen to Diamond Star Halos briefly before the release. The press information to the album quotes Joe Elliott with “I would say that we delivered the perfect album”. That’s definitely another reason to have a deeper listen. Here are my thoughts.

Def Leppard – Diamond Star Halos – Track by Track
The 15 tracks album lasts 61 minutes.

1. Take What You Want
The album opens with the three songs which have been released as single. Take What You Want allows the listener to have a rather slow start, but then the guitars are doing what you need them for. The full glam power is inflating and Def Leppard feel to take you back to their big 1980’s songs. Not as good as the good, old Sugar anthem or Let’s Get Rocked, but a great rocking opener.

2. Kick
Kick was the amuse guele, the appetizer which was released to heat up the fans. The first single release of the album comes a great, almost blues rock alike groove. You just feel so much fun while listening to that one. Made to party with the Sheffield guys, 44 years after their Day 1.

3. Fire It Up
Fire It Up might feel a bit simple – but, hey, their third single release of the album just rocks. So far, Joe Elliott could be right about the perfect album – but there are still twelve more reasons for that to come.

4. This Guitar (feat. Alison Krauss)
It might feel a bit of surprising that there are two collaborations with Alison Krauss on the album. Indeed, Krauss is a 27 time Grammy Award winner, but she is rather well known for country and bluegrass music. And indeed, This Guitar feels a lot like Krauss’ musical home grounds with a slight Def Leppard texture. And it is a real beauty in lyrics as well.

You’re my shoulder to cry on
You’re the best of best friends
You put five of my fingers
You pour joy to no end
My brother, my sister
My love of my life
It’s crazy I know
But this guitar saved my life.

5. SOS Emergency
After this emotional country-style ballad, SOS Emergency goes back to glam and to rock. Straight, good song, which is also beautifully made for big stage shows.

6. Liquid Dust
Liquid Dust turns down the guitar volume significantly. The song reminds me of David Bowie recordings. Similar to This Guitar, a rather interesting touch added to the album.

7. U Rok Mi
The seventh song is also a very interesting one. The song is mainly driven by Rick Allen on the drums and Rick Savage’s bass in some parts, but then explodes like a glam rock bomb in the chorus. Very basic recording, cool.

8. Goodbye For Good This Time
String sounds and piano-alike keyboard tunes at the beginning of this one. The piano tunes are played by Mike Garson, pianist of David Bowie, by the way. Nice, quiet moment, which you might not expect on a Def Leppard record at first sight.

9. All We Need
This one feels like a classic late 1980’s rocker to me. Europe, U2 and some others could have played these tunes as well in that era. But in fact it is Def Leppard some 35 years later. It still feels good.

10. Open Your Eyes
Great bass work on Open Your Eyes. The dark tone groove just gives you the right foundation to the typical Def Leppard tunes put on top. One of my favorites of the album.

11. Gimme A Kiss
Gimme a kiss that rocks – I could just state these two chorus lines and go to the next song. That’s Def Leppard glam rock fun at full force. Great one.

12. Angels (Can’t Help You Now)
Angels (Can’t Help You Know) is an amazing ballad, which has a nice ballad between lovely piano and orchestra sounds and guitar elements. One of the must-listens on the album.

13. Lifeless (feat. Alison Krauss)
Alison Krauss is back on the album. She feels very present on the vocal side here, which turns the pop-alike track to something special. However, there is no second chance for a Def Leppard country track on this album.

14. Unbreakable
Unbreakable is not as loud and powerful as other songs on the album. Thus, it almost feels a bit hidden and mousy. In fact, it is a good listen with a nice chorus, though.

15. From Here To Eternity
The English rockers likely wanted to make sure that you keep the album in mind – From Here To Eternity (5:39 minutes) is the longest song on the album. And it is coming with a lot of rock, bombastic sounds. Great song at the end of these fifteen songs.

Def Leppard – Diamond Star Halos – My View
Sorry, Joe Elliott! Diamond Star Halos is not a perfect album to me. There are even some 2022 recordings I would rate to be closer to that certification than Diamond Star Halos. But: these fifteen songs form a damn nice rocker – and even have a four minute episode of being a really good country music listen. I do love it – even though the very top spots in my rock album heaven are not in danger. This Def Leppard one is a must-listen for rock lovers.

Source

[quarky]

May 24, 2022 14:15:51 GMT -8 melodicrock said:

What do you all think when some band members are calling this the best they have ever done?? Those of you that have heard the full album, would you think or say it’s the best album the band has ever done??

I think without doubt it will be a favourite DL album for a lot of people.

That is only after one listen, in amazing Dolby Atmos quality, at a volume where there are so many little details to keep you on an all time high, and you need to add all the excitement of a new release etc., but if the world was going to end tomorrow, and I would never have a chance to listen to it again to reinforce/change my opinion, and I had to decide which was my favourite album in the final few hours before the world ends, in a cataclysmic fireball, yeah, I would have no problem at all choosing DSH, none at all.

Just one listen though, I could listen to it again at 1201 Friday morning and think "you fool, it was good, but not THAT good."


I read this post the other day from Mr Creighton:

May 23, 2022 1:43:51 GMT -8 edwardcreighton said:

i am going to keep an open mind about album. really like the 3 songs so far. from the inside is one of my fav lepps songs and its folk! 2015 album was beyond my wildest dreams, this is icing on cake so far.

strength of any album is in 6 months and beyond.

imagine most reviewers listen once or twice, move on.

almost there, best ignore reviews now, not let them cloud judgement.

Not sure what your favourite DL album is currently, but you could be about to OD on icing.

[cmerritt]

May 24, 2022 14:15:51 GMT -8 melodicrock said:

What do you all think when some band members are calling this the best they have ever done?? Those of you that have heard the full album, would you think or say it’s the best album the band has ever done??

Has a band ever released a new album they haven't called their best work ever prior to it's release? 

I guess it's the right of the artist to feel this way every time they put out new work that it might be their best yet but it's also a comment you've heard a hundred times from various artists and one i have largely always taken with a pinch of salt. Plus, they want everyone to hear this and buy it so you'd be surpirsed if they said it was a bit rubbish and not as good as X,Y, Z albums haha. 

But as a fan of all kind's of music and artists i've always felt any new record should be gone into with a fresh slate with almost no regard to past work, drop the comparison's, judge it on it's own merit's and don't worry if it's better or worse than albums from 40 years ago and enjoy it as a new piece of work. 

I for one cannot wait to here this record in full, but i don't need it to be their best ever album or have expectations like that to live up to, i just want it to be another great Def Leppard album.

[andylgr]

Just had notification from HMV that my coloured vinyl has shipped, could I get it tomorrow the day before release I wonder?

[cmerritt]

May 25, 2022 2:24:06 GMT -8 andylgr said:

Just had notification from HMV that my coloured vinyl has shipped, could I get it tomorrow the day before release I wonder?

Lucky you, just checked my order, no progress yes, i order quite often from HMV and usually get items with in 2 days so you might get lucky. 

I do hope the bundles get shipped soon, definitely not going to be getting those for release day it seems. 

Edit - 

30 seconds after replying i get a dispatched email !!! 

Theres now hope for a version of the album on release day 

[edwardcreighton]

ordered pic disc bundle from lepp shop uk, not received notification about dispatch. having sent to my northern ireland address, collect in summer. still excitement of receiving a notification would be appreciated!

have digital copy ordered on amazon uk so can listen at 6am bangkok time, 12 midnight uk time. excited!

[treffo]

Interview with Joey about DSH:

zoklending.com/def-leppard-interview-with-his-singer-joey-elliott-about-his-new-album-titled-diamond-star-halos-and-much-more/

[diva]

Someone tell Phil that no one texts mi instead of me lol

[treffo]

Rock n load review of DSH:

Def Leppard are back baby and OMFG is this just one hell of an LP. OK, enough of getting down with the kidz let’s get down to the job at hand ..

It’s been 7 years since we have last seen a full studio release for the Sheffield Quintet .. has been worth the wait … absolutely. With this LP the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame inducted music icons have taken a huge nod to their Glam Rock heroes. You can hear the influences of Bowie, Bolan and Mott The Hoople all over this record .. yet its sound is as fresh as it can be.

These boys know how to make full use of modern technology to make what could be heralded as their best LP to date … What ?, I hear you say, better than the iconic Hysteria LP? Absolutely .. This is an album that once again will bring rock music to the forefront for a modern-day audience, just as it did in 1987. Def Leppard at their accessible best ..

There really is not one single track on this LP that is a filler and you can take that to the bank.

As many vocalists from this era struggle to maintain their edge as time passes, Joe Elliot just seems to take it in his stride. His voice sounds as good now as it did “back in the day” and I firmly believe that the fact the band membership has not changed since 1982 (notwithstanding the tragic loss of the Steve Clarke RIP) means the band function as a true unit.

Kicking off with “Take What You Want”, a radio-friendly rocker if ever there was a tune, you know you are listening to Def Leppard and that’s exactly what we want to hear, that true Leppard sound. Catchy choruses, solid riffs and great production.

We get to Track 4 and finally, the boys slow down for a country-inspired ballad “This Guitar” . Oh boy have they pulled one out of the bag with the vocal performances on this track. Enlisting the vocal talents of Alison Kraus .. genius and the subtle country guitar licks .. just wow. A true lighter in the air moment.

“SOS Emergency” starts off with a slight Bryan Adams vibe .. but it’s as the song really kicks in that the Leppard sound suddenly takes over and this hard rocker could be my contender for song of the LP.

Keeping to their Glam roots, the band have enlisted the piano playing skills of Mike Garson (David Bowie) to turn “Goodbye for Good This Time” into a true pop ballad with that 70’s flare that only Elton and Bowie could do so well.

“Open Your Eyes” brings Sav to the fore with a thunderous bass riff whilst “Gimme a Kiss” has (the winner for a naff song title), without a doubt, a chorus that has you singing along in true Def Leppard Style. The country vibes return with “Lifeless” and then we are into the final 2 tracks, both classic Def Leppard

This really is a cracking listen and one that you will return to time and time again. The Album will no doubt sell by the bucket load and go down as the modern-day Def Leppard classic that it deserves to be… now when is my Vinyl going to arrive and where do I get my tour ticket from ….

[cmerritt]

May 25, 2022 4:35:59 GMT -8 diva said:

Someone tell Phil that no one texts mi instead of me lol

This is true, lol, i thought is was a play on words with a nod to some glam bands, like what Slade used to do, they had track titles like - coz i luv you, Mama weer all crazee now, gudbuy t'jane, cum on feel the noize, tak' me bak 'ome, look wot you dun. 

A text though, lol, ok, 

[diva]

May 25, 2022 4:47:00 GMT -8 cmerritt said:

May 25, 2022 4:35:59 GMT -8 diva said:

Someone tell Phil that no one texts mi instead of me lol

This is true, lol, i thought is was a play on words with a nod to some glam bands, like what Slade used to do, they had track titles like - coz i luv you, Mama weer all crazee now, gudbuy t'jane, cum on feel the noize, tak' me bak 'ome, look wot you dun. 

A text though, lol, ok, 

That’s what I assumed too.

[tsmith]

I have to say that I think this article was the first time in my life I've ever heard or saw Joe called "Joey"

Just really sounds strange lol.

May 25, 2022 4:17:22 GMT -8 treffo said:

Interview with Joey about DSH:

zoklending.com/def-leppard-interview-with-his-singer-joey-elliott-about-his-new-album-titled-diamond-star-halos-and-much-more/

[Dan]

May 25, 2022 3:43:22 GMT -8 edwardcreighton said:

ordered pic disc bundle from lepp shop uk, not received notification about dispatch. having sent to my northern ireland address, collect in summer. still excitement of receiving a notification would be appreciated!

have digital copy ordered on amazon uk so can listen at 6am bangkok time, 12 midnight uk time. excited!

I bought from the UK site too since the Canadian one didn't have the CD. I ordered the picture disc and deluxe CD. I'll have to wait 2-3 weeks before my stuff arrives. It shows as processed though so hopefully I get a shipment notification today.

[CindyJ]

Translated from Italian

DEF LEPPARD - Diamond Star Halos Posted on 25/05/2022 by Carlo Paleari

Band: DEF LEPPARD
Duration: 01:05:22
Available from: 05/27/2022
Label: Mercury

Rating: 6.5

It's been seven years since the release of "Def Leppard", the British band's self-titled album released in 2015. Since then the band hasn't been idle, offering spectacular live shows to their audiences and continuing to keep the band high. flag of the most immediate, direct and glittering rock. It took almost three years to record the new chapter, "Diamond Star Halos", but Def Leppards can afford to take things calmly: assembled between the United Kingdom, Ireland and the United States, what we have in our hands is a massive album that exceeds sixty minutes in duration and that can count as many as fifteen songs. A risky choice, even for a band of seasoned professionals like Joe Elliott and associates, which makes "Diamond Star Halos" a very varied album but with a fluctuating trend,
Avoiding venturing into an exhausting track by track, let's try to make a brief overview of the sound of Def Leppard in 2022. Let's start with the first singles presented, "Kick" and "Take What You Want": here the band plays with its roots, paying homage to the glam movement, not the one with the bouffant hair of the eighties in which they are often placed, but that of the seventies, that of Bowie, T-Rex and Mott The Hoople. Def Leppard are masters in composing captivating melodies and these songs work, managing to be immediately recognizable for style and sound, always with an air and energy to spare. The following "Fire It Up", a classic anthem a la Def Leppard, was also very good, as was "Liquid Dust", less incendiary but still written and played with class and taste. Of course, the most pandering ballads can't be missing and this time it's the turn of "Goodbye For Good This Time" and "Angels (Can't Help You Now)": here the band lets itself get carried away and the glycemic rate it rises too far above the limit, cloaking the songs with pompous arrangements of strings that are slightly cloying. Very good, however, the contribution of Mike Garson (longtime collaborator of David Bowie) on the piano, who embroider laces of notes with the right balance between emphasis and elegance. Def Leppard, apart from the purely metallic beginnings, have often flirted with chart pop rock and "Diamond Star Halos" is an album that winks at the easy listening stars and stripes broadcasters: "This Guitar" and " Lifeless ", both enhanced by the voice of Alison Krauss,
In short, “Diamond Star Halos” is a glossy work, written and played with great skill, perfectly in line with the expectations of the more mainstream Def Leppard audience. He does not have the numbers to become a new great classic of the band, God forbid, and we are also sure that, with a few scissors here and there, the overall balance of the album would have benefited. Yet these eternal boys have a gift and it would be incorrect not to recognize it: when one of their songs, even the most recent, starts, it is natural to turn up the volume, to find yourself after a few seconds to keep the rhythm with your foot, humming verses and choruses that take you from the first listening. It seems easy, but it is an art that few know how to handle with the same brazen naturalness.

Source

[mikeleppard]

I'll be able to listen to the album in matter of minutes, from top to bottom, i'll tell you in a while...

[CindyJ]

Unboxing the Deluxe CD. Shows every page of the booklet. Lyrics visible.

[tsmith]

Nice.

Love the coloring of the deluxe version....just looks fantastic and should've been the standard artwork IMO.

But hate that it's a digipak as the corners always seem to get frayed/bent and spine ends up showing crease marks.

I've ordered a deluxe CD and a regular jewel case CD . My plan is to combine them and make my own package by putting the colored booklet and deluxe CD in the jewel case. My back track listing will be a little off without the bonus tracks but that's ok with me.

Yeah, I'm just a bit OCD lol.

May 25, 2022 7:42:56 GMT -8 CindyJ said:

Unboxing the Deluxe CD. Shows every page of the booklet. Lyrics visible.