Def Leppard will release their twelfth full-length album, Diamond Star Halos, on May 27 via UMe. It marks the band’s first new work since 2015’s chart-topping self-titled, Def Leppard. Frontman Joe Elliott recently spoke with The Independent about he making of the album. An excerpt from the story is available below.
Elliott: "The album wouldn’t have happened had the pandemic not happened. It’s that sliding doors moment — we’d have ended up going on tour, which I’m sure would have been successful, but we’d have been going on tour, basically, playing a selection of songs from our catalogue. Now we’re actually going to be in these stadiums playing three, four new songs. We may well have gone into the studio after the tour finished to finish off the four or five songs we had (on the back-burner) but they would have turned out vastly different to what we ended up with because we’d have done it in a different environment."
Elliott says he loved the business of recording the album remotely and insists that’s how all future Def Leppard albums will be made. “We’ll never record a record the traditional way again. Why would we? This is so much more fun.”
He says it gave each band member an opportunity to be creative in their own way and to come forward with the sort of ideas they might not have felt confident about revealing in previous studio sessions. “Phil (Collen / guitar) says, ‘I’ve got this song I’ve written on the ukulele’ — and you don’t laugh at the thought of it sounding like George Formby — and I write a song on the piano and everybody is totally open to it all."
Read the complete story here.
The band recently released the new single, "Fire It Up". Listen below:
On Thursday, May 26, Def Leppard will premiere the music video for "Fire It Up", followed by a YouTube Premiere-exclusive afterparty, where the group will engage in discussion about their new album. Fans can set reminders for the music video premiere below and get more details on how to join the afterparty.
The artwork for Diamond Star Halos is art in itself. The design follows pedigree with their instantly recognizable album covers from their celebrated past. With images by world renowned photographer and director Anton Corbijn, styling concepts by Maryam Malakpour and graphics by the UK based Munden Brothers, the design truly follows the band’s influence through their eyes today.
Written by the band over the past two years it features 15 tracks including the anthemic, stadium-ready singles “Kick” and “Fire It Up”, with guest vocals from Alison Krauss on “This Guitar” and “Lifeless”. The album title references T. Rex’s “Bang A Gong (Get It On)” with nods to T.Rex, David Bowie and Mott The Hoople across the album, which mixes the sound of their classic spirit with modern fire.
Diamond Star Halos can be ordered in multiple configurations, including a Deluxe Edition, 2LP Vinyl, Digital formats and more. Exclusive bundles including newly designed album merch have also launched. Order at the band’s official store, here.
Tracklisting:
"Take What You Want"
"Kick"
"Fire It Up"
"This Guitar" (featuring Alison Krauss)
"SOS Emergency"
"Liquid Dust"
"U Rok Mi"
"Goodbye For Good This Time"
"All We Need"
"Open Your Eyes"
"Gimme A Kiss"
"Angels (Can't Help You Now)"
"Lifeless" (featuring Alison Krauss)
"Unbreakable"
"From Here To Eternity"
"Take What You Want" lyric video:
"Kick" video:
"Kick" bloopers:
(Photo - Anton Corbijn)
