DEF LEPPARD: On Through the Night

Produced by Tom Allom

Released: 1980

As far as I'm concerned, Def Leppard never really topped this. Sure, they went on to become one of the biggest rock bands ever in the mid-80s, but to do so they moved from the metal arena and into the sphere of melodic radio rock, never again matching the spontaneity and enthusiasm they displayed on their debut. Quite simply, On Through the Night is one of the best examples of the so-called New Wave of British Heavy Metal ever recorded. It is a near perfect representation of a youthful and burgeoning scene, recorded by one of the youngest bands doing the rounds at the time. Rick Allen was only 16 when this was recorded and the average age of the rest of Def Leppard was 20.

Def Leppard was the first NWOBHM band to be offered a six-figure recording contract, and unleashed this rollicking collection exactly a month before Iron Maiden's self-titled debut. Stylistically, the two discs aren't really that different, except that On Through the Night is considerably more melodic. Bristling with catchy songs, the album opens with an absolute scorcher in the shape of "Rock Brigade" kicking in with clashing, ringing guitars and a heavy, driving beat. This is out and out youthful exuberance and really sets the tone for an album studded with heavy rocking gems. "It Could Be You" shows the Led Zeppelin influence that inspired the group's name and "Rocks Off" (complete with overdubbed crowd noise) is straight-up hard rocking glee. There are darker moments too, like the brooding "Sorrow is a Woman" and, spectacularly, a sprawling epic in the shape of "Overture" that climaxes the album in a way that Def Leppard would never again attempt. At almost eight minutes in length, this slowly building, forgotten gem of a track is NWOBHM's answer to "Stairway to Heaven", the godfather of all rock and metal epics. Even Iron Maiden would take until their third album to put a song together to match the majesty of "Overture".

While "Hello America" and "It Don't Matter" foreshadow the solidly commercial rock angle Def Leppard would later take, On Through the Night merely hints at this. Indeed, with the primitively raw production and the screaming and glorious guitar solos, it would have been impossible to tell from this recording that the slick, ultra-polished 16 million-selling Hysteria was anywhere in Def Leppard's future. Yet, from a metal perspective, the thin production job only enhances the material and makes it all the more enjoyable. From this point, Def Leppard would go on to become one of the biggest and finest -- if sometimes also rather tedious -- bands of their generation and never again sound anything like they do here. That to this day they pay On Through the Night little more than lip service is a crime, because it's easily one of the best early British metal albums of all.

1. Rock Brigade


2. Hello America


3. Sorrow is a Woman


4. It Could Be You


5. Satellite


6. When the Walls Came Tumblin' Down


7. Wasted


8. Rocks Off


9. It Don't Matter


10. Answer to the Master


11. Overture

Rating: 92%