Def Leppard | Mirrorball
by Nikiforos Skoumas
Staff Writer —
Mirrorball is the brand new live album by leading glam metal band Def Leppard, issued by Frontiers Records. Having enjoyed a career that spans over thirty years, the British band has just released its first official live album. Mirrorball is a 2 CD plus DVD set capturing the band on their 2008-2009 world tour in support of their latest studio album Songs from the Sparkle Lounge.
Featured on this live package is the established line up of lead singer Joe Elliott, bassist Rick Savage, drummer Rick Allen and guitarists Vivian Campbell and Phil Collen.
The songs for their biggest part are performed to the letter on Mirrorball (including the guitar effects and audio samples), though featuring minor improvisations here and there. Joe Elliott puts on a surprisingly strong vocal performance that lacks nowhere in comparison to the original versions.
Mirrorball, being a Leppard live album could not possible fail to feature such multi-platinum hits as “Rocket,” “Animal,” “Love bites,” “Hysteria,” “Pour Some Sugar On Me” and “Photograph.” Still it is arguably the darker, more dramatic songs of their catalog that benefit mostly from being captured live namely “Too Late for Love,” “Foolin” and “Switch 625.” As any Def Leppard live show, Mirrorball has its acoustic moments early on the second disc with “Two Steps Behind” and “Bringin’ on the Heartbreak.”
Beyond the live album, the package features three brand new studio songs: “Undefeated” has the groove, vocal swagger and melodic verse found on their classic mid ‘80s works. “Kings of the World” is a minor-melodic power-ballad featuring choir vocals, overall reminiscent of “We are the Champions.” “It’s all About Believing,” is definitely the most melodic amongst the three new songs easily entering AOR territory, this song brings strongly to mind Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin” (in terms of vibe).
Moving to the live DVD, the video includes a behind-the scenes documentary of the ‘Sparkle Lounge’ tour of 2008-2009 while also featuring live performances of four songs along with two music videos. One has to criticize management for not including a full length DVD on the Mirrorball pack. The latest live packages issued by Frontiers Records; Whitesnake – Live at Monsters of Rock’ and Jorn – Live in Black, included the full video equivalent of the 2CD track list. Clearly one could easily find a plethora of audiovisual live performances by Def Leppard.
Genre: Hard Rock
Line-up:
Joe Elliott: Lead Vocals
Rick “Sav” Savage: Bass Guitar, Vocals
Rick Allen: Drums
Vivian Campbell: Guitar, Vocals
Phil Collen: Guitar, Vocals
Track Listing:
Disc 1:
01. Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)
02. Rocket
03. Animal
04. C’Mon C’Mon
05. Make Love Like A Man
06. Too Late For Love
07. Foolin’
08. Nine Lives
09. Love Bites
10. Rock On
Disc 2:
01. Two Steps Behind
02. Bringin’ On The Heartbreak
03. Switch 625
04. Hysteria
05. Armageddon It
06. Photograph
07. Pour Some Sugar On Me
08. Rock Of Ages
09. Let’s Get Rocked
10. Action
11. Bad Actress
12. Undefeated (new studio track)
13. Kings Of The World (new studio track)
14. It’s All About Believin’ (new studio track)
Disc 3:
1. Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)
2. Armageddon It
3. Pour Some Sugar On Me
4. Hysteria
5. Nine Lives (Music Video)
6. C’Mon C’Mon (Music Video)
Label: Frontiers Records
Hardrock Haven rating: 7.5/10