Def Leppard fans.... Listen up!
This is something you have to check out!
The Swedish hard rockers in Grand Design
has refined Def Leppard's amazing sound
and rock music from the 80's and they
have even refined it into something
incredibly interesting, tasty and easily
digestible. Janne Stark on guitars
(Constancia, Overdrive etc), bassist
Mats Vestfjord (Chris Lane Band, Scaar),
singer/producer Pelle Saether and the
drummer Magnus Ulfstedt (Eclipse, Jimi
Jamison, Talisman, Lion’s Share etc) have
made an album perfect for my taste.
A whole bunch of melodic hard rock
tracks with powerful choruses, dazzling guitars,
splendid vocals and everything packed in a super tight
production. The ten driven songs are all
produced by singer Pelle Saether in a
big, pompous and still airy sound. My
superlatives don't seem to stop. I saw
these guys at Väsby Rock Festival in
July and they really shook my knees
with an awesome show. If you like high
quality hard rocking with unbelievably
strong melodies with hit status in every
single song. This is
the album Def Leppard never wrote.
'Thrill of the Night' could have been the
natural follow album up to 'Hysteria'!!
This rocks 80's like nothing else...
The intro song 'U Got Me Good'
is a big monster track with awesome
groove, delicious guitars and excellent
vocals. 'Rawk n Roll Heart Attack' is a
100% party song with easy learning
choruses. 'The Rush is Gone' is a
slower song with big brush strokes of
Def Leppard. The pace is higher in the
glittering song '10 Outta 10' and
sounds a lot like Pretty Maids and Treat.
The big ballad on the album is 'When the
Greatest Love of All Kicks in' with
charming guitars and gorgeous vocals
from Pelle.
The strange title 'Rip Iddup'
hides a down tempo song with some
magnificent guitar loops from Janne Stark
and Dennis Vestman. These two axeman
complete each other perfectly. In the
melodic tracks 'Get Up n Love Someone'
and 'You're the Only One' sound like
someone found two unknown Def Leppard
tracks and re-produced them. Just awesome.
'Who's Gonna Rawk you Tonite' sound a
little different and is more of and
straight forward rock tune.
The title track 'Thrill of the
Nite' close the album and is a dignified
closure to this hard rock gem. If you
love the sound of the 80's hard rock and
Def Leppard in particular, this is the
album you have to get in your
collection. Yes that's right. This is a
shining musical jewel.
Line up:
Pelle Saether: Vocals
Dennis Vestman: Guitar
Janne Stark: Lead Guitar
Mats Vassfjord: Bass
Magnus Ulfstedt: Drums
