SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DEF LEPPARD – DRASTIC SYMPHONIES

Def Leppard
Drastic Symphonies
Universal Music

Part greatest hits and part live performance, Def Leppard haS collaborated with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to deliver Drastic Symphonies. The album sees The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra record arrangements over some of Def Leppard’s biggest hits, along with featuring new vocal and guitar arrangements to enhance the orchestral performance. Strangely, but to great effect, this sees lead singer Joe Elliot duetting with his younger self for an album that slightly misses the mark.

Drastic Symphonies opens with the Eastern inspired harmonies of “Turn To Dust” from 1996’s Slang. Immediately, the choice to not kick off the record with a mega-hit and putting a deep cut from a less commercial record demonstrates just how well-rounded Def Leppard’s back catalogue can be. The use of the orchestra further enhances the Eastern tone, however, but the time the full band comes in, it is clear that the orchestra is recorded over the original track. With this, Drastic Symphonies loses much of its luster. Even the use of additional guitars and Elliot’s new vocals fails to breathe a new sense of life into the music. Without slighting the fantastic work from The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra or Def Leppard’s original songs, Drastic Symphonies, feels more like a remix or a mashup that you would stumble upon online rather than a creative reinterpretation of one of rock ‘n’ roll’s most grandiose eras.

Despite this, there are still some special moments across the record. The arrangement of hits “Animal” and “Pour Some Sugar On Me”, both which largely see a solo Elliot along with the orchestra verge on being beautiful, while the use of strings enhances the tension and excitement of “Love Bites”, “Bringin’ On The Heartache”, “Switch 625” and the closing “Kings Of The World”. Perhaps Drastic Symphonies would have fared better as an EP, but even in these stronger moments, it is apparent that the album would have benefited from a live performance between Def Leppard and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra as a means of showcasing the musicianship and songwriting from the band.

Rock bands and symphonies have proved to be unlikely, but incredibly artistic, bedfellows. While there has been a handful of now classic records of this nature released – Metallica’s 1999 S&M being at the forefront along with, more recently, Alter Bridge’s 2018 Live At The Royal Albert Hall – there is still a novelty to it; the territory feels fresh. In every regard, Drastic Symphonies should have been a great record; after all, Def Leppard has a strong collection of absolute bangers that defined the ‘80s sound, however, their decision to have The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra record over their original masters, only adding some additional vocals and guitars, feels like a shortcut. While the songs have a certain cinematic quality to them, the potential this album is painstakingly present. Had Def Leppard recorded this entirely live, working with the orchestra to create rich new adaptions, Drastic Symphonies truly could have been a modern classic that reignited interest in the band’s classic and lesser-known material.

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