CoronaVinyl Day 324 (D): On Through the Night by Def Leppard

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Today's CoronaVinyl category is "D," and we're going with the debut album from one of my favorite band's, Def Leppard's On Through the Night from 1980.

The boys from Sheffield kicked off their recording career with an an onslaught New Wave of British Heavy Metal.  And I do mean boys.  When the album was released, lead singer Joe Elliott was the elder statesman at 20 and seven months.  Guitarist Pete Willis had just turned 20.  Guitarist Steve Clark and bassist Rick Savage were 19.  Drummer Rick Allen was a mere 16.

The album was produced by Tom Allom, who cut his teeth as the sound engineer on Black Sabbath's first three albums and was producing another NWOBHM classic -- Judas Priest's British Steel -- at the same time he was producing On Through the Night.  While it was well-reviewed, I feel like On Through the Night doesn't get as much love as it deserves or maybe gets lost among the band's excellent and large catalog.  The album is a raw, rocking ballbuster, very much in line with the other NWOBHM albums that were being put out at that time.  The songs are energetic.  Elliott wails.  Clark and Willis trade solos, and they occasionally team up for a Thin Lizzy style twin lead attack.  Savage and Allen keep a thundering rhythm.  If you like Def Leppard, but maybe aren't familiar with this album, definitely check it out.

The album went to #51 on the Billboard album chart and #15 on the album chart in the UK, and it eventually went platinum in the U.S.  Two songs from the album charted in the UK, with "Wasted" going to #61 and "Hello America" reaching #45.

On Through the Night laid the foundation for the band, as they would team up with producer Mutt Lange the following year for their next album, High 'n' Dry.  Def Leppard and Lange's partnership would prove to be fruitful, as Lange also produced their following two albums after High 'n' Dry, both of which were eventually certified diamond in the U.S. -- 1983's Pyromania and 1987's Hysteria.

Favorite song from Side 1:  "It Could Be You"
At only 2:33, this is the shortest song on the album, but it packs a punch.  It starts off with a great guitar riff, and then it just blisters from there.  Willis has a ripping, if not too short, solo.

Favorite song from Side 2:  "It Don't Matter"
Another hidden gem, "It Don't Matter" is a tight, straightforward hard rock song.  Allen's drumming sticks out to me on this one.  I often find myself singing the chorus to this song in my head when a decision is being made, and I'm cool with any option.  "It don't matter / It don't matter / It don't matter to me."