The Def Leppard EP

Although the band would distance themselves from heavy metal both based on future album releases and in interviews, there is no mistaking Def Leppard in 1979 for anything other than a NWOBHM band. While those more familiar with later albums, particularly post-Pyromania may have a hard time thinking of anything remotely metal about Def Leppard, this early material shows that they were every bit as part of the scene as Saxon, Iron Maiden, and Venom. Keeping in true NWOBHM fashion, their first vinyl release was this three song EP before eventually releasing a full length album the following year in 1980.

The EP starts off with the rather mid-paced Ride Into The Sun which features a very catchy but heavy riff reminiscent of Sabotage era Black Sabbath which repeats throughout the song and is accompanied by a guitar solo near the end of the song. The next song Getcha Rocks Off starts off immediately with a shredding guitar solo before fast paced heavy riffs and quick tempo drums kick in. There is an unexpected breakdown in the middle of the song where the main riff temporarily changes and more soloing ensues. This sounds like a quintessential NWOBHM song. While the first two songs make up the first half of The Def Leppard E.P., the second half is occupied by the longer The Overture. The song starts off with a melodic, subdued intro before some bass playing reminiscent of Steve Harris from Iron Maiden kicks in and leads the song into a more mid-paced range before slowing down towards the second half of the song. Despite being such young musicians, everything on The Def Leppard E.P. is performed professionally and very well. Some of the guitar solos are actually very impressive and intricate. The drumming is also very rhythmic and tight. The bass is also quite audible, especially during the transitional part in The Overture which is complex and ear catching. Joe Elliott's voice has a youthful quality to it and he had yet to find his signature style, but it works very well for this early material. The overall production is quite good for a late 1970's underground recording.

While Def Leppard would quickly abandon their metal roots in favor of a more radio friendly direction, this EP has no trace of the the more commercial sound that they would adopt on future albums. While I am doubtful that fans of their later output would find much of interest here, if you are fond of anything remotely NWOBHM related I definitely suggest giving this a listen. Highly recommended for fans of Iron Maiden, Saxon, and Samson.

Of all the bands that started out playing heavy metal, Def Leppard probably made the biggest concessions towards mainstream rock. While it did make them a household name and one of the most successful bands of the 1980s, that makes it easy to forget just how humble their origins were, and where their early influences lay. A bunch of teenagers from Sheffield in the north of England, they rapidly made a name for themselves in the new wave of British heavy metal scene, independently releasing their debut self-titled EP in early 1979.

Straightforward but effective songwriting is the name of the game on these three tracks. After the somewhat basic but catchy opener 'Ride Into the Sun', 'Getcha Rocks Off' has a very similar vibe to Deep Purple with a catchy lead riff, consistently upbeat tempo and bluesy soloing. On the other hand, 'The Overture' is almost 8 minutes long and has a more progressive structure with a 2 minute acoustic intro, thereafter shifting through many different moods and tempos. It has an almost medieval fantasy theme to it lyrically, which contrasts heavily with the rock 'n roll lifestyle theme in the other songs.

Out of all their releases, this one probably has their heaviest guitar tone, and the stripped down production brings out the riffs even further, backed up by Rick Savage's bass work. Throughout 'The Overture', there are many guitar harmonies from Steve Clark and Pete Willis, and they also trade solos. Rick Allen was not yet in the band, so for this EP they had a session drummer who does a serviceable job overall. Joe Elliott shows himself to be a well-rounded melodic singer who might not be technically impressive, but his personality and attitude still shine through.

Def Leppard were never the heaviest band around, but they never tried to be either. This EP showcases an underground band with genuine talent and energy that needed no glossy production or music videos - the complete antithesis of their later years. Even still, they were definitely poised for a great deal of success on the strength of these songs alone. Metalheads often point to their first two LPs, On Through the Night and High 'n Dry, as their best releases, but this EP should certainly figure somewhere in there as well.