Released nearly five years after the world-dominating, multi-platinum success of Hysteria, Def Leppard's Adrenalize was a poor candidate for success. Surprisingly, considering it emerged in the wake of both the grunge explosion and the alcohol-related death of Leppard lead guitarist Steve Clark, the album topped the charts. Hits like "Let's Get Rocked" and "Stand Up" delivered the same combination of fist pounding arena rock and smooth power balladry that characterized the group's biggest hits, but with an even slicker sheen. The last of Def Leppard's Mutt Lange-produced efforts, Adrenalize brought one chapter of the group's history to a close, setting the stage for the stripped-down sound of the follow-up, 1996's "Slang."
