Drastic Symphonies: Fourth Def Leppard Albums Box is Packed with Rarities

Def Leppard Volume 4
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Def Leppard are surprising fans not only by starting up their ongoing box set series, but widening the scope of the latest release, too.

Volume 4, available as a 6CD or 11LP set on November 13, continues the thread of albums plus the rarities that these sets have been known for since the first volume in 2018, collecting the group’s studio output between 1978’s The Def Leppard E.P. and 1987’s Hysteria (plus one rarities set and a Pyromania-era live set). Subsequent volumes covered the British group’s ’90s output (2019’s Volume Two) and covers-heavy ’00s (2021’s Volume Three).

Very few albums have been released by the band since then: there was a self-titled album in 2015 and the neoclassic rock-flavored Diamond Star Halos (2022), as well as an inevitable collection of remixed and re-recorded tracks backed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (2023’s Drastic Symphonies). So the box turns itself over to hidden gems – three CDs’ worth, including a host of truly rare material.

The first disc of the rarities set offers the CD premiere of studio and live material including The Lost Session, a 2006 live-in-studio performance meant for iTunes but unreleased until 2018; a 2008 live performance at Abbey Road Studios only released as a Record Store Day EP; and even a host of re-recorded singles while the band withheld their original catalogue from digital services for the better part of a decade. The second portion of the rarities kicks up rare and unreleased demos, radio edits, international bonus tracks, and even, despite being not contemporaneous with the rest of the material, an alternate version of “Miss You in a Heartbeat,” a B-side included on the 1993 rarities album Retro Active. (This version features contributions from Ian Hunter of Mott the Hoople.) Finally, Rarities closes with a clutch of covers, spanning from Depeche Mode (“Personal Jesus”) to David Bowie (“Heroes,” “Drive-In Saturday”). The box’s lead single comes from this part of the set: a cover of The Beatles’ “Revolution” recorded for an unspecified TV advertisement but ultimately unused and unreleased until now.

All the tracks on Volume 4 have been newly remastered by frequent band producer/engineer Ronan McHugh. Packaging includes a hardcover book offering rare photos by Ross Halfin and liner notes by Paul Elliott of Classic Rock, featuring contributions from all five band members. Perhaps most intriguing: despite this set wrapping up an overview of Def Leppard in the studio, press materials indicate that two more volumes are on the way in this six-volume chronicle of Def Leppard’s recorded output.  Volume 4 hits stores on November 13.  You’ll find the track listing and pre-order links below.  (As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.)

Volume 4 (Bludgeon Riffola/UMe, 2026)

6CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
11LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada

CD 1/LP 1-2: Def Leppard (originally released as Bludgeon Riffola/EarMusic 0210740EMU (U.K.), 2015)

  1. Let’s Go
  2. Dangerous
  3. Man Enough
  4. We Belong
  5. Invincible
  6. Sea of Love
  7. Energized
  8. All Time High
  9. Battle of My Own
  10. Broke‘N’Brokenhearted
  11. Forever Young
  12. Last Dance
  13. Wings of An Angel
  14. Blind Faith

CD 2/LP 3-4: Diamond Star Halos (originally released as Bludgeon Riffola/UMC 3894511, 2022)

  1. Take What You Want
  2. Kick
  3. Fire It Up
  4. This Guitar
  5. SOS Emergency
  6. Liquid Dust
  7. U Rok Mi
  8. Goodbye for Good This Time
  9. All We Need
  10. Open Your Eyes
  11. Gimme a Kiss
  12. Angels (Can’t Help You Now)
  13. Lifeless
  14. Unbreakable
  15. From Here to Eternity

CD 3/LP 5-6: Drastic Symphonies (with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) (originally released as Bludgeon Riffola/UMR 00602445663323, 2023)

  1. Turn to Dust
  2. Paper Sun
  3. Animal
  4. Pour Some Sugar on Me (Stripped Version)
  5. Hysteria
  6. Love Bites
  7. Goodbye for Good This Time
  8. Love
  9. Gods of War
  10. Angels (Can’t Help You Now)
  11. Bringin’ on the Heartbreak
  12. Switch 625
  13. Too Late for Love
  14. When Love and Hate Collide
  15. Kings of the World

CD 4-6/LP 7-11: Rarities

  1. Let It Go (Live iTunes Session)
  2. Foolin’ (Live iTunes Session)
  3. Bringin’ on the Heartbreak (Live iTunes Session)
  4. Rock On (Live iTunes Session)
  5. When Love and Hate Collide (Live iTunes Session)
  6. Promises (Live iTunes Session)
  7. C’mon C’mon (Live At Abbey Road, 2008)
  8. Rock On (Live At Abbey Road, 2008)
  9. Rocket (Live At Abbey Road, 2008)
  10. Undefeated
  11. Kings of the World
  12. It’s All About Believin’
  13. Rock of Ages (2012 Re-Recorded Version)
  14. Pour Some Sugar on Me (2012 Re-Recorded Version)
  15. Where Does Love Go When It Dies/When Love and Hate Collide/Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad/Two Steps Behind (Acoustic Medley, 2012)
  16. Hysteria (2013 Re-Recorded Version)

Tracks 1-6 released as The Lost Session digital EP – Bludgeon Riffola/Virgin EMI/UMC (no cat. #), rec. 2006/rel. 2018
Tracks 7-9 released as Live At Abbey Road Studios Record Store Day EP – Bludgeon Riffola/UMC 6729347, 2018
Tracks 10-12 released on Mirror Ball – Live & More – Bludgeon Riffola/Mailboat MBD 9511, 2011
Tracks 13-15 released on Bludgeon Riffola/Mailboat digital singles (no cat. #), 2012
Track 16 released on Bludgeon Riffola/Mailboat digital single (no cat. #), 2013

  1. Undefeated (Demo)
  2. Last Dance (Demo)
  3. Wings of An Angel (Las Vegas Demo)
  4. We Belong (Joe Only Vox)
  5. This Guitar (Demo)
  6. Hysteria (Spotify Session, 2018)
  7. Miss You in a Heartbeat (feat. Ian Hunter) (Retro Active Outtake)
  8. We All Need Christmas
  9. Take What You Want (Radio Edit)
  10. Kick (Radio Edit)
  11. This Guitar (Joe Only Mix)
  12. Goodbye for Good This Time (Avant-Garde Mix)
  13. Lifeless (Joe Only Mix)
  14. Angels (Can’t Help You Now) (Covent Garden Mix)
  15. Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad (with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra)
  16. Animal (Radio Edit) (with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra)
  17. Just Like 73 (feat. Tom Morello)

Track 2 released on Japanese pressings of Def Leppard – Ward Records GQCS-90056, 2015
Track 4 released on Classic Rock fan pack edition of Def Leppard – Bludgeon Riffola/EarMusic CRP 18•10•15, 2015
Track 6 released on Spotify Singles digital EP – Bludgeon Riffola/UMe (no cat. #), 2018
Track 8 released as Bludgeon Riffola/Virgin EMI digital single (no cat. #), 2018
Tracks 9-10 released as Bludgeon Riffola/UMC digital singles (no cat. #), 2022
Tracks 11 and 14 released on Japanese pressings of Diamond Star Halos – UMC UICY-16061, 2022
Tracks 12-13 released on deluxe pressings of Diamond Star Halos – UMC 4557504, 2022
Track 15 released on vinyl editions of Drastic Symphonies – UMR 00602445663392, 2023
Track 16 released as Bludgeon Riffola/UMR digital single (no cat. #), 2023
Track 17 released on Bludgeon Riffola/Universal single 00602465671032, 2024

  1. Personal Jesus (2026 Mix)
  2. Revolution (Abandoned TV Ad)
  3. “Heroes” (2026 Mix)
  4. Stand by Me
  5. Bad Motor Scooter (feat. Sammy Hagar)
  6. Helen Wheels
  7. Drive In Saturday (feat. Mike Garson)
  8. Seagull (Full Band Version)

Original mix of Track 1 released on The Story So Far: The Best of Def Leppard – Bludgeon Riffola/Mercury/UMC 6791033, 2018
Track 4 released as Bludgeon Riffola/Mercury digital single (no cat. #), 2026
Track 6 released on The Art of McCartney – Arctic Poppy APCDREM1402, 2014
Original version of Track 8 released on Can’t Get Enough: A Tribute to Bad Company – Primary Wave 792755873229, 2025

Mike Duquette
Mike Duquette

Mike Duquette (Founder) was fascinated with catalog music ever since he was a teenager. A 2009 graduate of Seton Hall University with a B.A. in journalism, Mike paired his profession with his passion through The Second Disc, one of the first sites to focus on all reissue labels great and small. His passion for reissues turned into a career, having written at and worked for all three major catalogue music labels and contributing to Allmusic, Billboard, Discogs, City Pages and Ultimate Classic Rock. He's penned liner notes for Verve, Chess, Mondo and Soul Music Records.

Born and raised in New Jersey, Mike lives in Astoria, Queens with his wife, a cat named Ravioli, twin daughters and a large yet tasteful collection of music.

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