Def Leppard announce new album Diamond Star Halos, share new single Kick

(Image credit: Anton Corbijn)

Def Leppard have announced their return, with the release of a new single, Kick, serving as a taste of what's to come on their 12th studio album, Diamond Star Halos.

Set for release on May 27, the 15-track album is the first new studio set from the Yorkshire hard rock superstars since their 2015 self-titled collection, and features guest vocals from award-winning bluegrass singer, and Robert Plant collaborator, Alison Krauss on two songs, This Guitar and Lifeless. David Bowie's longtime pianist Mike Garson also plays on two songs, Goodbye For Good This Time and Angels (Can’t Help You Now).

Due to the pandemic, Diamond Star Halos was recorded simultaneously in three different countries, with frontman Joe Elliott living in Ireland, bassist Rick Savage in England, and guitarists Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell, plus drummer Rick Allen resident in the United States.

The album tracklist is as follows:

1. Take What You Want
2. Kick
3. Fire It Up
4. This Guitar [feat. Alison Krauss]
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 [feat. Alison Krauss]
14. Unbreakable
15. From Here To Eternity

The album can be pre-ordered now – and you can listen to first single Kick right here, right now.

Following the album's release, Leppard will launch their long-delayed US stadium tour, co-headlining with Mötley Crüe, and featuring special guests Poison and Joan Jett, on June 6 in Atlanta, Georgia.

A music writer since 1993, formerly Editor of Kerrang! and Planet Rock magazine (RIP), Paul Brannigan is a Contributing Editor to Louder. Having previously written books on Lemmy, Dave Grohl (the Sunday Times best-seller This Is A Call) and Metallica (Birth School Metallica Death, co-authored with Ian Winwood), his Eddie Van Halen biography (Eruption in the UK, Unchained in the US) emerged in 2021. He has written for Rolling Stone, Mojo and Q, hung out with Fugazi at Dischord House, flown on Ozzy Osbourne's private jet, played Angus Young's Gibson SG, and interviewed everyone from Aerosmith and Beastie Boys to Young Gods and ZZ Top. Born in the North of Ireland, Brannigan lives in North London and supports The Arsenal.