Def Leppard: Joe Elliott (vocals); Vivian Campbell, Phil Collen (guitar, background vocals); Rick "Sav" Savage (bass, background vocals); Rick Allen (drums).

Additional personnel: Eric Carter (keyboards, loops).

Producers: Def Leppard, Pete Woodroffe, Marti Frederiksen, Andreas Carlsson, Per Aldeheim.

Recorded at Joe's Garage, Dublin, Ireland; Polar, Stockholm, Sweden, Rumbo Studios, Los Angeles, California.

When these kings of '80s pop metal were making their initial splash on the charts, it would have been hard to predict that the 21st century would find them still intact, much less growing and prospering. Against all odds, weathering virtually every kind of disaster that can befall a rock band, Def Leppard has indeed survived. While many of their contemporaries find themselves churning out the same old sound on the oldies revival circuit, Def Leppard has pulled a Bon Jovi and changed with the times, managing to sound completely contemporary without seeming like sellouts.

The panoramic power balladry of "Unbelievable" for example, could easily be a latter-day Aerosmith hit, while its not hard to imagine a post-grunge act like Dishwalla storming the charts with a song like album-opener "Now." That said, there's still plenty of the old Def Leppard magic here for longtime fans; those patented hooks, harmonies and churning guitar riffs that endeared the band to millions are very much present on X, they're just surrounded by some agreeably updated adornments.

Rolling Stone (9/5/02, p.70) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...Their niftiest since ADRENALIZE...The Lepsters adapt to global pop with their signature sound intact..."

Q (8/02, p.122) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...This 10th album finds them in rude health....'Long Long Way To Go' and 'Unbelievable' are expertly crafted pop-rock tunes..."