POP MUSIC : SPRING ALBUM ROUNDUP : From Def Leppard, Hits (Yes), Vision (You’re Joking)

** DEF LEPPARD “Adrenalize” Mercury

In the five years since its last album, “Hysteria,” Def Leppard scored triumphs (becoming one of pop’s biggest acts) and suffered a major tragedy (the alcohol-related death of founding guitarist Steve Clark)--and still it has nothing to say?!? Well, not exactly nothing--the liner notes on this release include a painful, loving tribute to Clark and a recap of the last few years’ ups and downs. But in the songs, the only triumphs are sexual (though they’re pretty tame), the only tragedies the absence of said triumphs.

Sure, the overall message (stated plainly in the opening “Let’s Get Rocked”) could be taken as one of moving on from adversity, but there’s no sense of the process involved in getting to that point. As such, this is an album of pure, unadulterated pop escapism that, for all it reveals about the people who made it, could have been recorded the day after the last album was finished rather than five years down a rough road.

And yet it’s easy to see why some are predicting this will be the year’s biggest seller. Def Leppard has achieved a virtual pop/metal something-for-everybody (at least every-young-white-body) synthesis. “Adrenalize” has a bit of Led Zep mysticism (“White Lightning”), some U2-ish guitar (“Stand Up”), and of course tons of harmony-dripping, easy-sing-along, hook-filled Van Halen/Motley Crue-ish rock anthems (“Tear It Down) and power ballads (“Tonight”)--with five or six of the 10 songs sounding like can’t-miss hits. There’s even a touch of cockney rap.

But what it doesn’t have is any real stamp of identity or vision. None of Metallica’s seize-the-moment fire. None of the Crue’s hedonistic thrust. Just loads of calculated, commercial acumen to make sure the hits keep coming, and damn the torpedoes.

Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to four (excellent).