I prefer Pyromania to it..but I do get into the album tracks. Gods of War in particular. Then Don't Shoot Shotgun is a guilty pleasure. Something about that whole accapella intro of "RUN FOR COVER!.......DON'T SHOOT.......SHOOT! <Thunder crack> She's so dangerous..SHOT-GUN!" It kills me every time.

But Hysteria, the album, was the most "singled"-out album I've ever known. The songs on the entire first side of the album (vinyl) were all released as singles in the U.S.. Worldwide...Everything but God's of War, Don't Shoot Shotgun, Run Riot, and Love and Affection had been released as singles.

I'd probably love it more if it wasn't the fact they released Adrenalize after it and it just sealed them into the whole late 80 hair era for eternity as far as most of the world is concerned no matter what they did after that. Changing direction appropriately immediately after Hysteria to a more serious and mature direction as well as experimental was what they needed to do.

I try to block Adrenalize from my mind as ever happening. This allows me to consider Hysteria on it's own merits. It's a commercially appealing album that yet is quite artistic and ground breaking. It set a trend that would be driven into the ground by poor imitators..which is what always happens when something is that good.

They had real balls releasing Women as the first video and single in the U.S. In fact, it's hard to believe it was a single at all. It's the kind of song you regard as "album rock" Not the lead single. But they did it anyway. I know I was floored when I saw the video premiere on MTV as an exclusive. I saw a band that had matured physically and artistically. It was so bizarre that although the lyrics should off off as ridiculous...the fact is you have this bombastic machismo colliding with sonic sophistication and you wind up getting a surreal experience. There was just nothing like it. It opens the album and it basically warns you to open your mind and not set expectations.

I do prefer Pyromania for the fact it is edgier lyrically and do tear it up compared to Hysteria with songs like Too Late, Die Hard, Foolin, Billy's Got A Gun. But the two albums really do complement each other very well. Hysteria never delivers the satisfying "rip-roar" that Pyromania does, but vice versa Pyromania never offered much in terms of midtempo or laidback grooves. You go to each album individually for different things.

So I'm surprised this announcement is not including Pyromania. The two albums are always paired together so why stop now?