Pyromania was just as constructed and calculated relatively its predecessors as Hysteria.

With mastermind Mutt Lange they with Pyro aimed at distancing themselves from NWONHM and instead create a hard rock version of Thriller (read a quote re that comparison).

Then with Hysteria they again went in a slightly new direction.

Upon release of Hysteria I as well was surprised and a bit disapointed. Where the hell are the guitar solos? Why so poppy at times? Until the album sunk in that was and I realised what a brilliant album it is.