PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
Indie-rock giants, The Killers are back with a new album after a four year exile, “Battle Born” shows The Killers take on life through the eyes of their hometown, Sin city, Las Vegas. Even the title is a reference to the state of Nevada, so if you don’t quite get it, then that is the reason why.
“Battle Born” shows The Killers have matured in the past eight years musically at least, though the lyrics are still more tongue in cheek than anything else, and that is part of the appeal of the killers.
Even the band’s name suggests a hard core driving beat, heading into thrash metal territory; however nothing could be further from the truth, as at times this album heads right down Cheeseville, stopping off at Springsteen drive along the way.
Battle Born is massive, with giant choruses, power chords and soaring vocals from singer Brandon Flowers. This is an album that finally gets them where they want to be, their raison d’être if you like, creating Springsteen-esque stadium rock anthems on nearly every track.
Though this record is grounded in the 80’s, the synthesizer that built the Killers sound on earlier releases continues to impress here, adding a modern soundscape to an otherwise ‘expected’ release. The underlying theme behind Battle Born is the same one which worked well enough on Sam’s Town, however I don’t think The Killers will ever make an album as good as Hot Fuss.
If you’re not a killers fan then (obviously) you won’t like this as it sticks to many of the same formulas that they have tried and tested previously. However the stands out tracks for me are ‘Flesh and Bone’, ‘Runaways’, ‘Battle Born’, and ‘Miss Atomic Bomb’, if im in the mood. Tracks like ‘Here with Met’ and’ A Matter of Time’ shows with consummate ease how Brandon can sing such corny lyrics with a sincerity that borders on the ridiculous. Which is all part of the Killers charm.
There are also a few nice ballad songs in there too. This is certainly better than ‘ Day and Age’ but probably on par with Sam’s Town.
The Killers have emerged from their four-year exile in Las Vegas, with a great record, nothing spectacular , blending elements of 80’s, 90’s, and contemporary rock, smothered with a layer of Monterey jack, so it’s a Straight flush from me, 8/10
Tracklisting:
01. Flesh and Bone
02. Runaways
03. The Way It Was
04. Here with Me
05. A Matter of Time
06. Deadlines and Commitments
07. Miss Atomic Bomb
08. The Rising Tide
09. Heart of a Girl
10. From Here on Out
11. Be Still
12. Battle Born
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