Buckcherry – Roar Like Thunder
Buckcherry – Roar Like Thunder
Earache Records
Release Date: 13/06/2025
Review by Beth Morait
8/10
Sometimes ruminating on music that’s complex, intriguingly dissonant, and intellectually challenging is what your brain needs… And other times it just needs some no-nonsense, in-your-face, high-octane Rock ‘n’ Roll, with more clichés than Blackpool pier, that you can drink beer to and bang your head. Today is one of those days, my friends, as it’s another damp bank holiday! So, I needed cheering up.
Buckcherry are a long-term mainstay of USA Rock, and they’re back with their 11th album release, from a career that that’s spanned more than 2 decades. And this album is the epitome of Rock ‘n’ Roll, right from the thunderstorm soundbite that opens the first track, ‘Roar Like Thunder’ (even the track name is a cliché! But I bloody love it). It’s like a freight train of pure rock coming at you at full speed, with its chunky riffs, catchy melodies, and rock-steady rhythms.
This is a band who like to bring perfection to a sound that is ageless. Rock, for Rock’s sake, because they can. And why not! It’s the familiarity that you get from drinking your favourite beverage and eating your favourite meal at your favourite place. No matter how many times you go there, every mouthful feels fresh, despite it being the taste that’s never changed. The sultry solo on ‘Talkin’ About Sex’ slips down your ear canal like the smoothest elixir. ‘Blackout’ hugs you with its groove, welcoming you back to the party. ‘I Go Boom’ places you firmly on the dancefloor, whether you’re up for it or not. This song should be one of those ‘I bet you can’t…’ challenges on social media, because it’s literally impossible to listen to without tapping your foot. And it’s got another solo that adds the hot sauce to your food.
‘Hello Goodbye’ is a really interesting song choice on the album, because it seems to leave behind the good old Rock ‘n’ Roll, opting for 90s Britpop instead. Again, that’s fine in my book, because I’m a 90s kid at heart, and this sounds like something the Oasis, or Ocean Colour Scene might have pulled out back in those halcyon days.
But ‘Machine Gun’ and the closing track ‘Let It Burn’ take us right back to the Classic Rock experience, with the latter being an absolute classic meld of the Rock and Metal greats – ACDC meets Motorhead, meets Priest. Loving it, and it’s a great track to close an album with. Anthemic, hellishly fast, and very singable.
What you see is what you get on this album, for sure. You don’t have to think deeply about any of it or look for nuance and symbolism. Just enjoy the Rock, neck as much JD as you can, and maybe smash an amp or throw a TV out of a hotel room window afterwards! Rock ‘n’ Roll at its purest, and finest – clichés included.
TRACKLISTING:
01. Roar Like Thunder
02. When the Sun Goes Down
03. Come On
04. Talkin’ Bout Sex
05. Blackout
06. I Go Boom
07. Set It Free
08. Hello Goodbye
09. Machine Gun
10. Let It Burn
LINKS:
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