The Killers are ready for battle with their new release Battle Born, which came out on Sept. 17. While The Killers are classified as rock, their music could be described as alternative, new wave and indie among other genres. Its fans have waited four years for this album to come out and many would say that it was definitely worth the wait.

Lead singer Brandon Flowers has recently admitted to that he took voice lessons to prepare for the recording of Battle Born.  He has also proclaimed that this new album is a “celebration of music.” This statement certainly shows to be true through the first single off the album, “Runaways,” which is the most epic and powerful song on the record. Flowers has stated that Bruce Springsteen was one of his main influences and “Runaways” is a perfect example of that sentiment. The verses have meaningful lyrics of Flowers analyzing his relationship with his wife and in the pre-chorus, his voice soars. Upon first listen, one would get the chills and feel inspired from his top ten single.

“Flesh and Bone” comes rushing in with powerful 80’s synth sounds and drums. Another standout track is “Miss Atomic Bomb,” which has powerful instrumentation and tells a vivid story of a new kid in town who is romanticized by the local girl. One of the best tracks on the album is the title track “Battle Born,” which gives the record a triumphant ending. The lyrics, Flowers’ soaring voice and the instrumentation are inspiring and have a very hopeful tone.

While the lyrical content of this album is powerful, it is sometimes  overdone and could be translated as cheesy. Probably the cheesiest and silliest lyric on the album will be the line, “don’t want your picture on my cell phone” from the ballad “Here With Me.” There is also a desire for more anthems on the album in the same vain as their breakthrough single “Mr. Brightside.” Besides these faults though, the positive aspects of the album clearly outshine the negative.

In all, Battle Born is just another album that will be added to the
resume of success that The Killers have had. They have stuck to their niche and have not changed, which is critical in the ever changing music landscape. They have clearly won this battle.