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Album Reviews : Airbourne – Breakin’ Outta Hell

By on October 6, 2016

airbourne-breakin-outta-hellHome-grown Aussie hard rockers Airbourne have been killing it as of late, packing out arenas across the world and giving crowds a much needed rock and roll revitalisation. The boys have come out swinging with their fourth full-length release, Breakin’ Outta Hell – a raw, aggressive amalgamation of some of the most catchy lyrics and addictive riffs I’ve come to love from Airbourne.

Wasting no time in living up to the album’s name, Breakin’ Outta Hell busts down the walls and delivers a sonic assault like none other. Whilst not overly complex, the simple yet aggressive delivery of this track ensures every listener that this is a band that have perfected their sound and refuse to divulge into foreign elements. The low-tempo “Rivalry” stays true to the recognisable sound, and can’t be mistaken for anything that isn’t a well, catchy-as-hell anthem that I can see being thrown in as a staple to every one of Airbourne’s live shows.

Subsequent tracks, “Get Back Up” and “Never Too Loud For Me” felt unhinged and rebellious; as the energy felt in these tracks were truly something to behold. It’s trait brought to the mix by frontman Joel O’ Keeffe, whose non-stop vocal attack made me feel as though I wanted to get off my computer and find the nearest rock concert. “Thin The Blood” picks up the pace with its lead-infused rhythmics and in-your-face instruction to get absolutely wasted.

As I start to venture well into this album, I can completely understand why Airbourne just aren’t some people’s cup of tea. The lyrics of rebellion and desire to get absolutely wild, the simplistic rhythms, and the increasingly frequent pentatonic-exclusive guitar solos are great for the first few songs, but for some, it just gets repetitive and boring. “I’m Going To Hell For This” and “Down On You” – as uplifting as they are – just seem to recycle that musical formula that is a standard Airbourne song.

Going over the half way point to this, I begin to lose track of when one song ends and the other begins. Maybe I’m too much of an elitist snob to appreciate the simplicity of pure classic rock, or maybe this is how I’m meant to feel – that a killer riff and some rebellious lyrics are all you need to be rock ‘n’ roll these days. I’ll admit, I am really enjoying this album so far, but the inner elitist in me in really cringing at the lack of diversification in the album. However, if there’s one track that stood out for me, it was the final track: “It’s All For Rock N’ Roll”. It’s another anthem worthy of nothing but praise. What separated this song from the rest of the album was its level of control in certain times of the track, where the wild inner nature of Airbourne was restrained to give a subtle approach to the band in softer parts of the track, whilst completely pummelling ears only seconds later with the word: “Together we stand, together we fall!”

Whilst struggling to push the 40-minute mark, Breakin’ Outta Hell packed enough of a punch for it to leave a great big mark. It’s obvious that Airbourne has found comfort in the simple rock ‘n’ roll attack (something that is reminiscent of legendary Aussie icons AC/DC), but who the hell cares? If you’re looking for an album that explores the very frontiers of musical capabilities and experimental elements, then this probably isn’t the album for you. But if you’re looking for an absolute rager of an album to lose your mind to in the most rockin’ way possible, then Breakin’ Outta Hell may very well be one of the standout albums of the year for you.

Breakin’ Outta Hell is out now via Spinefarm Records. Get yours now from the link below!

http://hyperurl.co/breakinphysical
http://hyperurl.co/breakindigital