Is it really 26 years since they opened for Kiss at Wembley? Is it really almost 30 years since I liked Kiss? Both are valid questions as “Roar Like Thunder” kicks off.
The title track is fast-paced and lean—no fat, no filler. Rather like frontman Josh Todd himself, who’s steered the band through every up and down.
And let’s be honest, whether they’re as sleazy as a back-alley strip club on “When The Sun Goes Down” or sounding more like AC/DC than Angus does these days on “Come On”, Buckcherry still have what they’ve always had: rock ‘n’ roll in every pore.
Back in the late ‘90s, they were touted as the next Guns N’ Roses. They’ve had their big hits, and that natural arena-rock strut is still built into everything they do. “Talkin’ Bout Sex” has that feel. As ludicrous and incongruous as it may sound in 2025, try resisting it. Go on. If you like rock music, you won’t be able to.
That’s essentially Buckcherry’s appeal. They know the cowbell-drenched stomp of “Blackout” isn’t breaking any new ground—but who cares? By the time its three and a half minutes are up, you’ll want to be in leather trousers and a bandana.
Guitarists Stevie Dacanay and Billy Rowe sound like they’re having a blast trading riffs and solos throughout, but rarely more so than on “I Go Boom”. It’s even more fun than usual thanks being horny (I mean they’ve got a horn section, get your mind out the gutter), giving it an Aerosmith-in-’89 swagger. That same energy rolls into “Set It Free”, which struts and swings with pure intent.
There’s even a touch of tenderness amid all the lip-curling bravado. “Hello Goodbye” isn’t exactly a ballad—it’s no “Every Rose (Has Its Thorn)”—but it’s as close to one as this ten-track blast is going to get.
“Machine Gun” fires things back up again, with a bass groove so filthy you’ll feel like washing your hands afterwards, as the mystery woman “shoots the good boys down”.
Working with Marti Fredriksen this time around clearly pays off. From Aerosmith to Alice Cooper to Hollywood Vampires, Fredriksen knows rock ‘n’ roll—and it shows here.
It’s hard to argue with Stevie Dacanay, who co-wrote the album with Todd, when he says: “It’s the pure, uncut rock ’n’ roll music you’ve been jonesing for…”
Just ten songs, trimmed to fighting weight, “Roar Like Thunder” is made for everyone who still wishes they were 15, wearing a Mötley Crüe patch on the denim jacket they weren’t supposed to take to school (which, in my case, was about as rebellious as I got).
Me and Buckcherry might be middle-aged now—but the heart still beats.
Rating: 9/10
