Airbourne's 'Airbourne' - Album Review

After covering quite a bit of heavier and more progressive stuff on this blog of late, it has been quite nice recently to return to things more organic and stripped back. Ricky Warwick's latest opus was my last album review here, with the Northern Irish singer-songwriter once again delivering the goods on his latest folk and punk inspired rock solo album, but today I will turning to Australia and a band that has rarely been mentioned on this blog before: Airbourne. Despite the possible passing mention, the only time that the hard rock four-piece have been covered here in any detail was back in 2014, when I saw them opening for Black Stone Cherry in Birmingham. In truth, I am not exactly sure why I have not given Airbourne more love over the years. I remember being quite into the band's 2007 debut album Runnin' Wild in the aftermath of its release. I was never a die-hard fan of it, but I liked it quite a bit due to its relentless energy and strong songwriting. Quite a few friends were into the band at the time, too, so I was also lent 2010's No Guts. No Glory. around the time it dropped. I did not own either album at the time, so perhaps I was only ever really a casual fan - and I did not enjoy the second album as much as the first, which is maybe why I slowly stopped paying attention. I periodically check in over the years, though. I remember borrowing 2013's Black Dog Barking from the local library when I was working there, probably a few months or so after its release, and there was that 2014 show that I already mentioned. I remember enjoying Black Dog Barking more than No Guts. No Glory., and the band were also good live, but I soon stopped paying attention again - with even Runnin' Wild rarely getting any attention. I was put off getting 2016's Breakin' Outta Hell due to hearing its title track probably 30 or 40 times over the course of the weekend at that year's Bloodstock Open Air as it was part of one of the few repeated adverts played on the festival's big screens. Following that, I never really revisited the band again. I would often see news snippets so I was generally aware what they were up to - but I did not give their albums or concerts any meaningful thought until earlier this year, when I saw that the band were gearing up to release their sixth studio album. This sixth album, their first since 2019's Boneshaker, is self-titled - and their first to feature rhythm guitarist Brett Tyrell, who replaced Jarrad Morrice in 2023. In a way, it seems strange that it has taken Airbourne seven years to follow up their last album. Airbourne's no-nonsense brand of true Australian hard rock, which is often compared to AC/DC, is not exactly complex - so putting new material together is unlikely to be as challenging as it could be. Despite this, though, Airbourne have never been the most prolific - generally having three year gaps between albums which are, often, very short. Most of the band's album's are under 40 minutes long - but Airbourne is the longest at around 47 minutes, with No Guts. No Glory. the only other album to breach the 40 minute mark, any bonus tracks notwithstanding. Airbourne sees the band reuniting with producer Brian Howes, who also produced Black Dog Barking, and the classic Airbourne sound is very much present and fiery here. They still sound pretty much like AC/DC, albeit a little heavier, but there is a tightness and energy to the album despite its relative length. Aside from the rhythm guitar spot, which has now changed hands a few times, the rest of the band's line-up has appeared on all of their other albums - with frontman Joel O'Keeffe, drummer Ryan O'Keeffe, and bassist Justin Street here as ever.

Airbourne is not an album that is going to change anyone's views regarding the band. Each album essentially sounds the same as the one before it, and this one is no different. If you like what the band do, though, there is plenty to like here - although at 47 minutes it is perhaps a little overlong. Airbourne operate best when they get in and get out - but given the gap between albums perhaps they wanted to give the fans more for their money. Some of the songs have been floating around online for a year or so, too, with the kick-off track Gutsy one of them. Hanging clean guitar melodies actually open the song, before a simple hi-hat beat kicks in - and the clean guitar lines turn into something more hard rocking, with the song growing in stature over the first minute or so of the song. Chugging guitar rhythms and a driving bluesy riff form the basis of the song - whilst the verses proceed in a rather stop-start manner. Joel's voice has always been powerful and full of character, and that remains the case here. His riffing generally accents his vocals, filling the gap between lyric lines, whilst the rhythm guitar and bass plod in the background. The arrangement is simple, then, but there is an energy to the riffing - and Joel's vocals always elevate any Airbourne number. Shout-along choruses are generally the order of the day here, too, and there is a powerful one here with big gang vocals and a fists-in-the-air attitude. A bluesy guitar solo from Joel is thrown in, too, and the song is a strong opening cut. Alive After Death (Last Plane Out) opens with some punchy drumming from Ryan, before a more mid-paced guitar riff, overlaid by a melodic guitar lead, forms the basis of the song. With the chugging guitar rhythms and 4/4 drumming present throughout this song, the AC/DC comparisons make total sense. Airbourne never really push the envelope, but they have become very proficient over the years. This song is perhaps not as furious as the opening number, but there is a more of a melodic strut to this one - with plenty of memorable guitar lines and a chorus that sounds a little more on the slick side. Airbourne's material often has a rawness to it, but their albums are always well-produced - and this one is no different. There is real power in the riffing here, whilst the slight sheen to the chorus adds a 1980s edge. The song is one of my favourite cuts here as a result. Here She Comes opens with some wordless vocal melodies, which form a pretty melodic opening against a simple drum groove - before a busy guitar melody, Thunderstruck style, takes over. The mid-paced groove of the previous song remains here, but there is perhaps even more of an overtly melodic feel this time. The riffing feels more strident and less scrappy though, with verses that feel made for big venues - whilst Street keeps everything locked in with his bass playing. There is more of a gang vocal focus here, especially as the chorus is approached, whilst the chorus features layers of backing vocals which are more melodic than is typical, too. It is an easy song to sing along with, then, and Joel's later guitar solo builds on the busy main guitar motif that returns throughout the song. Kid in a Candy Store returns to something a bit more scrappy and groovy, with a juddering, simple guitar riff that kicks in from the start and essentially drives the song from then on. The melodic sheen of the past couple of songs has largely been stripped away, with a heavier feel returning again. The simple AC/DC-esque rhythm section provides plenty of punch, whilst the interlocking guitars are just separated enough to be able to pick them out. This is very much just hard-driving and high-octane rock. It is not as fast as Airbourne can be, but it certainly feels more energetic than the previous two - with more of a gang vocal chorus at pace. A breakdown with some cleaner guitars acts as a brief change of pace later on.

Sky High reins in the pace again, with the band this time going for more of a bluesy strut. The guitar tone feels a bit more organic and less distorted here, but there is still plenty of crunch - whilst the drumming and simple bass playing does an awful lot to give this song its overall feel. There is certainly an early AC/DC feel to this number, when the band let their bluesy roots shine a little more, but the song still rocks hard with brash open chord riffing and the heavy stomp of the drumming. A lengthy chorus, which mixes band-led gang vocals and more melodic trade-offs is another memorable one, even if it is not as urgent as some of the other examples, whilst Joel gets to cut loose a bit more on the guitar this time with a bit more soloing than is typical. The soloing is suitably bluesy, too, which fits nicely into the song overall. Who Put the Rhythm in You? opens with a couple of big snare hits and some surprisingly clean guitar melodies. Whilst there is still an edge to the early melodies, the guitar melodies are still a bit brighter and cleaner than might be expected - and the song builds around them for a while, with swirling vocals and the band fading in. Once the song gets underway proper, though, the band have locked into another pretty typical mid-paced groove. Brash riffing and that ever-present pulse of the rhythm section ensures that the core Airbourne sound is present and correct, and it is another pretty enjoyable cut as a result. The song's chorus feels like a more energetic version of the last song's chorus. The vocal approach is quite similar, but the pace is a bit faster overall - and the riffing feels a bit heavier. The guitar solo is more typical of Joel's usual style, too, so the song returns to something more like the rest of the album. Christmas Bonus, which feels a little out of place currently in October, is another song that has been hanging around for a while. It is not the most Christmassy-sounding song, though, despite some sleigh bells early on, and, lyrics aside, it is basically just typical Airbourne. Similar to the last song, the track is high-energy and hard rocking - but perhaps even more so, building up the overall pace and heaviness again. The chorus, for a Christmas song, is high-octane and shout-along, made for playing live, whilst the lyrics are packed full of Christmas-themed innuendos. It is safe to say that it is not a song that the Grandparents would enjoy around the dinner table, but I can see the song becoming a favourite of rock and metal Christmas parties - and there is a good sense of Christmas fun throughout. It is a very catchy and energetic song, then, and the lack of any typical Christmas melodies means that it is one that can, just about, be played at any time of year. Last Man Standing pairs the pace back in again, instead laying down a slower, more deliberate groove. These mid-paced songs that Airbourne often whip up are generally full of groove and power - and this one is no different. Like some of the other similar tracks here, the song builds fairly slowly around some cleaner guitar melodies, but the classic Airbourne sound kicks in once the song starts proper. The verses feel a little different to the norm, though, as the drumming pulls back a little. There is less of a a typical 4/4 drive during the verses, with a slightly more percussive approach taken to allow the guitars to do most of the heavy lifting. The chorus is much more typical, though, with the drums crashing back in a big way and more loud gang vocals. The more deliberate nature of the song works nicely for me as a bit of a point of difference.

Rock 'n' Roll Ya opens with some lone gang vocals, laying down part of the chorus, but this intro is short lived as the band soon kick in - with another riff that is Airbourne 101. After the subtle differences found in the previous song, this one very much gets back to the band's core sound. The driving groove of the rhythm section sounds as potent as ever, with the verses snappy despite a relatively mid-paced arrangement - whilst lead guitar breaks feel a bit more prevalent here, especially after each chorus. The gang vocals of the chorus proper feel more powerful compared to the song's opening rendition, and it is another shout-along chorus that nicely sticks in the brain. A slightly lengthier guitar solo builds on the guitar leads elsewhere - with the song being another that is likely destined for the stage over the coming years. Bogota is slightly more grinding overall. A relatively busy drum intro soon gives way to a riff that feels a little heavier than is typical which, when paired with a slower pace, gives the song a little bit of a different feel. The chorus is pretty typical of the band's sound, but the song as a whole feels a bit noisier. There is little of the precise grooves and snappy riffing generally found, with a much more distorted sound - with the guitars just generally sounding noisier. It is hard to explain how the song sounds, as at its core it sounds like Airbourne, especially once the gang vocals of the chorus kick in, but the verses have a snarling dirtiness to them - wrapped up in an almost metallic 1970s riff. The guitar solo is very whammy bar heavy, too, adding to the noisy sound previously described. Hells Got No Vacancy (with its disappointed lack of apostrophe) returns to something much more typical, with some bluesy guitar playing early on, before another pretty hooky open chord riff kicks in - and the song just really rumbles along from there. Rumbling is the appropriate word, too, as Street's bass playing is pretty prevalent during the verses, with the two guitars laying down riffing and grooves above the pulsing basslines. The song is very similar to a number of other songs here, but the energy keeps it interesting - and there is another shout-along chorus that is packed full of simple, caveman hooks. The album then comes to a close with Send Me to Rock 'n' Roll Heaven, one of my favourite cuts here. The band have ended things on a strong note here, and the song pays tribute to a lot of their favourite musicians who have died. It is not a sentimental number, though, with the band's trademark hard sound present - and the song rocks out hard in tribute to many name-checked passed greats. The chorus is one of the fastest and hookiest on the album, whilst the main riff is snappy in that way that made AC/DC's best numbers really tick. There is nothing really to dislike about the song, and its energy keeps the album rocking to the last moment. There is a bit of a breakdown section included, too, which includes snippets of news reports about some of the musicians' deaths - whilst Joel's guitar solo is another pretty high-octane, bluesy affair. It is always great when an album ends on a real high, and Send Me to Rock 'n' Roll Heaven is one of Airbourne's big highlights for me. Overall, then, despite having not paid much attention to Airbourne in recent years, I have been enjoying this latest album from them since it dropped last month. It is certainly nothing original, but as far as hard-driving and high-energy rock goes it ticks a lot of boxes - even if cutting a couple of the lesser numbers would have probably allowed for a stronger overall album.

The album was released on 4th September 2026 via Spinefarm Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Alive After Death (Last Plane Out).