Roar Like Thunder by Buckcherry - album review

Roar Like Thunder by Buckcherry – album review

Neil Johnson 22 May 2025 6 minutes read

Monster Shop Score: 81/100

Buckcherry’s eleventh album, Roar Like Thunder, explodes with raw energy and classic rock swagger. This is a record that refuses to grow old quietly. Instead, it turns up the volume, channels the band’s wild spirit, and proves there’s plenty of life left in the old dogs yet. If you’re looking for pure, no-nonsense rock’n’roll that makes you want to jump about the living room, you’ll find plenty to love here.

Release Details and Notable Facts

Roar Like Thunder arrives on 13 June 2025, released globally by Earache Records (and Round Hill Records in North America). The band recorded the album at Sienna Recording Studios in Nashville. They worked once again with their long-time collaborator, Marti Frederiksen, whose production credits include Aerosmith, Mötley Crüe, and Ozzy Osbourne. His son, Evan Frederiksen, also contributed to the recording. Mastering was handled by Anthony Focx, known for work with Metallica and Aerosmith. The result is a punchy, modern record that’s firmly rooted in hard rock tradition.

Buckcherry: Context and Where We Are Now

Buckcherry formed in California in 1995, making a name for themselves with hits like Lit Up and Crazy Bitch. Over the years, they’ve weathered breakups, lineup changes, and the shifting sands of the music business. Josh Todd, the ever-present frontman, is now the sole original member, joined by Stevie Dacanay (guitar), Billy Rowe (guitar), Kelly LeMieux (bass), and Francis Ruiz (drums).

Their last few albums, including Warpaint (2019), Hellbound (2021), and Vol. 10 (2023), saw Buckcherry riding a new wave of creative energy. In fact, Vol. 10 landed them high on the UK Rock and Metal charts and brought them back to sold-out venues. Roar Like Thunder comes hot on the heels of a 20th anniversary reissue of their double-platinum breakthrough,

My Take: Strengths, Weaknesses, and Standout Tracks

Firstly, Roar Like Thunder is a full-blooded hard rock album that plays to Buckcherry’s strengths. The production is sharp, the riffs are bold, and Josh Todd’s vocals are as gritty and infectious as ever. The title track, Roar Like Thunder, sets the tone with a runaway train rhythm and a chorus that sticks in your head for days. Come On channels classic AC/DC with its stomping groove and positive message, urging you to shake off distractions and chase your dreams.

Moreover, there’s variety on offer. I Go Boom brings a horn-driven swagger that’s a bit different for the band, while Blackout drips with sleazy riffs and swagger. Set It Free is another highlight, with a big, catchy hook and a lyric video that captures the band’s high-octane spirit. Hello Goodbye offers a rare moment of reflection, nodding to influences as wide as George Michael. Not only that, but the album closes strong with Let It Burn, a short, sharp shock of rock’n’roll that leaves you wanting more.

On the other hand, there are moments where the band sticks a little too closely to their formula. If you’re hoping for a radical reinvention, you won’t find it here. Some lyrics flirt with cliché, and a couple of tracks feel more like familiar Buckcherry fare than future classics. Nevertheless, the album’s energy and conviction carry it through.

Musical Style, Themes, and Place in the Buckcherry Story

Stylistically, Roar Like Thunder is pure Buckcherry: riff-driven, rhythm-heavy, and proudly rooted in the sleaze and swagger of classic hard rock. The band wears its influences on its sleeve, from AC/DC to Aerosmith, but brings enough attitude and muscle to make it their own. Thematically, the album deals with living life loud, facing up to your past, and finding your own path through chaos. Josh Todd’s lyrics touch on addiction, recovery, and personal growth, but never get too heavy-handed.

The band’s knack for big hooks and singalong choruses remains undimmed. The production is tight, with every instrument punching through the mix. The addition of horns on I Go Boom adds a fresh twist, and the relentless pace keeps you engaged from start to finish. While it doesn’t break much new ground, Roar Like Thunder is a confident statement from a band that knows exactly who they are.

How Does It Compare?

In the context of Buckcherry’s discography, Roar Like Thunder feels like a natural evolution. It’s not as raw as their self-titled debut or as iconic as 15, but it sits comfortably alongside their recent output. Whereas Time Bomb struggled to find its feet, this album sounds like a band in their element, enjoying the ride and playing to a packed house.

If you’ve enjoyed their previous albums—especially Warpaint, Hellbound, or Vol. 10—you’ll find plenty to enjoy here. The production is bigger, the band is tighter, and there’s a real sense of momentum. In the wider rock landscape, Buckcherry might be seen as outsiders, but that’s exactly what gives them their charm. They’re not trying to chase trends; they’re here to deliver rock’n’roll, loud and proud.

Touring and What’s Next

Buckcherry are hitting the road hard this summer, with a massive US tour running from May through August 2025. They’ll be playing everywhere from casinos to festivals, with stops in places like Las Vegas, New Jersey, and Denver. There are even co-headline dates with Hinder, Blue Öyster Cult, and Scorpions. You can check out the full list and grab tickets at their official website. If you fancy a VIP experience, the band are offering meet-and-greet packages, which include a photo, signed laminate, and more.

Final Thoughts

Overall, Roar Like Thunder is exactly what you want from Buckcherry in 2025: energetic, unfiltered, and full of attitude. It’s not perfect, and it won’t win over every critic, but it’s a blast from start to finish. For long-time fans, it’s another reason to crank up the stereo and celebrate a band that’s still roaring after three decades. For newcomers, it’s a solid introduction to a group who refuse to fade away quietly. In summary, Buckcherry have delivered a hard rock album that’s well worth your time—and, more importantly, your volume knob.

Let us know in the comments what your thoughts are on Roar Like Thunder by Buckcherry. Did we miss anything? Share your experiences and join the conversation!

Neil Johnson

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Tags: 2025 Buckcherry

Podcast Episodes

Riffology: Iconic Rock Albums Podcast

Remember when payday meant choosing which CD or vinyl you were blowing it on? Standing in HMV doing the mental maths, convincing yourself two albums was basically essential. Riffology is Neil and Chris chasing that feeling again, one classic record at a time.

This is a show about the albums that raised us —
Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Motley Crue, Def Leppard,
Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Pink Floyd, Radiohead,
Skunk Anansie, Gojira, Soulfly and the rest.
If it’s 25+ years old, loud and iconic, we’re in.

Each episode is two Gen X mates diving into studio sessions, producer chaos and band drama plus the joy of taped-over cassettes, dodgy car stereos and sitting on the floor with a record sleeve.

We nerd out when we should: Albini vs Vig, room-miked vs close-miked,
Neve consoles, dynamic-range disasters and those “how did this get approved?” moments.

If you grew up when albums were events, this is your place. Some weeks it’s an old favourite; other weeks it’s something you abandoned in ’94. Either way, Riffology’s here to talk rubbish, tell stories and remind you why these records mattered.

When the Funeral Flowers Were Real and Nobody Knew It Yet

Hosts: Neil & Chris
Duration: ~77 minutes
Release: Not scheduled

Episode Description

Neil and Chris sit down with one of the most quietly devastating records ever committed to tape: Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged in New York, recorded on 18th November 1993 and released almost a year later, after Kurt Cobain was already gone. What was supposed to be a reluctant, contractually awkward TV taping became something nobody in that room fully understood until much later. This episode digs into exactly why that happened, and why it still matters.

The hosts explore the full context behind the recording, from Kurt’s repeated refusals and the day-before drug comedown that nearly killed the show, to the single-take performance that no other MTV Unplugged artist ever managed. Neil and Chris talk about what it means that Kurt got everything he asked for, the meat puppets, the funeral flowers, the office chair, the hidden amp, and still thought it was a disaster when it was over.

What You’ll Hear:

Why Kurt despised the MTV Unplugged format and what it took to get him there at all
The deliberate choice to play almost no Nevermind material, and what that says about where Kurt’s head was
Dave Grohl’s struggles with playing quietly enough, and how a pair of brushes solved it
The Martin D18 guitar’s journey from a $5,000 purchase to a $6 million auction result, now in the Royal College of Music
The green cardigan, the wrong-name cello introduction, and the hidden Fender Twin Reverb masquerading as a monitor
Why the audience’s stunned silence after the final song convinced Kurt the whole thing had flopped

Featured Tracks and Analysis:

Neil and Chris move through key moments including Dumb, Polly, Come As You Are, and the closing Where Did You Sleep Last Night, noting how the stripped-back format transforms Kurt’s voice into something rawer and more exposed than any studio record allowed. The deliberate choice to sing Meat Puppets covers in uncomfortably high keys is discussed as entirely intentional, a decision to make the strain audible. Chris also flags Kurt’s use of chorus effect, which somehow managed to be cool in a way nobody else has quite pulled off since.

Tangential Gold:

Italian cars, Ducatis, and the unique personality of machines that look beautiful but won’t start in cold weather
A detour into Little Angels reuniting, why they never broke America, and why that still stings
A suspected ATM ram-raid at the local garage that prevented the purchase of Bongo Cokes
Neil’s son alphabetising the vinyl collection and having strong feelings about box sets
A spirited debate about which REM album to cover next, with Out of Time emerging as the likely winner

Why This Matters:

This record sits in a category that very few albums ever reach. It is not just a live document or an acoustic reimagining. It is a time capsule, a last testament, and an accidental self-portrait of an artist who thought the night had gone badly. Neil puts it plainly: this one transcends the usual question of how much you like an album. It just does something else entirely.

Perfect for: Anyone who owns this on vinyl and loses 45 minutes every time they put it on, fans curious about the chaos behind the recording, and anyone who wants to understand why a single office chair and a hidden amplifier ended up mattering quite so much to music history.