Australian rockers Airbourne have never been ones to think small. But on their self-titled sixth studio album, they’ve outdone themselves. Airbourne, a name that has, after all, become synonymous with bombastic, beer-soaked, dangerous, sexy rock’n’roll. “This record distils everything we stand for into one album,” explains Ryan of the title. “It’s the best album that we could possibly make.” Reuniting with the powerhouse production team of Brian Howes (who produced 2013’s Black Dog Barking) and engineer Mike Fraser (who worked on 2016’s Breakin’ Outta Hell and 2010’s No Guts. No Glory.), the band knuckled down at Music Farm Studio in “the jungle” outside Byron Bay. The complex boasts the original Neve console from Alberts Studios, on which bands like AC/DC, Rose Tattoo and The Angels recorded their landmark early albums. It’s all presented in a meticulously crafted package mixed by Zakk Cervini (BMTH, Architects) that captures the passion, fire and sweat-soaked danger of a band at the peak of their powers, complete with drums that sound like canons and guitars that cut like buzzsaws. “Alive After Death” and “Send Me To Rock’N’Roll Heaven” pay tribute to the band’s fallen idols, the latter referencing Lemmy, The Angels’ Doc Neeson, John Bonham, Bon Scott, Little Richard and more. Joel wrote the lyrics to the barnstorming “Alive After Death” one night on the tour bus, reflecting on how these legends’ music makes them immortal. Elsewhere there are tales from the road (“Bogota”), songs of defiance and never giving in (“Last Man Standing”, “Hell’s Got No Vacancy”, “Gutsy”) and more sex (“Sky High”). All that’s left now is for Airbourne to return to the stage, safe in the knowledge they’ll be bringing with them the best album they’ve made.
