Battle Born
by The Killers
  • Record Label: Island
  • Release Date: Sep 18, 2012
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 174 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 138 out of 174
  2. Mixed: 24 out of 174
  3. Negative: 12 out of 174
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  1. axelkoch
    Sep 28, 2012
    5
    Worst album of The Killers yet. It's good stadia music and I would go and see them live if I had the chance to, but if you are hearing to it just in your room it's pretty dull. Their music is still good, but the CD is just unremarkable. You can confidently overlook that.
  2. leafar0997
    Dec 18, 2012
    6
    Battle Born is not a great album, but it's a good one. Songs like "Runaways", "Miss Atomic Bomb" and "Here With Me" are very pretty songs and there are no songs in the album that we listen and say: OMG, this is so bad. So I think that this album is another little triumph in The Killers career, however they had already been much better, especially with their amazing album Day & Age, thatBattle Born is not a great album, but it's a good one. Songs like "Runaways", "Miss Atomic Bomb" and "Here With Me" are very pretty songs and there are no songs in the album that we listen and say: OMG, this is so bad. So I think that this album is another little triumph in The Killers career, however they had already been much better, especially with their amazing album Day & Age, that contains the best Killers song ever: Human.… Expand
  3. DaGuruDette
    Sep 20, 2012
    5
    Shrimp says he does not like these guys anymore but we all know he does. How could he not? I mean these guys have been Duran Duran rejects from day one that bubblegum pop the crap out of their albums. Duh shrimp be reppin this band......hello?
  4. MidnightShow
    Sep 30, 2012
    6
    Let me start by saying in my opinion The Killers were the best band of the last decade, but this album is a major disappointment for me, the band seemed to have lost their edge front man Brandon Flowers is in fine voice but unfortunately this album features his most cliched and simple lyrics yet the mentions of Cellphones and Making Out sound even more daft given the album's mature AORLet me start by saying in my opinion The Killers were the best band of the last decade, but this album is a major disappointment for me, the band seemed to have lost their edge front man Brandon Flowers is in fine voice but unfortunately this album features his most cliched and simple lyrics yet the mentions of Cellphones and Making Out sound even more daft given the album's mature AOR musical style whilst Dave's guitar and Mark's Bass are rarely given a chance to stand out. They are a few decent tracks, title track Battle Born is my personal favourite and overall it's not a terrible album just below par from what i've come to expect from this band.… Expand
  5. Mins99
    Sep 21, 2012
    5
    I have been looking forward to this album coming out for a good few months and have got to be honest and say I was disappointed with what they've come up with. I know they'll never reach the heights of their first album (not a lot of bands do) but I was expecting something more like Sam's Town. They've been away for 4 years so they've had plenty of time to come up with fresh ideas. A fewI have been looking forward to this album coming out for a good few months and have got to be honest and say I was disappointed with what they've come up with. I know they'll never reach the heights of their first album (not a lot of bands do) but I was expecting something more like Sam's Town. They've been away for 4 years so they've had plenty of time to come up with fresh ideas. A few of the songs are formulaic, one or two are Flowers solo material thrown on a Killers album. Stand outs for me were the first 2 tracks (Flesh and Bone + Runaways) the last 2 (Be Still + Battle Born). I'm trying my best to like Here With Me and A Matter of Time, but the rest I'm afraid to say do nothing for me even after a few listens. If the Killers can't do better than this, they should stop getting their fans hopes up and call it a day after maybe doing a greatest hits album and touring that.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

40
#40 Most Discussed Album of 2012
35
#35 Most Shared Album of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
64

Generally favorable reviews - based on 27 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 27
  3. Negative: 1 out of 27
  1. Magnet
    Dec 4, 2012
    55
    They too often edge into Meat Loaf/Jim Steinman territory, where every detail becomes a cause for operatic exaggeration and any clunky line or cliche sounds ridiculous. [No. 93, p.56]
  2. Q Magazine
    Oct 22, 2012
    80
    This ends up as a thrilling victory of an album because at its heart it has the same great swirling mass of melancholic energy that drove their debut. [Nov 2012, p.88]
  3. Prefix Magazine
    Oct 4, 2012
    65
    Naturally there some moments where having too producers and visions hurts them, but for the most part, the band sticks to the formula that's worked in the past.
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