Battle Born, released on September 18th, 2012, is The Killers’ fourth studio album. With recording having begun after a nearly two year hiatus, many wondered if Battle Born would be as successful as The Killers’ previous rock albums. Three months after its release, it certainly seems so.

Singles from Battle Born include “Runaways” (released July 17), “Miss Atomic Bomb” (released October 23), and “Here with Me” (released December 16). Lyrically, a theme of domesticity is prevalent throughout many of the album’s tracks, which reflects how frontman and songwriter Brandon Flowers spent much of the aforementioned hiatus with his family.

Musically, Battle Born doesn’t exactly push any boundaries; this is simply alternative rock at its best, and that’s all it needs to be. Just listen to the fans: Battle Born was voted as the second best album of 2012 by the readers of Rolling Stone Magazine.

Though perhaps not as anthemic as their previous efforts, The Killers have still managed to hit the right note with Battle Born. As genres such as dubstep and pop continue to dominate American billboards, The Killers show that traditional rock is still a defining part of American culture. We give Battle Born four out of five stars and highly recommend it to anyone searching for new music.