Back in 2010, when lead singer Brandon Flowers released his debut solo album, Flamingo, he said that he saved a gem for the next Killers record. I assume the gem is none other than the lead single, “Runaways”. This roots rock tinged Americana track has much in common with some of the tracks from Flamingo, but it is taken to the next level with the full band treatment. The song has a simply MASSIVE chorus and lyrics that are so emotional that it is not a stretch at all to say that this is one of the best singles The Killers have ever released.

If there’s one thing that “Runaways” foreshadowed from Battle Born, it’s that we could expect songs so big that they could rattle a skyscraper. Opener “Flesh and Bone” starts off with a mellow synth riff that suddenly erupts into a call-to-arms assault on all those standing in their way. “What are you made of?” sings Brandon Flowers through soaring vocals. If there is one thing that has consistently improved throughout this band’s career, it is the vocals of Brandon Flowers. He had taken singing lessons prior to recording this album, and it shows, because he has never sounded better.

The production is huge on Battle Born, but some of the strongest moments are the more mellow ones. The penultimate track on the standard edition of the album, “Be Still”, is a slow-burning plea to remain who you are while facing adversity. The instrumentation is very minimal to give full attention to the vocals, and really allows Flowers to shine on this track. “Here With Me” follows a similar route, an emotional ballad with melodies that just make you want to sway along and hold up your cell phone. These two tracks are new territory for the band, but they knock it out of the park.

Though this album is focused, that does not mean that it is without its faults. In the process of creating a cohesive album, some of the songs don’t stray far away enough to truly stand out. This happens mainly in the mid-section of the album, where most of the huge instrumentation has taken a back seat to more standard pop rock songs. “Deadlines and Commitments” is a mid-tempo rocker that doesn’t really accomplish much, and “Heart of a Girl” is an overly cheesy song that drains much of the energy the album had upheld to that point.

Regardless of a couple missteps along the way, The Killers close Battle Born in a suitably epic fashion. The closer is the title track, and it is easily the best closer The Killers have recorded yet. As “Flesh and Bone” was a rousing call-to arms, “Battle Born” is the call to keep on going, to never give up the good fight. “And when they knock you down / you’re gonna get back on your feet.” Huge Guitars and synths collide to create an outro that is simply out of this world. The final track on a Killers album is usually one of the weaker ones, but this albums closer is quite possibly the best song on the LP.