SoCal hard rockers Buckcherry return with their ninth studio effort, bringing an old friend along for the ride. For Hellbound, the band reunited with producer Marti Frederiksen who not only helmed Buckcherry’s fourth album (Black Butterfly) but also co-penned one its biggest hits “Sorry.” The quintet is led by the instantly recognizable raw vocals of Josh Todd. It has traversed interesting territory of the rock spectrum in more than two decades: classic Rock, post-grunge, punk—heck even a little rockabilly. Buckcherry has cast a wide net while preserving the core sound to which fans have become accustomed.

Hellbound finds Buckcherry leaning into more of a classic rock styling, mixing some AC/DC and Guns N’ Roses within the scope of modern rock. The record opens with a dramatic countdown into the driving hard rocker “54321.” The song isn’t punk rock per se, but it mixes that attitude with chugging classic rock riffs. The opener echos the bluesy rock howl of Velvet Revolver’s “Sucker Train Blues” and sets the tone for what’s to come the rest of the way.

“So Hott” keeps up the pace with an infectious, almost danceable glam-rock romp. The song doesn’t toe the suggestive lines of 2009’s “Crazy Bitch,” but it fits the bill as a rock and roll party anthem. The title track turns back the clock even further with a fuzz-toned AC/DC-esque fist-pumper. “Everybody got a cut/ And there’s more to go around/ Now we’re hell-bound,” Todd sings. This far into the band’s career, Buckcherry isn’t necessarily breaking new ground, but longtime fans will find more than enough to sink their teeth into.

The band mixes in some southern rock and slight country aesthetics into “Gun,” with some harmonica accompaniment to boot. “I’ve got something to prove/ And I’ve got my target set on you,” Todd sings just before the band rolls into a fiery guitar solo. “No More Lies” stays in the same lane, but with more of a mid-tempo groove. Heavy riffs are traded in for slick licks.

“Here I Come” regains the full-speed momentum, with a four-on-the-floor pulsing drumbeat and Todd’s raw primal vocals cutting through all along the way. The band turns to more of a lo-fi rock sound on “Junk,” with gang vocals shouted and sure to translate well to concerts.

Producer Frederiksen co-wrote the majority of Hellbound along with Todd and guitarist Stevie D, while the album was recorded in Nashville in November 2020. Recording in Nashville may have been where Buckcherry found its southern touch. For an ever-so-fleeting moment, the opening notes of “Wasting No More Time” harken back to Carrie Underwood’s anthemic “Before He Cheats.” The track starts as a rootsy rocker, moving into a lighter power ballad for the chorus. The album’s only balladry arrives in the form of “The Way.” If “Sorry” was the band’s breakup anthem, then “The Way” is the anthem for reconciliation. Todd’s delivery here is varied and impressive.

The album concludes with “Barricade,” a dynamic modern rocker that fuses heaviness with melody, closing with another soaring guitar solo. Hellbound is a perfectly fitting addition to Buckcherry’s discography. Listeners won’t find a ton of surprises, but plenty of good ol’ reliable rock and roll.

Follow writer Mike DeWald at Twitter.com/mike_dewald.