While there is less stability around us right now, for some more than others, there are a few things that always help us feel better, movies, music, TV shows, porn etc. Usually it’s the items that make us feel nostalgic that help us through the tough times, so it’s always good when a band from my youth comes out with a new album.  Its an added bonus when it’s a good one.

Enter Local H with Lifers.  The Zion Illinois band is known to most for there radio hit bound for the floor, but in fact they’ve been around for 30 years, this year.  It’s been 5 years since their last release and I’m guessing that they waited for that 30 year mark to release Lifers.

The album starts pouring gasoline on the fire right out of the gate with the track Patrick Bateman…for those of that don’t know, that’s the name of Chrisitan Bales character in American Psycho….who happens to either be a serial killer or delusional.  One thing that isn’t delusional is how hard and fast Local H can still play, not only on this track but the whole album, this is just the appetizer.

Throughout the album they mix musical styles, sometimes 70’s and gritty, sometimes a little poppier such as the track  High Wide and Stupid, a commentary on peoples obsession with social media, even a bit of prog rock but the piece de résistance is that throughout the album, one style still comes through, a style long thought extinct, a style that defined the late 80’s and early 90’s and ushered bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden and Mudhoney into the mainstream…..grunge.  Yup not even kidding a few of the tracks sounded like they were straight of the early 90’s…..and it was a fantastic experience to hear the sound again with Lucas’s screaming vocals on top of it.  The song showcasing it the most is Defy and Surrender, which as good as the whole album maybe, is maybe the best track on it.

One thing Lifers shows is that Lucas and Harding sound better than ever and have the energy they did when they started out just after meeting in highschool all those years ago.  The album is solid all the way through and a great and welcome listen and not only does it show that grunge isn’t dead, it shows that its back for good.

4.5/5 albums

-Johnny