Warpaint is an important album for Buckcherry. It’s the first batch of new music since the departure of guitarist Keith Nelson and drummer Xavier Muriel in 2017. Overall, it’s the eighth studio effort from the heavily tattooed rockers, and it sees them reunited with producer Mike Plotnikoff (Chris Cornell, Nita Strauss, Halestorm), who worked on their 15 album. Truthfully, nothing on Warpaint comes close to “Crazy Bitch” or “Sorry”; in fact, it’s a pretty mixed musical bag.

The strongest song on offer is “Bent” – an energetic, upbeat number led by highly recognizable vocalist Josh Todd. Title track “Warpaint” is solid, but not stupendous. “Backdown” is full of swagger. Given its off the tracks lyrical content, “The Alarm” could have been the next let loose, wild weekend song; yet the over-bearing backing vocals and stomp-like beat do not scream ‘Party!’ in any way, shape or form. “Closer” comes precariously close to winning, but stumbles near the finish line. 

Then there’s the unexpected and bewildering cover of “Head Like A Hole”, originally done by Nine Inch Nails. Quite simply, it sticks out like a sore thumb; this should have been a B-side or bonus track. “Radio Song” is a melancholy ballad, capable of so much more. “No Regrets” is a head-scratcher; A+ on the lyrics, C for the hokey, twangy music. And “The Devil’s In The Details” is a laundry list of places Buckcherry has played: LA, Witchita, Mardi Gras… New York, Amsterdam… Mexico, Tokyo. Maybe Josh should have spent a little more time on the boulevard to clear his mind.