THEY’VE had their share of highs and lows, but The Vaccines are back on a rock and roll with their fourth album Combat Sports.

The indie rockers have been on a journey of self-discovery and are back at full throttle, setting aside pop experiments and concentrating on what originally launched their careers in 2010.

“We rediscovered who we were and what kind of band we wanted to be,” says singer, songwriter and rhythm guitarist, Justin Young who originates from Southampton.

“We wanted to make a record to solidify that in our minds, and the minds of other people. We wanted to make the best record we’ve ever made.”

Combat Sports was born of troubled times. The band ended the campaign for their third album, English Graffiti, in a mess. Members of the band had lifestyle and health issues – being in the band wasn’t the fun it had once been. They were also questioning themselves and their music.

“We lost sight of who we were and why we were there,” Young says. “When you’re as insecure and self-aware as me, there’s a constant process of second-guessing everything you do. I’ve brought The Vaccines into my heart again now.

“Being in a band is about compromise and collaboration and I think it’s coming to terms with what we are as a collective and falling back in love with that and making the best record we can for us as a band, rather than as individuals.”

But it was also the departure of drummer Pete Robertson which caused the remaining trio to realise something about the group: “We decided we needed to make it fun again.”

Lead guitarist Freddie Cowan and bassist Árni Árnason provided the manifesto: “The band were saying: ‘We love it when you bring in rock’n’roll songs – they’re so much more fun to play.’”

That was crucial for Young, because he realised The Vaccines needed to be a guitar band again. Specifically, they needed to be a band where lead and rhythm guitar worked together, as on their debut, What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?

The group, aided by keyboard player Tim Lanham and drummer Yoann Intonti, initially as session players, set about hammering new songs into shape through late 2016.

In the process, they realised they didn’t want to be a three-piece so Lanham and Intonti were made full band members which reinvigorated the group.

Justin explains: “You remember how lucky you’ve been – you start getting excited for the new guys experiencing things for the first time, and it breathes new life into the group.”

By May 2017, a total of around 80 songs had been whittled down to 11 and recorded in Sheffield with producer Ross Orton to become Combat Sports.

The result is 11 songs that go back to what The Vaccines were all about in the first place: brash, bold, rock and roll songs that mix melancholy and euphoria. That defiance is reflected in the album’s title, which was thought of after Young and Cowan came to blows on the last day of recording. “We’ve never been shy of telling home truths to each other.

“I don’t see the title as a negative,” Young adds. “On the contrary, to me it embodies survival, strength, commitment, glory, winning. We’re not just saying being in a band and making a record feels like a combat sport – we know how lucky we are.

“If you listen to the lyrics, we’re saying life is a combat sport. Love is a combat sport. Friendship is a combat sport. Mental health is a combat sport. But there is so much hope and positivity in the melody, and in our love affair with music, too.”

n The Vaccines play Bournemouth's O2 Academy on Thursday, April 5.