The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. PAWNS & KINGS

[Grappler]

Wow.  That was surprisingly more rocking than I expected and rather heavy.  Maybe I'll become an Alterbridge fan yet!   

If you can get me into Iced Earth, I can return the favor. 

I was just thinking about that..."he's been raving about Alterbridge for so long, maybe I should just give in and listen"

[Samsara]

Dude.

Metalingus
One Day Remains
The End is Here
Blackbird
Ties That Bind
Wayward One
Words Darker Than Their Wings
Slip to the Void
Isolation
Cry of Achilles
Fortress
Lover
Show Me a Leader
My Champion
Cradle to the Grave

>>>>Just go listen to all those. They're in order by album. You're welcome. 

[Grappler]

Working my way through this list.  Wow.   I'll probably be going down the Alter Bridge and Tremonti wormhole this weekend.

[Stadler]

Working my way through this list.  Wow.   I'll probably be going down the Alter Bridge and Tremonti wormhole this weekend.

Cry Of Achilles is the epic there.  If that doesn't do it, I don't know what will.

[Samsara]

Working my way through this list.  Wow.   I'll probably be going down the Alter Bridge and Tremonti wormhole this weekend.

Tremonti's stuff is bad ass too. A bit heavier overall, but his voice is not nearly as dynamic as Myles'. Don't get me wrong, I love Tremonti (the band, the musician, and his voice). But Alter Bridge is much more dynamic. Have fun this weekend! I'm around, hit me up. 

[wolfking]

Yeah, there's nothing in this new song that would make me want to spin it over and over.  Absolutely nothing new here.

[Nel]

They clearly have a great method of essentially being a song factory. They can keep making good songs forever, but they are (more and more each album) feeling less inspired and more by the numbers. While they sound pleasing (minus the production) they no longer give me any kind of emotional reaction, which is unfortunate.

Fortress was almost that for me (most of it grew on me over time), but The Last Hero was definitely that for me. Not a bad album, but I don't think I've gone back to any of the songs on it since the year it was released.

[Samsara]

The negative reactions are surprising to me, but I guess they shouldn't be. Music is music. It grabs you or it doesn't. I wholeheartedly disagree with the notion that they are less inspired and churn out the same stuff over and over. They experiment and add in new elements with each album. I completely hear the growth and evolution of the band from record to record.

Those of you who don't enjoy the new track, that sucks. Hopefully something else grabs you from the forthcoming album. But I absolutely love it. The riff is very Sevendust-like, the message is positive (which given the darker vein of the track, I find that pretty cool), and I love how Tremonti has put a little bit of Myles Kennedy's style into his solo.

[Stadler]

I haven't heard it yet, but I'm looking forward to it, solely based on your last sentence.   I totally get that Tremonti is talented and is a very good player; he just doesn't rock my world.  Not saying I don't like him or don't listen to him, but only that I feel like there is (or should be) more there.  I GREATLY prefer that Jimmy Page-by-way-of-Joe-Perry vibe of Slash, and the nu-metal-ish (yes, I know Tremonti isn't "nu metal" but I don't know how else to characterize it) style of Tremonti's wears thin for me quickly.  Alter Bridge isn't AC/DC, where I sort of go to them for the electric boogie that they do; I feel with Myles they could be more EPIC. 

I'm not one to ask the bands I listen to to do certain things - I want to hear THEIR choices - but I think what keeps me from loving Alter Bridge more is the relative lack of dynamics - more acoustic, more progressive in terms of song structures and what not - in their material so far. 

Only my opinion; certainly not slagging the band (and will likely see them in the fall when they come through). 

[wolfking]

I only heard the song once but I didn't hear anything that Tremonti was trying to play like Myles.  That just seems silly.

[Samsara]

I only heard the song once but I didn't hear anything that Tremonti was trying to play like Myles.  That just seems silly.

Not at all. In fact, on the last record, Mark said specifically that he was trying to make his solos be a bit more in tune with the melody of the song, like Myles. Mark's solo on this new single follows suit with that. And that's what I'm referring to.

[kaos2900]

Listened just enough to know I like the riff. This is single. Not worried about the album and won't be listening to anything else until release day.

[mikeyd23]

Chiming in late on the single.

I like it. I'm not blown away by it, but it's a decent, solid single. Definitely nothing ground breaking here, it's a pretty straightforward AB "single-ish" track. Hopefully they stretch their wings throughout the record. I'm okay with a couple of these types of songs on an AB record, but only a couple.

The production isn't great. Honestly, I didn't expect anything different at this point. It sounds like a continuation of LTH, sonically speaking. Without hearing the rest of the album, I'm still banging the drum that this band needs a new producer. If they really are fixed on Elvis as a producer, at the very least bring in another engineer and mixer, someone who isn't Elvis or on Elvis' team. Listen to this song and then go listen to something off Periphery's new record. The sonic difference is night and day.

[Stadler]

This feeds into my criticism of being more... epic.   Think Zeppelin III (or to a lesser extent, IV), where you have songs like Immigrant Song (or Black Dog) that are loud and agressive, but sound like are being performed in front of a 20,000 arena, but then the next song is seemingly being done as the band sits around a camp fire (and in the case of "Black Country Woman", that's almost literally true, as you can hear a plane flying overhead).   Atmospherics and a sense of presence that gives added creedence or gravitas to the work. 

[Anguyen92]

^^ The only time that relatively intimate moment happens for an AB show is when Myles come out with only an acoustic guitar and stool and plays Watch Over You or a medley of Wonderful Life/Watch Over You (the Royal Albert Version of that one was beautiful with the orchestra behind him).

That stated, I would love nothing more for the next big "different" show for them to do is to do "An Evening With" and do the one hour acoustic renditions of their songs and the rest can be the usual heavy stuff. 

Also, as I have been listening to Mastodon more in preparation for my concert, last Saturday, seeing them and Coheed & Cambria, I felt like AB had been inspired by Mastodon in recent times when it comes to their sound.  I know Myles is a huge fan of them and I think he stated that he was inspired by Mastodon when they created Island of Fools.  I wonder in AB's attempt to heavily distinct themselves from other bands they are associated with (Creed, Slash, Tremonti, Myles solo) that I think they think that they are going the way of bands like Mastodon would the best way to go?  Maybe, that's why the production of the later AB albums can be a bit polarizing to say the least? Just pure speculation and food for thought.  I sorta wished AB would go the way of Coheed & Cambria though.  Those guys rule and they put on a great live show.

[wolfking]

I only heard the song once but I didn't hear anything that Tremonti was trying to play like Myles.  That just seems silly.

Not at all. In fact, on the last record, Mark said specifically that he was trying to make his solos be a bit more in tune with the melody of the song, like Myles. Mark's solo on this new single follows suit with that. And that's what I'm referring to.

Mark's solos on the last album failed compared to Myles.  His most blandest solos on an AB record IMO.  Maybe he should just be himself and let Myles be Myles.

[Samsara]

I only heard the song once but I didn't hear anything that Tremonti was trying to play like Myles.  That just seems silly.

Not at all. In fact, on the last record, Mark said specifically that he was trying to make his solos be a bit more in tune with the melody of the song, like Myles. Mark's solo on this new single follows suit with that. And that's what I'm referring to.

Mark's solos on the last album failed compared to Myles.  His most blandest solos on an AB record IMO.  Maybe he should just be himself and let Myles be Myles.

Differing tastes and opinions. I happen to think Mark has grown tremendously as a guitar player, and has learned a lot from Myles, who is criminally underrated as a player. But hey, if folks aren't digging Alter Bridge's stuff, that's fine. Just makes it easier for me to get a concert ticket. 

[Anguyen92]

You know what?  I'm really contemplating going to this show in North Carolina.

Alter Bridge with 10 Years and Dirty Honey opening - The Ritz - Raleigh, NC - September 19th, 2019.  I'm at the Walk the Sky Listening Party on September 17th, 2019 in Orlando.  Plane tickets from Orlando to Raleigh doesn't look expensive.  I can travel in the day between and spend the day in Raleigh waiting for the show.  GA tickets are around $43.00 on Ticketmaster and I can get back to SoCal for a half day of work the following Friday.  Plus, 10 Years seems to be an all right band to open for AB.  Shoot, I'm doing it.  Life is too tumultuous with its ups and downs for me not to take this chance.  As always, for me, AB always finds the way to give me an answer to the next path of life.

[Samsara]

You know what?  I'm really contemplating going to this show in North Carolina.

Alter Bridge with 10 Years and Dirty Honey opening - The Ritz - Raleigh, NC - September 19th, 2019.  I'm at the Walk the Sky Listening Party on September 17th, 2019 in Orlando.  Plane tickets from Orlando to Raleigh doesn't look expensive.  I can travel in the day between and spend the day in Raleigh waiting for the show.  GA tickets are around $43.00 on Ticketmaster and I can get back to SoCal for a half day of work the following Friday.  Plus, 10 Years seems to be an all right band to open for AB.  Shoot, I'm doing it.  Life is too tumultuous with its ups and downs for me not to take this chance.  As always, for me, AB always finds the way to give me an answer to the next path of life.

I'd be all over that. I discovered 10 Years about four years ago, and they quickly became a favorite. DO IT. Lucky! I wish I could make the cross-country trip myself, but the fam and I usually do a couple here on the West Coast. This time around, when it's time, we'll likely do Bay Area, and then fly up North to the Pac NW. Spokane was killer last tour.

AB has been my favorite band for a long time now. Just SO. GOOD.

[Max Kuehnau]

I've always liked Myles' style of singing and it's the case with this new single too. I'm sure his parts will be nice as ever.

[devieira73]

https://youtu.be/o_dNolzhErA
This one is a bit different,  in a good way!

[sylvan]

Very much prefer this song to the first release

[mikeyd23]

I really like that song. Still not a fan of the mix, but it's a cool short AB song. There are definitely some keyboard elements happening in there it sounds like.

I also like how the chorus has a back half that is very different from the front half. Oh and the half time at the end 

Pumped for this album!

[Max Kuehnau]

I really like that song. Still not a fan of the mix, but it's a cool short AB song. There are definitely some keyboard elements happening in there it sounds like.

I also like how the chorus has a back half that is very different from the front half. Oh and the half time at the end 

Pumped for this album!

this, I think it will be a banger of an album (although I like all their records). Thanks to Myles as well, he did it again IMHO (as he always does)

[LCArenas]

Take the Crown just released.

While I gotta accept the verses sound way too generic AB for me, the Chorus and intro are amazing. 7/10 track for me.

[fadetoblackdude7]

This one is my favorite of the 3 so far. Good song!

[MinistroRaven]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 22nd, 2019
ALTER BRIDGE “TAKE THE CROWN” WITH LYRIC VIDEO FOR LATEST SONG FROM THE UPCOMING ALBUM WALK THE SKY! WATCH HERE!

New Album To Be Released Worldwide on October 18, 2019. Pre-Order Now at THIS location! https://smarturl.it/WalkTheSky.

Band to Begin Worldwide Tour in Support of Latest Release in September

Band to Begin Worldwide Tour in Support of Latest Release in September
 
(August 22, 2019 – New York, NY) As the debut single “Wouldn’t You Rather” continues to climb the Active Rock charts and on the heels of the recently-released, fan favorite “Pay No Mind,” Alter Bridge have unveiled another track from their upcoming release Walk The Sky (October 18th via Napalm Records). “Take The Crown” is now available on all digital service providers around the globe and an inspiring lyric video for the track can be seen at THIS location. The song, which is sure to be an addition to the band’s live set, opens with the rallying cry lyric “So sorry, so sorry, but you’re going down.” The song is quintessential Alter Bridge and showcases the musicianship that has won Myles Kennedy on vocals/guitars, Mark Tremonti on guitars/vocals, Brian Marshall on bass and Scott Phillips on drums, fans around the globe.
 
For over 15 years, Alter Bridge has been a band known for blurring the line between hard rock and heavy metal. Recorded in a way never done before, the album was born from complete song ideas created by Kennedy and Tremonti. These songs would then be worked on by the entire band to create the fourteen songs that would make Walk The Skythe listening experience it is. This varies from the band’s previous method going back to their sophomore release Blackbird where Kennedy and Tremonti would combine individual ideas and riffs alongside producer Michael “Elvis” Baskette to form some of the band’s most revered songs. From the opening vocal melody on “One Life” to the moving finale of “Dying Light,” Alter Bridge have created a formidable addition to their music catalog. Songs like “Godspeed,” “Native Son” and “Walking On The Sky” are sure to be early additions to the live set. “Forever Falling” also marks a lead vocal return from Tremonti with Kennedy taking the chorus as done previously on the Fortress favorite “Waters Rising.” The debut single “Wouldn’t You Rather” currently sits in the Top 25 at Active Rock. The video for the single has been viewed over a million times and can be seen HERE.
The album is now available for pre-order at https://smarturl.it/WalkTheSky.

Recently, Alter Bridge announced the VICTORIOUS SKY TOUR beginning in September that will take them throughout the United States co-headlining alongside Skillet with special guest Dirty Honey opening. The European headline tour billed as the WALK THE SKY TOUR is scheduled for November and December and will feature Shinedown, Sevendust and The Raven Age. The band has also been announced as part of the inaugural Exit 111 festival in October and as a headliner of the sold-out 2020 sailing of Shiprocked.
 
Alter Bridge VICTORIOUS SKY TOUR Co-Headline with Skillet and special guest Dirty Honey:
Sept-22 Baltimore, MD – MECU Pavilion
Sept-24 New York, NY – Terminal 5
Sept-25 Philadelphia, PA – The Met
Sept-27 Columbus, OH – Express Live!
Sept-28 Grand Rapids, MI * – 20 Monroe Live
Sept-30 Toronto, ON * – Rebel
Oct-3     Worcester, MA – The Palladium
Oct-5     Cleveland, OH – Agora Theatre
Oct-6     Detroit, MI – The Fillmore
Oct-8     Minneapolis, MN – Myth Live
Oct-10   Chicago, IL – The Chicago Theatre
Oct-11   Kansas City, MO – Arvest Band Theatre
Oct-13   Manchester, TN – Exit 111 Festival
Oct-14   St. Louis, MO – The Pageant
Oct-16   Mobile, AL – Saenger Theatre
Oct-17   Birmingham, AL – Avondale Brewing Company
Oct-19   San Antonio, TX – Vines Event Center
Oct-20   Dallas, TX – Tress
Oct-22   Tampa, FL – Jannus Live
Oct-24   Orlando, FL – House of Blues
Oct-25   Orlando, FL – House of Blues
* Dirty Honey Not Appearing on This Date
 
Alter Bridge WALK THE SKY TOUR Featuring Shinedown, Sevendust and The Raven Age:
Nov-12 DEN, Copenhagen - KB Hall
Nov-14 FIN, Helsinki - Ice Hall Black Box
Nov-16 SWE, Stockholm -  Hovet
Nov-17 NOR, Oslo - Sentrum Scene
Nov-19 GER, Hamburg - Sporthalle
Nov-20 GER, Berlin - Columbiahalle
Nov-22 GER, Leipzig - Hause Auensee
Nov-23 POL, Warsaw - Hala Kolo
Nov-26 GER,Cologne - Palladium
Nov-27 GER, Munich - Zenith
Nov-29 AUT, Vienna - Gasometer
Dec-01 SWI, Zurich - Halle 622
Dec-02 ITA, Milan - Mediolanum Forum
Dec-04 SPA, Barcelona - St. Jordi Club
Dec-06 POR, Lisbon - Sala Tejo
Dec-07 SPA, Madrid - Vistalegre
Dec-09 FRA, Paris - Olympia
Dec-10 HOL, Amsterdam - AFAS Live
Dec-12 BEL, Brussels - Cirque Royal
Dec-14 ENG, Nottingham - Motorpoint Arena
Dec-15 ENG, Manchester – Manchester Arena
Dec-17 SCO, Glasgow SSE - Hydro Arena
Dec-18 ENG, Birmingham – Birmingham Arena
Dec-20 WAL, Cardiff - Motorpoint Arena
Dec-21 ENG, London - 02 Arena

Alter Bridge burst onto the music scene in 2004 with the release of their gold-selling debut, One Day Remains. In 2007, the band released Blackbird, the album that elevated the band’s profile worldwide. The epic solo in the title track “Blackbird” was voted “Greatest Guitar Solo Of All Time” by Guitarist Magazine. ABIII was released in 2010 and the single “Isolation” gave the band their first #1 single. In 2013, the band reached an elevated creative and critical plateau with Fortress. It bowed at #12 on the Billboard Top 200, moving over 30,000 copies first-week and earning unanimous tastemaker praise. The record garnered perfect scores from Total Guitar and KERRANG! as well as acclaim from Billboard, The Guardian, Loudwire, Ultimate Guitar, and many more. In between sold out tours in Europe and North America, the guys appeared on VH1 and graced the cover of Classic Rock Magazine who labeled Fortress, “The best thing they’ve ever done,” while Eddie Trunk called it, “A top 10 album of the last 10 years.” 2016’s The Last Hero gave the band their first Top 10 album since their debut. Alter Bridge has appeared on The Tonight Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live and their music has been used by the WWE, Major League Baseball and NASCAR to name a few. The band recently released the video and audio of their career highlight, Live At The Royal Albert Hall, featuring Alter Bridge backed by the 52-piece Parallax Orchestra led by conductor Simon Dobson.
 
ALTER BRIDGE line-up:
Myles Kennedy on vocals/guitars
Mark Tremonti on guitars/vocals
Brian Marshall on bass
Scott Phillips on drums
 
For more info visit:
www.alterbridge.com
www.facebook.com/alterbridge
Twitter: @alterbridge

[goo-goo]

The promo cycle for this album has felt very long...and there is two more months to go before release.

[ReaperKK]

Alter Bridge has been on my bucket list to check out for a long time but they never seem to come by my area.

[Anguyen92]

Welp.  Less than a month go to before I head out to the East Coast for the Walk the Sky album listening party and their first show of the tour in Raleigh, NC.  Still got a lot of prep things to do like relistening to their entire catalog, listening to the main supports' stuff (10 Years and Dirty Honey), and on top of that, I'm going to see Iron Maiden two days before I go to the airport, so that's going to be a really exciting week for me.

As for the songs before the album is out, I think they fill their purposes like other Alter Bridge singles do and these are some solid songs and especially on Pay No Mind and Take the Crown where AB decided to throw a little curveball with the synths effects in the background and they still make it work where other contemporary bands that would try something different in that vein has failed from what I can hear.  They showcase some of the heavier aspects of them as well as the catchier side of them, especially when it comes to the choruses.  The one thing these songs are missing though, which I always feel like is their greatest strengths, is that bridge section before they transition to the bridge verse. 

The important thing is that I still feel like the best is yet to come.  I think I got high hopes for Dying Light (I feel like they are 5 for 5 when it comes to really great closing songs and I don't see any reason for this to break that trend), especially as the longest song of the album at only 5:45.  Walking the Sky looks to be promising as it is pretty much the title track (which they always deliver out of the park when it comes to the title tracks).  Forever Falling has Mark on vocals and given how great Waters Rising is, another AB song that has Mark singing should be solid. 

I don't want to feel like thinking that this is going to be their best album ever, because it's not fair to the other five great albums if it does succeed and it's not fair to think otherwise if Walk the Sky doesn't deliver.  I always look at the focus and the intent that these guys want to achieve in every album and see if they do it well and able to deliver their intent with their songs and they always do that.  This is just the next step forward of where they want to go as a band in amidst of everything going on around them and within them.

[ReaperKK]

Am I just drunk of do I not see the show for NC?

[Anguyen92]

I mean it's hard to find it, since the articles has been plugging the Victorious Sky co-headlining tour with Skillet and the two shows in the Carolinas before that are standalone AB headlining shows.  Here's the link of the Raleigh show.  I will be there.

https://concerts1.livenation.com/event/2D0056E1C4204299

[ReaperKK]

Bummer it's on a Thursday, I don't think I have the PTO to drive up and check out the show

[hefdaddy42]

Welp.  Less than a month go to before I head out to the East Coast for the Walk the Sky album listening party and their first show of the tour in Raleigh, NC.

Nice!  I was thinking of going!  Maybe we can meet up?

[Anguyen92]

Welp.  Less than a month go to before I head out to the East Coast for the Walk the Sky album listening party and their first show of the tour in Raleigh, NC.

Nice!  I was thinking of going!  Maybe we can meet up?

Yeah, maybe.  Flying out to Orlando tonight.  Probably waiting in line for hours (hopefully, near the front) at both shows.