The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. PAWNS & KINGS

[Mister Gold]

I think AB would be very well served by Myles and Mark setting aside a couple months for songwriting and preproduction next time out. Just get in a room and write together and take chances. Then get a new production team. Do something DIFFERENT. Because while I love AB, and I love their songs, Mrs. Samsara is right - I always hear that masterpiece that they've yet to do. You hear brilliance in many of their epics. And in some of the more intense, straight forward metal/hard rock cuts (Isolation, Show Me a Leader, Ties That Bind, etc.). But there is always SOMETHING that interrupts an idea.

For example, doing Pawns and Kings, Myles has said things in the press how after the first five tracks, with the songs very intense, and sorta deep emotionally, they wanted "Holiday" to break it up, not be so serious. Well, WHY THE HELL do you feel the need to do that? There's no need. AB is really good at the intense, serious vibe. Embrace it. Don't feel a need to put some sort of poppy chorus middle of the album cut in there. Embrace what you're good at.

They did the same thing after "Fable." Season of Promise. Poppy chorus, not so intense. And then after that, they get dark and proggy with Last Man Standing and the title track. All of that is because the band felt the need to "check the boxes" at two specific points on the record. That's stupid, honestly. Regardless of whether a fan likes those two songs or not (I know I am in the minority in that I don't like them), the STYLE of the songs was not needed. Not with the type of material that was throughout Pawns and Kings. EMBRACE the direction. Don't feel a need (which I am sure was in part pushed by Elvis Baskette) to check boxes because of expectation.

p.s. I edited to add that another aspect that I respect about Mark and Myles is their love and recognition for the album format. I forget which of the two said it (maybe it was both), but one of them made a point to say how they agonize over a tracklisting, to make sure the complete body of work flows the way they intend. As a full-album listener, I really appreciate that. Which is why, it is also baffling they do some other things that I complain about. 

But bottom line is - these guys are too damn talented to restrict themselves to AB by the numbers.

Been away from the forum for so long that I missed this chat, but I have to say that I strongly agree with your general consensus here. In fact, this has all been a bit of a sticking point for me going all the way back to The Last Hero. As much as I love the band, it really feels like they suffer a lot from an identity crisis and trying to placate fans of One Day Remains and the rock-ier material on Blackbird. But in addition to those songs feeling out of place with the rest of the album, they also tend to feel like the 'by-the-numbers' tracks on the albums.

In fact, I found this old post of mine from 2016 back when The Last Hero was coming out and it feels as true to me now as it did then.

I will say this: Fans of One Day Remains probably won't like this album. I don't want to assume on that, but considering how many folks seem to practically worship that album over at TABN and seemingly almost detest the band's more recent work, it seems like a strong possibility to me. Alter Bridge isn't a hard rock band anymore, despite what Myles and Mark might say. They're a heavy metal/prog metal band, in the vein of Queensryche and the like.

There's three 'light' songs on this album (My Champion, You Will Be Remembered and Twilight). The rest is pretty damn heavy and a good number of those heavy songs mix things up a bit and try new things too. That's why My Champion especially feels out of place. It's a fun song, but it's like having a Raised on Radio-era Journey tune squeezed into the middle of Operation: Mindcrime. I'm all for variety, but there's got to be at least some sort of tonal balance with the album.

That's why I think Lover was such a highlight on Fortress; it's a very different sort of song from the rest of the album, but it totally matches the tone perfectly. Hell, even All Ends Well manages to fit in by being immediately followed by the title track and having its lyrical themes juxtaposed by Fortress' lyrics. One song suggests that we can succeed and work towards a finished goal/that 'all ends well,' while the other song looks further ahead and recognizes that nothing we do lasts forever.

[Anguyen92]

Well, after these three shows in South America, in a few weeks, as far as we know, this is it for AB in terms of touring or releasing anything until hopefully 2025?

Mark, Flip, and Brian is already doing some appearances with Stapp and Creed whether it was making an appearance at a game during the Texas Rangers playoff run or in a rehearsal studio and probably going to be announcing some stuff with Creed.

Myles is set to do a charity show with Slash in December that has guys he's familiar with (Gov't Mule, Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience, etc.) and then after that he's touring with Slash and Co. from January - April.

I'm going to be frank.  I'm not liking this development.  I get why everyone is going off in their own ways and they are going to deliver on everything they are going to do.  I just feel, for a lack of a better word, there's a sense of abandonment.  There are fans out there that doesn't care much about Creed and/or Slash and it's like, for one year, AB as an entity doesn't exist, not to be talked about, or have anything to get excited about. In my mind, that absolutely sucks since the band is way too good for that to just be phased out for a year.  That said, there is always a chance that narrative could change in 2024, but it just doesn't feel like it's going to go that way.

[Samsara]

Anguyen,

Respectfully, I think you're overreacting. AB did this the last time Creed reunited too. And there were no issues. They got back together like they had planned to from the very start.

No, I don't like it, because while I like Creed, AB is one of my favorite bands and is probably my favorite current band. So for them to be on hiatus likely until a new record in 2025 or 2026...well, it sucks. Creed, according to Tremonti, has a new record pretty much all in the can in ready. They just shelved it because Stapp went off the rails. So even if Creed does a new record, say later this year, and does a year-long tour from late-2024 through late-2025 (just guessing here), I am more than sure Myles and Mark have a plan already set up to write and record a new AB record after all that.

I hate it, and hate that attention is being taken away from Alter Bridge. But sadly, it's just reality. But I'm not worried about them getting together or this being a longer hiatus. It's pretty clear AB was encouraged by the great reception to Pawns & Kings, and to be frank, they play a style in AB that they DO NOT play in any of their other projects.

Again, it sucks for someone like me, who favors AB over all of it, but I have no fear it'll be a long hiatus. Just have to swallow it and look forward to 2025/2026.

[Anguyen92]

Of course, I am overreacting.  That's just how I feel, especially in 2015 when there was no news at all or events happening around AB.  That was a horrible year for me to get excited about anything in music or sports.

[Anguyen92]

I guess there's also part of me is also mad that there's a section in the AB Nation forums where you have some posters are so dang bi-polar when it comes to the Creed thing that they take it out on AB at times when it comes to the little things.  Then when Creed finally announces the cruise, they were like "Really?  That's all we get?  A cruise that only limits about 2,000 people and is hella expensive?"  I'm like, you are going to get the extended stuff like a longer tour or perhaps a new album.  Just give it time.

Then Tim Tournier, AB's and their related projects manager, made a post on Facebook that gives fans like me a reassurance that AB isn't going to be gone long-term, those people still got mad at that.  Just makes me mad at those people.  This was my long-winded post about this whole Creed development.

Touring is always, for a lack of a better word, a grift and that goes for most bands. Like look at all of bands I mentioned in the previous post. What compelling new stuff have they released nowadays that matches well to their classics of the late 90s/early 00s? Can people just be appreciative that this band wants to do something after a lot of internal conflicts that would have put this band to rest once and for all?

Like I'm happy for the band that they are coming back (at the expense of my favorite band not doing stuff) after everything that has happened. I'm not really happy for the people that always wants to denigrate what the other guys have done prior to this and the moment Creed decides to come back and only wants to do a cruise for now, it's still not enough for them. It's like they want the band to put an end to AB and Stapp solo and do new music. I even think if they do release new music, it still wouldn't be enough for them.

On the other hand, I do want to see Creed do something similar to what Porcupine Tree has done when they had a brief reunion last year (and if you look at Steven Wilson's prior interviews regarding why he didn't want Porcupine Tree to reunite, it's close to what Mark had said prior to reuniting Creed. It's just Steven Wilson was more dismissive of the reunion in prior times). They were able to release good new music based on the ideas they had in between the hiatus and did a short tour and people were happy and they went off going back to doing other things with the door always opened for Porcupine Tree.

Yes, this is me being overreacting and sometimes being irrational.

[Stadler]

Well, after these three shows in South America, in a few weeks, as far as we know, this is it for AB in terms of touring or releasing anything until hopefully 2025?

Mark, Flip, and Brian is already doing some appearances with Stapp and Creed whether it was making an appearance at a game during the Texas Rangers playoff run or in a rehearsal studio and probably going to be announcing some stuff with Creed.

Myles is set to do a charity show with Slash in December that has guys he's familiar with (Gov't Mule, Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience, etc.) and then after that he's touring with Slash and Co. from January - April.

I'm going to be frank.  I'm not liking this development.  I get why everyone is going off in their own ways and they are going to deliver on everything they are going to do.  I just feel, for a lack of a better word, there's a sense of abandonment.  There are fans out there that doesn't care much about Creed and/or Slash and it's like, for one year, AB as an entity doesn't exist, not to be talked about, or have anything to get excited about. In my mind, that absolutely sucks since the band is way too good for that to just be phased out for a year.  That said, there is always a chance that narrative could change in 2024, but it just doesn't feel like it's going to go that way.

Look at it this way. I love Myles with Slash, first, then I love Myles solo, then I love Myles with AB.  Not that I don't like AB, but I prefer the Slash and solo work.  So he's abandoned me for the last year and a half, you know what I mean?   This is what happens when musicians pursue their muses in different outlets. 

All of what you're saying is just your opinion.  Are AB REALLY "way too good" - compared to Slash and solo and Creed - to "just be phased out"?  For you, certainly.  And certainly for many more people.  But for others, all those other outlets are "way too good" to "just be phased out" when AB is on their cycle.  It's the nature of the music business these days.

[Anguyen92]

Look at it this way. I love Myles with Slash, first, then I love Myles solo, then I love Myles with AB.  Not that I don't like AB, but I prefer the Slash and solo work.  So he's abandoned me for the last year and a half, you know what I mean?   This is what happens when musicians pursue their muses in different outlets.

If only more people have as much enthusiasm for Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators as you do.  Some people in the GNR forums hate Myles.  They hate his voice and they hate the idea that he's out there creating albums and stuff with Slash while GNR is doing the dribble approach of creating and releasing songs.  Those people make me just as angry as the people that are bi-polar with Creed.  It's just frustrating when I see people not be appreciative for these guys and what they are doing away from AB when I, the AB fan, has to sit here and just wait the time before they get back in action and have to read through all of that in the meantime.

Yes, I can be irrational and petty like this when I should know better when it comes to talking about things on the internet.

[Stadler]

HAHA, just you?

And just because I can:

[hefdaddy42]

Definitely overreacting.  I mean, whether Creed or other side projects were happening or not, they are still entitled to take some time off, aren't they?

At least these guys who we like will still be making music that in some way fulfills them.  That's not a reason to get upset.

[Samsara]

I'm glad to read Tim has said AB won't be gone long-term. That would be a shame. And I didn't think they would be.

Let's call this as it is.

Artistically, Alter Bridge is far and beyond Creed or Slash and the Conspirators, in terms of complexity of music -- AB is the musicians band, where the AB guys can get a little muso and do things. The AB guys do Creed for the $$$, and Myles does Slash because Appetite is one of his favorite all-time records, and Slash pays him REALLY well. They also get to play places in the U.S. AB hasn't been able to consistently headline. For example, back on the Fortress tour, AB finally played the Warfield Theatre in SF, after playing at the smaller Regency Ballroom before that, and has played the Regency Ballroom on every tour AFTER that. But with Slash, they play the Warfield EVERY time.

It's a numbers game. They make money with Creed and with Slash. A lot more money, particularly in the U.S., than they do with AB.

BUUUUTTTT...AB is absolutely huge in the UK and Europe, where they play arenas. So every so often, after AB does their run, they trot out Creed and Myles goes and does something with Slash. I GET IT.

As a fan, I get a little frustrated though. Because all these different ventures ultimately rob Alter Bridge of time to write like an old school band. For Blackbird, they sat together and wrote that record, together. After that, because they individually got busier with other projects, they started just compiling pieces of songs, and then getting together to arrange together. NOW, because they are very much in-demand with the other projects, they don't write together at all. They write songs separately, choose the ones everyone likes, and then do some minor arranging to fit what their producer thinks is necessary to check the AB boxes, and voila, that's AB.

That's my frustration as a fan of ALTER BRIDGE. That band suffers creatively to a degree because their primary songwriters are out doing other things. To this day, I feel like AB's masterpiece is yet to be written, because they just don't have the right time to do it. You hear it in the little comments both Myles and Mark make about "needing a single," or "checking a box" with something style-wise that AB is known for. As a fan, I really get mad about that. It is what it is, but what I would give for Mark and Myles to come into an AB project, and have them together sort of outline a direction and write together like they did for Blackbird, and forget all the BS that their producer Elvis Baskette says, and just write what they want to write. It sounds like they do just that on their solo albums -- do that for AB!!!!

But it is what it is. Maybe one day, from front to back, we'll have that Alter Bridge record that is absolutely flawless. Their Operation: Mindcrime, or Images and Words, or Master of Puppets, etc. It's in there, I know it is. They just need to get TOGETHER, and create TOGETHER. Just my .02.

[Anguyen92]

^^ That can be the frustrating part about Alter Bridge.  I feel like they, as a band even after all they have done and created, have more to offer when it comes to touring or constructing an album.  I mean I would love them to do a solely acoustic album (or a double album that's one half acoustic or one half electric).

You hear the stories on how Mark created A Dying Machine (he was just doing stuff on soundcheck at an AB show and he sang "You're a Dying Machine." and took the concept from there).  Same goes for Myles when he wrote Year of the Tiger when he was mowing his lawn and sang "In The Year of the Tiger." and took his concept from there.  They just need that stroke of spontaneity to apply to AB, but everyone is up against it when it comes to planning the next year in advance that the band can't make that happen out of nowhere.

It's not like they are out of ideas.  I believe, in a recent podcast with The Darkness' Justin Hawkins, Myles said that he has troubles sleeping at times because there's always song ideas in his head.  Good podcast by the way and Justin Hawkins has a good Youtube channel.  I like his videos at times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Pe4JgjVdKA

[Stadler]

I'm glad to read Tim has said AB won't be gone long-term. That would be a shame. And I didn't think they would be.

Let's call this as it is.

Artistically, Alter Bridge is far and beyond Creed or Slash and the Conspirators, in terms of complexity of music -- AB is the musicians band, where the AB guys can get a little muso and do things. The AB guys do Creed for the $$$, and Myles does Slash because Appetite is one of his favorite all-time records, and Slash pays him REALLY well. They also get to play places in the U.S. AB hasn't been able to consistently headline. For example, back on the Fortress tour, AB finally played the Warfield Theatre in SF, after playing at the smaller Regency Ballroom before that, and has played the Regency Ballroom on every tour AFTER that. But with Slash, they play the Warfield EVERY time.

It's a numbers game. They make money with Creed and with Slash. A lot more money, particularly in the U.S., than they do with AB.

BUUUUTTTT...AB is absolutely huge in the UK and Europe, where they play arenas. So every so often, after AB does their run, they trot out Creed and Myles goes and does something with Slash. I GET IT.

As a fan, I get a little frustrated though. Because all these different ventures ultimately rob Alter Bridge of time to write like an old school band. For Blackbird, they sat together and wrote that record, together. After that, because they individually got busier with other projects, they started just compiling pieces of songs, and then getting together to arrange together. NOW, because they are very much in-demand with the other projects, they don't write together at all. They write songs separately, choose the ones everyone likes, and then do some minor arranging to fit what their producer thinks is necessary to check the AB boxes, and voila, that's AB.

That's my frustration as a fan of ALTER BRIDGE. That band suffers creatively to a degree because their primary songwriters are out doing other things. To this day, I feel like AB's masterpiece is yet to be written, because they just don't have the right time to do it. You hear it in the little comments both Myles and Mark make about "needing a single," or "checking a box" with something style-wise that AB is known for. As a fan, I really get mad about that. It is what it is, but what I would give for Mark and Myles to come into an AB project, and have them together sort of outline a direction and write together like they did for Blackbird, and forget all the BS that their producer Elvis Baskette says, and just write what they want to write. It sounds like they do just that on their solo albums -- do that for AB!!!!

But it is what it is. Maybe one day, from front to back, we'll have that Alter Bridge record that is absolutely flawless. Their Operation: Mindcrime, or Images and Words, or Master of Puppets, etc. It's in there, I know it is. They just need to get TOGETHER, and create TOGETHER. Just my .02.

Usually I'm in lock step with you on most things music, but I think that is a complete disservice to suggest that somehow AB is the band of integrity, of artistic expression, and the Slash gig is to pay the bills. I can't speak for the Creed thing; you know better than me, but I find it hard to believe they're doing that just for the jitneys.  I know you worded that carefully, using the word "complexity", but I for one, don't at ALL think that complexity alone elevates AB "far and beyond" Slash; it's a different style, sure, but in the grand scheme of things, it's not that different and for me, there's a far greater emotional resonance in the Slash material than the AB material. 

I get it, you both prefer that incarnation and hold it to be something special.  That's fine; in fact it's admirable.  I just don't think that translates into the cosmic meanings that are seeming to get placed on that. 

[Samsara]

Stads,

Creed is very simplistic, songwriting-wise. Slash's music, while more dynamic than that, to my ears, is a very, very different animal to AB. Slash is basically blues-based hard rock, with some attitude and swagger. Myles' gig with Slash...Myles is a very, very reluctant frontman. His whole "act" on stage while fronting Slash is just that -- an act, because that's really not him. That whole LA rock and roll thing is a character that Myles gets into to do that gig. He's said many, many times that he prefers to hide behind his guitar and rock out. He's shy. And all that swagger and the music he fronts in Slash, while entertaining, is nowhere near who he is.

And as for the music itself, again, it's just bluesy hard rock, often in normal 4/4 time. Once in a while they do something a little off the beaten path, but not often, because that's not Slash. But in Alter Bridge, you get a gazillion different tunings, a number of time changes, mood shifts, that music is way more complex than what Slash does.

That's not opinion. That's fact.

What we LIKE better, is obviously opinion.

[Anguyen92]

Let's be clear on my end.  I got no quarrels on the type of music that bands like Creed and Slash brings and there's clearly demographics that enjoys both entities and both bands can create some interesting material at times. 

What I just don't like is that while those bands are active, there are some people that, at times, underappreciate what Mark, Myles, Flip, and Brian brings when they are on their separate paths with those bands. I know that's a over reactionary opinion to have on the internet, but that's how I feel at times.

In AB, for all of those guys, I enjoy what everyone brings to the table more than anything else they are in.  I always say this.  Despite the static setlists, there's no better place I would rather be at than at an AB show. 

[hefdaddy42]

Stads,

Creed is very simplistic, songwriting-wise. Slash's music, while more dynamic than that, to my ears, is a very, very different animal to AB. Slash is basically blues-based hard rock, with some attitude and swagger. Myles' gig with Slash...Myles is a very, very reluctant frontman. His whole "act" on stage while fronting Slash is just that -- an act, because that's really not him. That whole LA rock and roll thing is a character that Myles gets into to do that gig. He's said many, many times that he prefers to hide behind his guitar and rock out. He's shy. And all that swagger and the music he fronts in Slash, while entertaining, is nowhere near who he is.

And as for the music itself, again, it's just bluesy hard rock, often in normal 4/4 time. Once in a while they do something a little off the beaten path, but not often, because that's not Slash. But in Alter Bridge, you get a gazillion different tunings, a number of time changes, mood shifts, that music is way more complex than what Slash does.

That's not opinion. That's fact.

What we LIKE better, is obviously opinion.

Stads isn't saying that AB isn't more complex.  He's saying that fact doesn't make it necessarily qualitatively better or more of value than anything else.

[Samsara]

Stads isn't saying that AB isn't more complex.  He's saying that fact doesn't make it necessarily qualitatively better or more of value than anything else.

And I agree with that, to the individual, it is entirely subjective.

I like Creed, and like Slash. But for me, and my subjective taste, all the factors that set AB apart from Slash and Creed absolutely make AB qualitatively better and more of value than those two outlets.

I feel like I made that pretty clear, tbh, hef.

But Stads also said this:

I think that is a complete disservice to suggest that somehow AB is the band of integrity, of artistic expression, and the Slash gig is to pay the bills. I can't speak for the Creed thing; you know better than me, but I find it hard to believe they're doing that just for the jitneys.

And while I can't cite a source to back any of this up, if you've spent any time following Alter Bridge in depth, you know that Creed is where the money is. They've said for years they know Creed and Creed fans will be there. They've basically said they know whenever they want to be Creed they can and people will follow (meaning, buy tickets and sell places out).

As for Myles, Stads is right -- I can't say definitively that he does it for the money alone. He's never even hinted at that. BUT, if you have followed him, you know that he's totally putting on an act while fronting for Slash, doesn't really write the kind of music Slash plays and writes (Myles just does lyrics and melodies for Slash, I believe), and it is way out of his comfort zone standing without a guitar trying to sing "Welcome to the Jungle." But Myles gets  paid, and gets a lot of exposure that creates a new audience for his solo work and AB, and...there you go.

I am sure that over the years, Myles has gotten more comfortable on stage with Slash as the frontman without a guitar. I saw their last tour, he seemed pretty comfortable for sure. And he likes that entire band (they truly have become a band).

[Stadler]

I understand that's where the money is. But that doesn't mean they are doing it FOR the money.   EDIT: You said that above; so we're on the same page there.    They may still get artistic satisfaction out of it, but maybe they don't want to rely on Scott, or they like playing with Myles, or maybe they know that if they rode that horse too frequently, it would break.  Who knows?

You know him better than I do; I waved at him and said thank you at one show and got blown off by him and his wife at another. So I've never asked him any of this.

But I've seen Slash I think four times now, and sure, the token Guns song is clearly done for the fans.  But I get no sense that there's anything inauthentic about his performance on the self-written material.  It may only be a fraction of his personality, but whatever it is he's projecting is still real.

And again, the point is only that IT READS TO ME - and in caps, because it's my perception, I could be dead wrong - that some of you are attributing these objective, factual conclusions simply to the fact that you LIKE that incarnation better.  To me, it's not a competition; there's not "better", or "more integrity" or whatever, just, simply, "What do I like better".  I get that you guys love AB - I'm in awe, frankly, and I mean that sincerely.  It's been a minute since I've been so into a band that I would travel on a plane to see them. I'm jealous.  But even when I was, it didn't make that band any "better" than any other.

Frankly, not to piss on your parade, but if AB is so complex and so advanced musically, it's worse for me, because then they become the band of misplaced opportunity. Where's their Physical Graffiti? Where's their Dark Side Of The Moon?

[DTwwbwMP]

Damn, this has been a great thread with the last ten or so posts. I'm pretty much team sansara on this, but I also agree with a lot of stads' points.....MIND BLOWN!!!!

[DTwwbwMP]

I love Creed....I love SMK....I REALLY LOVE AB! I'm good with it all

[Samsara]

Frankly, not to piss on your parade, but if AB is so complex and so advanced musically, it's worse for me, because then they become the band of misplaced opportunity. Where's their Physical Graffiti? Where's their Dark Side Of The Moon?

AGREED! That was my whole point of the AB stuff I said earlier regarding how the guys basically have evolved into this "check the boxes, make sure Elvis the producer thinks we've done enough style songs to check all the boxes."

AB is killing itself artistically by not sitting down together, writing together, and making that time to make THE album of their career. They are my favorite current band, but it absolutely boggles my mind. Their masterpiece is still ahead of them. They just need to commit to it, and not worry about checking boxes.

[hefdaddy42]

Maybe their masterpiece ISN'T ahead of them.  Maybe what they are is just what they are.

[Stadler]

Maybe their masterpiece ISN'T ahead of them.  Maybe what they are is just what they are.

Maybe you're right, but that begs the question that Samsara has been alluding to for several posts (and actually, several MONTHS) now: is this the direction of modern music?  We have to consciously fit into a demographic or genre when we put out music?  This is our "blues rock" project, this is our "alt-metal" project, etc.   Zeppelin didn't worry about whether their music was "blues" or "metal" or "folk" or "prog", they just played it, and so you get songs like "No Quarter" alongside "Over The Hills And Far Away".  I don't know that ANY band is really tramping on genres in that way these days. 

[Samsara]

Maybe their masterpiece ISN'T ahead of them.  Maybe what they are is just what they are.

Maybe. But if you're a fan invested in them and all their projects, you hear they have more to offer if they'd just devote the time to it.

Edit. What Stads said.

[lordxizor]

Maybe their masterpiece ISN'T ahead of them.  Maybe what they are is just what they are.

This is how I see AB at this point. There are masterpieces of songs sprinkled throughout a bunch of solid albums, but not one album that is mind-blowing. I'm OK with that. I think they're a step better artistically and technically than most mainstream rock and metal these days, but not up there with the elites.

[Mister Gold]

Maybe their masterpiece ISN'T ahead of them.  Maybe what they are is just what they are.

This is how I see AB at this point. There are masterpieces of songs sprinkled throughout a bunch of solid albums, but not one album that is mind-blowing. I'm OK with that. I think they're a step better artistically and technically than most mainstream rock and metal these days, but not up there with the elites.

Agreed. Barring some sort of drastic change from the band, like an announcement that Elvis B won't be producing the next AB album or a sudden willingness to play more new songs in their discography live than older hits from Blackbird, I just don't see the band ever managing to really live up to their full potential.

Which sucks IMO, because if you're a fan, you can hear how talented they are and how capable they are- the capacity to make an all-timer classic metal/rock album is absolutely there in Alter Bridge. But as it stands, I feel like they're a bit too comfortable in going with their usual flow.

[DTwwbwMP]

Maybe their masterpiece ISN'T ahead of them.  Maybe what they are is just what they are.

Maybe you're right, but that begs the question that Samsara has been alluding to for several posts (and actually, several MONTHS) now: is this the direction of modern music?  We have to consciously fit into a demographic or genre when we put out music?  This is our "blues rock" project, this is our "alt-metal" project, etc.   Zeppelin didn't worry about whether their music was "blues" or "metal" or "folk" or "prog", they just played it, and so you get songs like "No Quarter" alongside "Over The Hills And Far Away".  I don't know that ANY band is really tramping on genres in that way these days.

EXTREME does for sure!

[DTwwbwMP]

Maybe their masterpiece ISN'T ahead of them.  Maybe what they are is just what they are.

This is how I see AB at this point. There are masterpieces of songs sprinkled throughout a bunch of solid albums, but not one album that is mind-blowing. I'm OK with that. I think they're a step better artistically and technically than most mainstream rock and metal these days, but not up there with the elites.

Agreed. Barring some sort of drastic change from the band, like an announcement that Elvis B won't be producing the next AB album or a sudden willingness to play more new songs in their discography live than older hits from Blackbird, I just don't see the band ever managing to really live up to their full potential.

Which sucks IMO, because if you're a fan, you can hear how talented they are and how capable they are- the capacity to make an all-timer classic metal/rock album is absolutely there in Alter Bridge. But as it stands, I feel like they're a bit too comfortable in going with their usual flow.

Bing Bing Bing! I've been screaming this for years regarding AB! It's so obvious that while they are great, there is SO MUCH MORE THERE that could make them LEGENDARY!