Author Topic: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. PAWNS & KINGS  (Read 256590 times)

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Offline Nel

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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #770 on: October 09, 2013, 04:24:02 PM »
Best Buy version is a go!  :metal
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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #771 on: October 09, 2013, 10:34:24 PM »
My first reaction was that this album's production is fantastic. But when compared to ABIII, it really isn't much better. When I put on 'Still Remains', and the riff comes in, air is moved. You can hear everything clearly, every instrument has space (while still being a loud master). This one is a little muddy (Fortress), but it is by no means unacceptable.

Yes.
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Offline Accelerando

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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #772 on: October 10, 2013, 01:10:40 AM »
I can't stop listening to this beautiful album. So heavy, melodic, and ANGRY. Besides the experimentation with arrangements, the lyrics are what surprises me the most.

So far, my top songs are

1. Calm The Fire
2. Cry of Achilles
3. Bleed It Dry
4. Lover
5. Fortress
6. Waters Rising
7. The Uninvited
8. Farther Than The Sun
9. Addicted To Pain
10. All Ends Well
11. Cry A River
12. Peace Is Broken

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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #773 on: October 10, 2013, 04:43:02 AM »
Peace is Broken your least fav?  It's probably top 3 for me.
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Offline mikeyd23

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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #774 on: October 10, 2013, 07:47:36 AM »
My first reaction was that this album's production is fantastic. But when compared to ABIII, it really isn't much better. When I put on 'Still Remains', and the riff comes in, air is moved. You can hear everything clearly, every instrument has space (while still being a loud master). This one is a little muddy (Fortress), but it is by no means unacceptable.

Yes.

I can see what you are saying in regards to the master on Fortress seeming to be a little muddy when everything kicks in at times, but I would say the actual mix on Fortress is better than the mix on ABIII, IMO.  ABIII lost the power of the rhythm section at times due to the mix, Fortress remedied that for me.

Peace is Broken your least fav?  It's probably top 3 for me.

I actually would probably consider Peace is Broken one of my least favorites on the record as well, its definitely not a bad song, there are just a lot of songs that I like more than it.  The vocal effects they used on Myles' voice in the verses of that track are a little weird for me too...

I think its still too soon for me to rank all the songs on the album though, I'm very much still digesting it.

Offline Basekick

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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #775 on: October 10, 2013, 08:20:35 AM »
I can't stop listening to this beautiful album. So heavy, melodic, and ANGRY. Besides the experimentation with arrangements, the lyrics are what surprises me the most.

So far, my top songs are

1. Calm The Fire
2. Cry of Achilles
3. Bleed It Dry
4. Lover
5. Fortress
6. Waters Rising
7. The Uninvited
8. Farther Than The Sun
9. Addicted To Pain
10. All Ends Well
11. Cry A River
12. Peace Is Broken

Not a bad list, but mine is a bit different after the top 3:

1. Cry Of Achilles
2. Calm The Fire
3. Bleed It Dry
4. Farther Than The Sun
5. Peace Is Broken
6. Addicted To Pain
7. Lover
8. Fortress
9. All Ends Well
10. Water's Rising
11. Uninvited
12. Cry A River

I absolutely love this album, and the only track that I would consider not 'incredible' would by Cry A River.  It just has the least going for it.

I'm not a huge fan of Uninvited either, as the main riff isn't as strong as some of the other songs, and the bridge doesn't connect with me nearly as well as on, say Water's Rising, which is EXPLOSIVE.

I probably rank Peace Is Broken, Farther Than The Sun, and Addicted To Pain higher than most.  This harkens to my love of super heavy riffs and immense grooves to back them up.  The openings of PIB and FttS are blissful in this regard, and the bridge/outro of AtP is heavenly.

Lover and All Ends Well are both moving and strong songs, and creatively deliver some anthemic choruses without sounding generic or boring.  Neither has that extra bit of magic, but they are both solid tracks that keep the album well above the rest.  The former gets the edge for me due to Myles' gorgeous delivery, which add yet another layer to an already excellent song.

Fortress doesn't get the same love from me, since I don't get fully hooked until the bridge, which only shines through the 4 solos.  The rest of the song isn't bad, of course, but I like the melodies, riffs, and choruses of a lot of other songs more.

At the end of the day though, Cry of Achilles might be my favorite song they ever made.  Yes, more than Blackbird.  It simply has absolutely everything you'd want in a song and doesn't let up it's unbelievable emotion for a moment.  Might be one of the best hard rock tracks in a very long time.

And let's not forget Calm The Fire, which has a addictive intro that pulls you in from the first phrase.  It has some amazing passages, especially the pre-chorus leading into the monstrous chorus, and keeps you captivated throughout.

Last but not least, Bleed it Dry it's simply genius.  The pulsating groove of the main riff mixed with the unique drumming from Flip really makes this song hit hard.  What's remarkable to me is that the chorus starts with one bar in 4/4 then switches to 6/8 in the final bar without you even noticing.  Top that off with a passionate bridge that builds up with two of the best solos on the record, and BAM, you have a top 3 track.

This album is incredible.  I stand by my original reaction when I said this is the band's best album, and my favorite of the past decade.  It's the album I wished I wrote as a musician myself.

Simply put, Fortress is the album every band in the alternative metal/hard rock world dreamed they created.
« Last Edit: October 10, 2013, 09:14:02 AM by Basekick »
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Offline OsMosis2259

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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #776 on: October 10, 2013, 09:15:40 AM »
I think this is my list after hearing the album 6-7 times. All tracks are great though and I am not skipping anything at all.

1. Cry Of Achilles
2. Bleed It Dry
3. Lover
4. Fortress
5. Calm The Fire
6. Addicted To Pain
7. Water's Rising
8. Peace Is Broken
9. Uninvited
10. Farther Than The Sun
11. All Ends Well
12. Cry A River

Offline PixelDream

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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #777 on: October 10, 2013, 11:29:15 AM »
Epic

1. Cry of Achilles
2. Fortress

Epic but just a little less

3. Water's Rising
4. Bleed it Dry
5. Lover
6. Calm the Fire

Groovy

7. The Uninvited
8. Farther than the Sun
9. Addicted to Pain

Meh

10. Peace is Broken
11. All Ends Well

Don't care

12. Cry a River
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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #778 on: October 10, 2013, 01:13:58 PM »
I can't stop listening to this beautiful album. So heavy, melodic, and ANGRY. Besides the experimentation with arrangements, the lyrics are what surprises me the most.

So far, my top songs are

1. Calm The Fire
2. Cry of Achilles
3. Bleed It Dry
4. Lover
5. Fortress
6. Waters Rising
7. The Uninvited
8. Farther Than The Sun
9. Addicted To Pain
10. All Ends Well
11. Cry A River
12. Peace Is Broken
Wow, this is so close to mine, but I'd definitely have Peace is Broken a few places higher, and same with Addicted to Pain. Spot on with the top 4 though!

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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #779 on: October 10, 2013, 05:47:04 PM »
At the moment;

1. Fortress
2. Farther Than the Sun
3. Peace is Broken
4. Cry of Achilles
5. Bleed it Dry
6. Calm the Fire
7. Addicted to Pain
8. The Uninvited
9. All Ends Well
10. Cry A River
11. Lover
12. Waters Rising
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Offline mikeyd23

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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #780 on: October 11, 2013, 10:10:12 AM »
All right, I've listened to the album several more times since my last post and I feel like I can make a ranking of the tracks.  This may change in the near future, but after having this album blasting in my car this week, this is where I stand with my rankings:

1. Cry of Achilles
2. Fortress
3. Bleed It Dry
4. Lover
5. Calm the Fire
6. Addicted to Pain
7. Waters Rising
8. Farther Than the Sun
9. The Uninvited
10. All Ends Well
11. Cry a River
12. Peace is Broken

That was actually pretty tough! My first few choices have become clear to me, but tracks 7-11 on my ranking are all really close together in terms of how much I enjoy them. 

Overall, there isn't a bad song on this album, IMO!  Great, great stuff!! Loving it more with every listen still  :metal :metal

Offline Heretic

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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #781 on: October 11, 2013, 02:18:42 PM »
1. Calm the Fire
2. Cry of Achilles
3. Lover
4. Fortress
5. Bleed It Dry
6. Waters Rising
7. All Ends Well
8. Father Than the Sun
9. The Uninvited
10. Addicted to Pain
11. Cry a River
12. Peace is Broken

Offline RuRoRul

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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #782 on: October 11, 2013, 03:27:00 PM »
1. Fortress
2. Calm The Fire
3. Cry Of Achilles
4. Waters Rising
5. Bleed It Dry
6. Lover
7. All Ends Well
8. Peace Is Broken
9. Addicted To Pain
10. Farther Than The Sun
11. The Uninvited
12. Cry A River

To be honest any one of the "big three" of this album could be my favourite, my thoughts on which one it might be change with every few listens. Right now it's Calm The Fire that's in highest regard (as it was on very first listen) but a few days ago I was reconsidering if Cry Of Achilles may be the best... all very good songs. Keeping Fortress at the top right now, it really grew on me after a few listens and it's a beast of a song.

Edit: Nice top seven there Heretic  :tup
« Last Edit: October 11, 2013, 05:30:58 PM by RuRoRul »

Online wolfking

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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #783 on: October 11, 2013, 04:11:28 PM »
I'm astounded at the rankings of Peace is Broken.
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Offline RuRoRul

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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #784 on: October 11, 2013, 05:25:18 PM »
From what I've seen on Alter Bridge forums it's one of the ones that's a common least favourite, along with Farther Than The Sun and Cry A River (and Addicted To Pain, but it's always hard to tell how a single is rated among the fandom because they tend to underrate it shortly after an album is released). But that basically seems like the simple structure, heavy riff - anthemic chorus based songs, so it makes sense they would end up the least favourite of people who aren't interested in those. I like it, it is an awesome riff that was enough to stand out to me on very listen. Good bridge and chorus too, was almost going to put it higher but it can't crack the top half and I still tend to want to listen to All Ends Well more (although I think it's the type of song that could get old).

I'm more curious as to why you put Waters Rising last - I've seen it being people's least favourite and among people's favourite, but I kind of thought it seemed that people that didn't like Tremonti singing it didn't like it, but you said you like Tremonti's singing a lot.

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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #785 on: October 11, 2013, 05:27:48 PM »
To be honest, I prefer Tremonti's voice to Kennedy's.  :lol  Tremonti's solo album is my fav work from him, but in time, Fortress may beat it.

It just doesn't do anything for me, and it seems far more generic than songs like Peace is Broken or Farther Than the Sun.  It's a fine song, just my least fav, doesn't get me excited.
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Offline Accelerando

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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #786 on: October 13, 2013, 05:52:46 PM »
I don' think Peace Is Broken is a bad song, it's just not my favorite on the album. I think it's because of the chorus.

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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #787 on: October 14, 2013, 03:39:16 AM »
I find the chorus melody and the harmonies between Myles and Mark simply incredible.
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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #788 on: October 14, 2013, 04:20:20 AM »
Right now it's:

1. Calm The Fire

the rest I still have to figure out. After all this is really my first istance of heavy listening to Alter Bridge (so, I guess, Hello AB thread  :angel:), but in my ignorance I'm rather convinced that Calm The Fire is almost illegally strong  :omg:
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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #789 on: October 14, 2013, 01:59:15 PM »
Calm the Fire is my favourite on the album, and might be my favourite AB song! Although I'm not sure it quite topples Blackbird.

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Offline OsMosis2259

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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #790 on: October 14, 2013, 02:02:28 PM »
Fortress is probably their best album but it's going to be really tough to top Blackbird the song.
I think the band themselves admitted that as well  :lol

Offline Accelerando

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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #791 on: October 14, 2013, 02:41:30 PM »
Right now it's:

1. Calm The Fire

the rest I still have to figure out. After all this is really my first istance of heavy listening to Alter Bridge (so, I guess, Hello AB thread  :angel:), but in my ignorance I'm rather convinced that Calm The Fire is almost illegally strong  :omg:

Welcome to the thread! And yes, Calm The Fire is incredible. Definitely my favorite from this album, with Cry of Achilles at a strong second.

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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #792 on: October 14, 2013, 06:38:58 PM »
Fortress will definitely be giving Blackbird a run for my favorite Alter Bridge album. My biggest complaint is Myle's overdubbed background vocals. mark has a great voice. They should have used him more for harmonies.

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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #793 on: October 14, 2013, 06:45:03 PM »
Just listened to the bonus track.  Glad they kept it off the album.
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Offline Nel

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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #794 on: October 14, 2013, 10:38:45 PM »
Pretty good record that is going to need some more listens. I definitely can't say it's better than the Blackbird album, but it's about at the level of... well, hell, I listen to Blackbird so much that all three of the other albums are going to need some more listens.  :lol

I will say that the title track is fucking awesome, though.
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Offline Mister Gold

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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #795 on: October 15, 2013, 03:57:37 AM »
Fortress is probably their best album but it's going to be really tough to top Blackbird the song.
I think the band themselves admitted that as well  :lol


They already topped it with Cry of Achilles, in my opinion. However I get the impression that they'll never admit it if they ever manage to top that song, because of how much that song means to them on an emotional level. Which is totally understandable.
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Offline OsMosis2259

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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #796 on: October 15, 2013, 07:54:02 AM »
Just listened to the bonus track.  Glad they kept it off the album.

This. Not a bad track but it just wouldn't fit anywhere on the album.

Offline sylvan

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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #797 on: October 15, 2013, 08:49:18 AM »
Just listened to the bonus track.  Glad they kept it off the album.

This. Not a bad track but it just wouldn't fit anywhere on the album.

Am I the only one diggin' this track?  It has a great energy.  It might not "fit", but wasn't it an idea that was around from Blackbird that got set aside?  You can hear the bridging of the gap from the traditional AB style to where they seem to be going.  I just like it I guess.

Offline ZKX-2099

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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #798 on: October 15, 2013, 09:35:17 AM »
Fortress is probably their best album but it's going to be really tough to top Blackbird the song.


Yeah what he said.

Offline Accelerando

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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #799 on: October 16, 2013, 11:07:29 PM »
Besides the impressive major scales, Ouright isn't even my favorite b-side AB has done.

New Way To Live by far to me is their best b-side. It's in my top ten AB songs. That solo is gorgeous.  And who can forget the how much Ahavo Rabo Taco Salad kicks ass?!?

I also like simplicity of Home, and the song that was featured on the Fantastic Four soundtrack, Save Me.

Offline sylvan

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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #800 on: October 17, 2013, 06:46:45 AM »
Besides the impressive major scales, Ouright isn't even my favorite b-side AB has done.

New Way To Live by far to me is their best b-side. It's in my top ten AB songs. That solo is gorgeous.  And who can forget the how much Ahavo Rabo Taco Salad kicks ass?!?

I also like simplicity of Home, and the song that was featured on the Fantastic Four soundtrack, Save Me.

I merely find it enjoyable.  But don't mistake that for meaning I think it's better than their other b-sides.  Well... better than Save Me imo.  And I'm not sure I would call Taco Salad a b-side, and while it does kick ass, it also imo is not their best non-album track.

Offline OsMosis2259

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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #801 on: October 17, 2013, 07:44:52 AM »
The Damage Done and New Way to Live are awesome b-sides.

I can't believe they were b-sides to be honest. I think they are better than half the tracks on Blackbird!

Offline Accelerando

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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #802 on: October 17, 2013, 03:12:25 PM »
All Ends Well has been stuck in my head all day.  The composition right before the chorus...the "Somewhere down the road your stars will show..." has to be one of the best pace changers in the entire AB catalog. Just the strumming of the guitar for some reason sounds un-intrusive. Part of ABs plan of not sticking to formula clearly shows in both of the albums ballads!

Offline Accelerando

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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #803 on: October 23, 2013, 01:53:16 PM »
Here's a video of them playing Waters Rising for their first time!

https://youtu.be/z41249mJI9A


Also, Cry of Achilles at Wembley
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIn7NZgQRj0
« Last Edit: October 23, 2013, 02:00:37 PM by Accelerando »

Offline mikeyd23

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Re: The Official Alter Bridge Thread v. Fortress
« Reply #804 on: October 23, 2013, 03:01:30 PM »
I've been following the start of their UK tour to support the album... And I have to say I'm very dissapointed at the lack of new Fortress material in the sets. Honestly, they did pre tour rehearsals, so they should be prepared to play more than 4 songs from the new record every night.

Plus there are just so many songs on Fortress that would work well live... I really hope they are just starting off conservative and will begin to incorporate more and more new material. The set is so BB heavy... I mean it's a great album but, this is a tour to support Fortress, which is arguably just as great as BB, right?