ALBUM REVIEW: Alter Bridge – Alter Bridge

What comes to mind with the name ALTER BRIDGE? The monolithic Metalingus, mournful Blackbird, perhaps even the sultry Slip To The Void? Whatever the answer may be, the quartet brings with it prestige and countless honours within the hard rock sphere. With a glittering 20 year career it isn’t hard to see why. Rather than rest on those laurels, ALTER BRIDGE return from their two-year stasis with an ambitious self-titled album. 

The self-titled branding comes with some expectations which the foursome rise to and exceed. The suite comprises 12 tracks which encompass their previous triumphs alongside evolutionary dashes to deliver over an hour’s worth of quintessential ALTER BRIDGE. Following from 2022’s Pawns & Kings, the collective of Myles Kennedy (vocals/guitar), Mark Tremonti (vocals/guitar), Brian Marshall (bass), and Scott Phillips (drums) seek to solidify their legacy whilst showcasing just why they are titans of hard rock.

The band waste little time with the hard and fast combination of Silent Divide and Rue The Day. Packed full of riffs that hit so hard our Ancestry lineage could feel it, Silent Divide is the strongest album opening ALTER BRIDGE have composed to date. Marshall’s rich bass combined with Phillips’ pummelling beats lay the rattling foundation for the group’s own brand of aggression. While the duo of tracks may hint at unleashing our inner Mortal Kombat fatality sequence to the score of scintillating guitars, Kennedy’s distinct vocal seeks to remind us “revenge is blind” and to allow the silence to decide people’s fate. Though it is difficult to remember restraint when Tremonti’s solos show little to none.

Some may say aggressive verses and melodic choruses don’t quite align. However the message of the self-titled is simply “don’t take the bait”. Rue The Day’s cautionary tale of encountering narcissism broils in oppression begging to explode. Low and slow vocals from Kennedy show incredible restraint only wisdom and experience can teach. This idea of restraint flows through Tremonti’s solo; an aural reminder that music, much like our inner peace, is something to savour. And savour we do. “Was it worth it in the end to touch the sun” croons Kennedy in Power Down. A track reminiscent of Isolation grabs the bull by the horns with slicing riffs and leads it to a moment of reflection. It’s at this moment Phillips’ reign behind the kit is allowed to fully shine. Battering flourishes and instrumentals led by his marching drum, Phillips shows there is more to ALTER BRIDGE than the dulcet tones of Kennedy and Tremonti.

We said previously there are hints to the past within the album and this remains true with the post-grunge inspired Trust In Me. Slivers of guitar lilts sit on a bed of chunky riffs which give the impression this will be the standard ballad. Our tense eyes are relieved for a moment when it is not, but emotional devastation is still to come. The Tremonti led chorus threatens a sting of the tear ducts as the baritone asks “build your trust in me” and “set your worries free”. Vulnerability is a trait seemingly lost within recent times so the simple act of a song telling us to let go is refreshing. Disregarded is the night to Trust In Me’s day. The shortest song on the album, seething vocals from Kennedy dictates the rage that simmers from the self-blame brought by betrayal. “I should have known from the start” is repeated in many instances throughout the album, the theme, much like self-blame, is hard to shake. Here is the breakdown which demands attention. A moment of anticipation in building guitars and delectable bass tones swells into a spine tingling solo. The metaphorical phoenix rising from the ashes of betrayal.

Remember the emotional threat we alluded to? ALTER BRIDGE stand on the precipice of that very notion with Tested And Able. Throughout the album, there hasn’t been a moment wasted with crisp and pungent intros. With that it is intimated that a moment of self-congratulation is never wasted. No one needs our writer to remind them life is difficult, especially not when ALTER BRIDGE does it so poetically. A pleasing chug lies beneath Tremonti’s vocal. The partnership between Tremonti and Kennedy on display through the chorus shows just how they have managed to build such a loyal and dedicated fanbase. A fanbase set to populate arenas across the country for the What Lies Within tour, and how apt for the catchiest title on the album to become the brand ALTER BRIDGE embarks on. What Lies Within’s dark and insidious nature nestles within the reveries of the mind and forces us to “Release the anger/ Move on”. And what a track to move on with. Rippling riffs lead the call to action chorus. The blues-inspired solo launches the mind into the egotistical stratosphere. Endorphins run rampant as anticipation for live versions bubble through the synapses.

We finally reach the moment of despondency, doom, and despair with the ballad Hang By A Thread. Flashes of In Loving Memory flood the senses and tears are in the eyes before the intro has even finished. Kennedy speaks of possessing “a dark and heavy heart” in verses which pierce the emotional heart. Influences of Kenendy’s solo material permeate through the track. It’s the chorus where this is most prevalent. The battle-weary soul with their “dignity and pride” being a shield against the abuse they face still finds the resolve to keep going. It’s the feeling of being battle scarred that drives the brooding Scales Are Falling. A “tale so dark and dim” rolls across the palette like smooth whiskey. Marshall’s bass tones are simply divine against the rippling guitars. There is an expectation around a Tremonti led chorus that it soars above all else but that isn’t the case here. Instead the slick and smokey tones dominate to create an earworm. There are moments where vocals are drowned by the slithering instrumentals as they swell but this is a very small sleight in what has been an incredible album thus far.

The no-nonsense intros return with Playing Aces and What Are You Waiting For. A tandem of throwing caution to the wind and declaring “bad luck be damned”. ALTER BRIDGE are known for their messages of standing our ground in the face of adversity and this duo is no different. Playing Aces houses hard hitting riffs which perfectly emulate the anticipation of bets closing at the table. The biggest bet we can place is on ourselves after all. While What Are You Waiting For screams we are the masters of our fate. Trickles of guitar lilts flourish through the verses. The bounce of the instrumental wind up the sucker punch of the chorus’ “you’re just a coward scorned”. Bitter venom masterfully executed.

The self-titled effort culminates with the epic Slave To Master. Cementing themselves as master and commander of the epic scores, ALTER BRIDGE have a high bar to meet. Rather than trying to surpass it however, they pay homage to the likes of Fortress, Pawns and Kings, and even Blackbird with their longest track to date. Sat at just over nine minutes, Slave To Master is an expedition through metamorphosis. “It’s not too late to start again” comes with buttery harmonies. Kennedy’s vocals being a beacon within the darkness. Punchy riffs do battle with soaring vocals. Bass notes run rampant with excellent precision to create a moment where ALTER BRIDGE shatters their own glass ceiling. With tones akin to Metalingus, Slave To Master is not only a love letter to the listener’s power but also to the band’s legacy.

ALTER BRIDGE had nothing to prove yet delivered on so much. Bursting from their chrysalis and shattering expectations, ALTER BRIDGE prove they are a monolith like no other. The self-titled album is a testament to the band’s storied career. Cliché as it may be, it seems they are only just getting started and we at Distorted Sound wait with baited breath to see what lies within.

Rating: 9/10

Alter Bridge is set for release on January 9th via Napalm Records. 

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