ALBUM REVIEW: Walk The Sky – Alter Bridge

Since their debut One Day Remains in 2004, ALTER BRIDGE have remained triumphant with every offering since. The world fell in love with the powerful, yet soothing voice of Myles Kennedy, the beautiful sounds guitarist Mark Tremonti delivers, the intricate bass work of Brian Marshall, and the rhythmic blasts from drummer Scott Phillips. Each member has added something unique to the sound that has helped them rise into their success, and now they are exploring just how high they can climb with their sixth album Walk The Sky.

Throughout ALTER BRIDGE‘s career, there have been plenty of moments where chills are sent up your spine, and opener One Life does just that. The gentle tone of Kennedy‘s voice creeps along with a general feeling of a calm before the storm, something smooth before being pushed into another realm. Wouldn’t You Rather breaks through in the true style of the band’s sound, and is the song on the album that features everything fans have grown to love about them.

It doesn’t prove to be the last time we hear every element that has crafted this band into who they are now. Godspeed is a prime example of how they still have a handle over big, bold anthems – yet there’s something this time round that has hints of something fresh. Kennedy‘s vocals have always been powerful, but the control he has is impeccable and beyond refined on this track, even the drum work from Phillips sounds just that little more vamped up. It serves as a potential fan-favourite for many years to come just as how we’ve seen Blackbird, Waters Rising, Wonderful Life, and a rising amount of others.

Guitarist Mark Tremonti is of course, like his band mates, a principal member in ALTER BRIDGE. However, it cannot go unnoticed that despite already being one of the most talented guitarists we have seen come out of rock, he has absolutely upped his game. When there are points that hit the album that makes it just a little under-par with what has already been on offer, it can be easily looked over when you hear what Tremonti pulls out of the bag. Tear Us Apart is one of those, despite being the anthem of the album, it feels a little under the mark, but as Tremonti‘s playing layers gently under the vocals of Kennedy it goes from an unmissable song to one that evokes heartstrings being pulled, and the potential to be something much bigger in a live setting.

Thankfully, there are not many moments on the album that go unnoticed and there are more times where it packs a punch as opposed to not. Pay No Mind, Take The Crown and Clear Horizon are absolute killers for that almighty push that is needed to throw this album in the running for one of the band’s finest creations.

Full of energy, and a clear display of each member growing with their skill-set, there is little that holds Walk The Sky back. It is undeniable that at some points it can slip, but the way down is not as long a journey as the one that is going up for ALTER BRIDGE. The question of why this band aren’t headlining iconic festivals such as Download fall from the lips of fans, but with this album it would be unimaginable that they would never get the opportunity. Walk The Sky is inventive, fresh and raises the bar for a band that have yet to even find where their limits may lie.

Rating: 8/10

Walk The Sky is out now via Napalm Records. 

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