LIVE REVIEW: Alter Bridge @ O2 Arena, London

Hard rock sweethearts ALTER BRIDGE, hailing from the ashes of CREED are in no measure a lesser offering of their predecessors. Having formed in 2004, the band found themselves hitting the billboard charts with debut album One Day Remains, with their success further cemented through critically acclaimed Black Bird in 2007. Four further albums later and 15 years deep into their career, Myles Kennedy and co return to London’s O2 Arena tonight, invoking grand anticipation and a gnarly, 90 minute queue, arousing fans with immediate deja vu.

Flaunting a new lead vocalist Matt James and George Harris on guitar, son of IRON MAIDEN’s bassist Steve, THE RAVEN AGE is a warm up act with high expectations. Looking rather lost in the mammoth that is the O2 Arena, the quintet showcases the potential of their latest album Conspiracy, tonight’s catalogue comprising entirely of material from this album, with only the closing track Angel in Disgrace echoing the heavier hitting metalcore sounds of 2017’s Darkness Will Rise. Possessing a commercial TRIVIUM soaked sound, the band tackles political issues and depression through their lyrics with Fleur de Lis being the main metaphors of this.

Whilst vocalist Matt tempts us with promising vocals, maximising the band’s passion through his intense delivery and stage presence, ultimately, this potential is short lived as the quintet overall does not satisfy with their breed of melodic metalcore. The hooks when present in their music are not sharp and fade away behind the melodic guitar passages found in tracks like The Face That Launched a Thousand Ships. Often lingering too much on the melodic heartstrings of each track, the overall result is a slightly tweaked and cheesy resurgence of the 2000s-era metalcore sound.

Rating: 6/10

Commencing with a speech that is fit for a sermon, SHINEDOWN enter executing true showmanship as the American giants bring the heavy and the rock ‘n; roll swagger to the stage, reminding us why they have sold over 10 million records worldwide. The four-piece, having amassed seven albums open the set with Devil from latest album ATTENTION ATTENTION with the track grand in sound and in hooks setting the tone for all that is to come.

Taking things back to their career defining album The sound of Madness with Diamond Eyes, the Jacksonville rockers echo an obvious NICKELBACK influence and a catchy “Boom-Lay Boom-Lay Boom!” chant that keeps the crowd involved. The rest of the set continues to keep things upbeat as older cuts like Enemies make an appearance. Following the showcase of Monsters the audience is hit with another speech as vocalist/preacher Brent Smith delivers instructions for the flashlight-drenched performance of Get Up. It is perhaps at this point that all the stage theatrics seem all too well known and start to feel a little repetitive. As far as crowd interaction goes, many have mastered the art with the likes of Corey Taylor forging his legacy with signature Spit it Out growls as part of his overall stage persona, SHINEDOWN rely on this just a little too much however, and despite having lyrics that speak for themselves, speeches seem to become a focal point of their overall show.

What we are left with by the end of the set is an arena-made hard rock band, with crowd spectacles aside, delivers plenty of punch and an honest take of radio-friendly rock ‘n’ roll, packed with huge choruses, singalongs and hooks all delivered at ear-shredding volume.

Rating: 8/10

The filled comfortably venue welcomes the headliners with chants, as the Florida rockers make their epic entry. The drums, erupting like war cannons pave way for a set that will be filled with angelic choruses, haunting guitar solos and that magical blend of metal meets classic rock that ALTER BRIDGE deliver in a poised fashion, easily matching the grandeur of PEARL JAM and DEEP PURPLE.

Lyrics filled with religious symbolism and inspirational messages throughout echo right to the back of the arena as Myles Kennedy commences the set with latest single Wouldn’t You Rather. Sounding relentlessly dark, the track is a heavy start to a set laced with the signature melancholic, mystic-infused ALTER BRIDGE ambience. Come to Life continues the journey of melodic lustre with creative choruses and beefy riffs, whilst the percussion transports us back to their 2007 masterpiece album Blackbird, with Rise today continuing this album’s journey a few tracks later. The emotionally-charged riffs of Cry of Achilles send the room into its first fit of euphoria with Myles sounding flawless displays raw emotion in his vocals backed by Mark Tremonti whose technical skills aside, further elevates the song with his ability to harness a beautiful tone with each and every note.

Masterpiece Blackbird makes an appearance, becoming the piece de resistance of the night. An eight-minute tribute to a lost loved one pulls all the heartstrings, never once sounding overly sentimental nor draining. With a chorus apt to make anyone ponder on the meaning of loss, the song becomes almost an art form by the time the solo hits, once voted the greatest of all time. The acoustic passages, haunting and full of emotional depth sound colossal live, melding the sad and the heavy in a way that only ALTER BRIDGE does.

Things take an upbeat turn by the encore as Godspeed and Addicted to Pain finish the night off in a faster pace. The songs, daring in arrangement and their delivery prove testament to the obvious; this is a band that is revolutionary. Having delivered a performance that was a holy pilgrimage for the new and old fans alike, the quartet have found themselves at the pinnacle of their success tonight with glorious music played in absolute perfection.

Rating: 10/10

Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in London from Hannah Cole here: