ALTER BRIDGE: Album Review
Alter Bridge have been a pinnacle of hard rock since the early 00’s, with their debut album One Day Remains and the truly iconic Metalingus, the musical mastermind that is Blackbird and a personal favourite, Cradle to the Grave from 2016. It’s been a busy couple of years since 2022’s Pawns and Kings, with Myles Kennedy expanding his solo work, Mark Tremonti pushing forward with his own band, and Creed experiencing a nostalgic resurgence. Alas, Alter Bridge are back with a knockout album, and it’s self titled! After more than two decades of carving out their place in the rock scene, Alter Bridge choosing to self title their eighth album is not a casual decision. Bands usually drop a self titled record at the beginning of their career, when they’re still defining themselves. Doing it now — after years of touring, evolution, and individual side ventures — signals something far more deliberate. It’s a declaration of identity, a statement that this is Alter Bridge distilled to its purest form.
What makes this album stand out is its lean, resolute construction. There’s no bloat, no filler — just a focused set of songs built on power, melody, and a refusal to coast. The heavier tracks roar with conviction, while the slower, moodier moments carry a modern edge that keeps the record unpredictable.
Silent Divide opens the album with blazing tenacity, driven by a tight, sharp Tremonti riff (note: something about this riff reminds me of Silver Tongue from 2022, yet to click on what that is)— a track that already feels like a standout in their catalogue. Rue The Day and Power Down hit with sheer force, pairing chugging going head on with thundering drum patterns.
Disregarded immediately pulled us in even further, with that alluring dark intro and Kennedy’s low, brooding vocal lines. A personal note, the harmonies here — as with “Silent Divide” — are a genuine delight. Tested and Able offers a refreshing shift, with Mark Tremonti taking the lead vocals in the verses. Tremonti and Kennedy’s vocals switch seamlessly, and harmonise magnificently.
What Lies Within kicks in and the chugging returns with force. Alter Bridge have truly solidified their trademark sound, with swinging bridges and bouncing choruses. Hang by A Thread, immediately transports back in time to 2007, echoing with similarities of Watch Over You. It’s a well timed switch-up keeping the ears fresh. Scales Are Falling has an eerie start, with reverberating quick notes. Later, the band pulls back just enough to make room for a sublime Tremonti solo, who states “It has an atmospheric vibe with a lot of peaks, valleys and moods”. We definitely agree Mark!
Now the finale for the album, Slave To Master. My word, this is an apotheosis in an already spectacular crescendo. To put it in simpler terms, a nine-minute masterpiece! From elegant vocals to a riff which demands a hang-bang, and from Scott Phillips’ teasing bell hits to Myles’ melodic guitar passage, followed by Tremonti’s sharper tone shredding and bending notes into another universe for 2 minutes straight, it’s a fantastical sequence of a song. Kennedy closing the song with the question “so where do we go?” Honestly, I do not know because this last track left me sat stunned, even after if had finished. It’s a 9 minute track, yet we’re left still wanting more.
In the end, Alter Bridge have created what can only be described as something truly spectacular. I cannot find a single fault within the tracks. As a self‑titled record, it feels perfectly named, because this album couldn’t be anymore Alter Bridge.
I know it’s only January, but could this already be in the running for Best Album of the Year? We’ll let you decide that for yourselves. For Fracture? Absolutely.
Review by Neve Saltmarsh.