Alter Bridge - Alter Bridge
Silent Divide; Rue The Day; Power Down; Trust In Me; Disregarded; Tested and Able; What Lies Within; Hang By A Thread; Scales Are Falling; Playing Aces; What Are You Waiting For; Slave To Master
(Napalm Records)

Celebrating over two decades as one of rock music’s most consistently acclaimed bands, Alter Bridge continues to push forward on their eighth album. Renowned for infectious melodies, masterful guitar interplay and huge riffs, the template that brought the band enormous success continues on this fine rock album.

Recorded last spring at the legendary 5150 Studios in California and a Baskette’s studio in Florida, the sunshine has had an effect on the band, with many of the new tracks bursting with energy, enthusiasm and the powerful vocal chemistry between guitarists Myles Kennedy and Mark Tremonti bursting with life.

Silent Divide opens up the album with a grinding guitar riff with a lyric that suggests the use of remaining silent might be the best way to deal with negativity. The theme of pessimism continues on Rue The Day with the lyric about being involved in a bad and controlling relationship, with both tracks having musically contrasting outlooks.

The optimism opens up on Trust In Me, a ballad that arrives at the right moment, adding a brighter note after the gloomy lyrical outlook envisaged previously. The upbeat vibe continues on Hang By A Thread, coming as it does with a positive edge.

What Are You Waiting For arrives with a massive punch and a heavy guitar riff on one of the best tracks on the album. Slave To Master weighs in at nine minutes and deals with artificial intelligence taking over the business of writing and controlling music. “We will fight to the end,” Kennedy sings on a track that combines the swagger of Guns ‘n’ Roses with the classic rock sound of Whitesnake, showcasing Alter Bridge in fighting form, similar to the rest of the album, which is one of the first major rock releases of the year.