PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
Alter Bridge are back with their fourth album – Fortress. It’s been three years since their last album, ABIII, and the band have certainly been busy in that time, touring in support of the album as well as Mark Trmonti doing his solo tour and shows with Creed and Myles Kennedy touring with Slash. Despite that workload they’ve found time to write and record this new album, and what an album it is !
Brief comments on a few tracks…
“Cry of Achilles” opens with some Spanish style acoustic guitar before things get heavy as the electric guitars kick in.
Right from the start of “Addicted to pain” it’s clear that this is a heavy track with its chunky guitar riffs and pounding drums. This increased level of heaviness compared to the last album is noticeable throughout the album, including the next track, “Bleed it dry”.
It’s not all heavier material though – “Lover” is a great hard rock ballad which gives a nice change of pace.
‘Fortress’ is a great album and one that shows why this band have been getting such a great reputation. After listening to the album I’m looking forward to their UK tour in October even more – I can’t wait to hear some of these songs played live. With festivals like Download recycling the same few headliners year after year there are very few bands who are able to deservingly take a headliner spot, but based on the strength of this (and previous) albums plus their live tours I think it’s not going to be long before we see Alter Bridge headlining main stage at a major UK festival.
Rating: 9/10
‘Fortress’ will be released on 30th September 2013
Track listing:
1. Cry Of Achilles
2. Addicted To Pain
3. Bleed It Dry
4. Lover
5. The Uninvited
6. Peace Is Broken
7. Calm The Fire
8. Waters Rising
9. Farther Than The Sun
10. Cry A River
11. All Ends Well
12. Fortress
Alter Bridge UK tour dates with Halestorm and Shinedown are:
Wed 16th Oct – NOTTINGHAM Arena
Thu 17th Oct – BIRMINGHAM NIA
Fri 18th Oct – LONDON Wembley Arena
Sun 20th Oct – CARDIFF Motorpoint Arena
Mon 21st Oct – GLASGOW Hydro
Tue 22nd Oct – MANCHESTER Arena
