Alter Bridge – Fortress (2013) CD Review
I have been listening to Alter Bridge’s fourth album Fortress for a few months now, and I have to say I am disappointed….. disappointed that more people aren’t talking about this album, and that it isn’t getting more praise.
Fortress may be Alter Bridge’s most complex album yet, and quite possibly their best. Mark Tremonti shows his metal roots, by crafting one of the heaviest Alter Bridge albums yet. His guitar work seems to get better and better with every album. On Fortress, Tremtonti’s riffs are heavy enough to please metal heads, but not so heavy to scare off Alter Bridge’s constantly growing fan base.
Myles Kennedy probably gets more press while signing with Slash, but he should get a lot more attention for his performance on Fortress. One word describes his vocals on this album, brilliant! Kennedy’s vocals are constantly soaring to new heights, and no matter how heavy the music becomes, his voice complements Tremonti’s playing perfectly. There are times when Kennedy’s range gives me goose bumps. In example the song “Calm the Fire” starts off with a brief acoustic in which Kennedy pushes his voice at high octave but at a slower tempo. The song transforms into a fantastic rocker that to my ears is simply amazing! This is easily my favorite track on the album, but Fortress is full of great stuff like this.
If you miss songs like “Addicted to Pain”, “Cry of Achilles”, “Bleed it Dry”, or “Waters Rising” you are really missing out on some of the best heavy tracks of 2013 and of Alter Bridge’s career. Check this one out!!
Track Listing:
01. Cry of Achilles
02. Addicted to Pain
03. Bleed It Dry
04. Lover
05. The Uninvited
06. Peace Is Broken
07. Calm The Fire
08. Waters Rising
09. Farther Than The Sun
10. Cry A River
11. All Ends Well
12. Fortress
Alter Bridge is:
Myles Kennedy – Vocals, Guitar
Mark Tremonti – Guitars, Vocals
Brian Marshall – Drums
Scott Phillips – Bass
This album is phenomenal, and I can’t understand why all their songs aren’t all over the radio in the United States yet.
You couldn’t have said it any better! A monster album and I have been a fan since the 1st album. I’ll be seeing them a second time in 10 days and I know it will ROCK! Thanks for a great review!