For over twelve years Alter Bridge has been a force to be reckoned with in the Rock scene. However, their fifth and latest album, The Last Hero released October 7th, 2016 on Napalm Records maybe their greatest Hard Rock masterpiece to date.
Myles Kennedy (lead vocals/guitar), Mark Tremonti (lead guitar), Scott “Flip” Phillips (drums) and Brian Marshall (bass) prove they are the face of Hard Rock with every song on the album having a unique message and sound. It is no wonder the members of the band have been hailed as some of the best musicians and vocalist in the music industry today.
From the first to the last song on the album, Alter Bridge provides Tremonti’s killer guitar solos, strong rhythm guitar melodies plus a percussion section driven by pure power fueled by Phillips and Marshall. To wrap up the band’s sound is the unique and compelling vocals that Kennedy is notoriously famous for.
Starting off the record is “Show me a Leader,” which introduces the album a mighty instrumental beginning so dominant it truly showcases the musical talents of each member. Once Kennedy enters the band is in full force. This song defiantly has Metal mixed with Hard Rock written all over it. If there is one song fans should listen to it is this one.
Alter Bridge knew what they were doing with placing “Show me a Leader” as the title track as it lays down the sound and journey they want to lead the listeners on with the album.
The band does have some true Rock songs on this album that are positive in nature and will have fans singing along with their infectious chorus. However, they are more reminiscent of some of the former sounds of past Alter Bridge songs. “My Champion” and “Poison in Your Veins” mix nicely into this Hard Rock album. “My Champion” being an ode to Kennedy’s family, while “Poison in Your Veins” speaks to fans about getting rid of the negativity in their lives and believing in themselves.
The hardest and what I call Metal songs featured on this album show a side of Alter Bridge like you have never heard. The songs include mind blowing bound to melt your off-face guitar solos curtesy of Tremonti, double bass and hardcore drum percussion per Phillips, while on bass guitar Marshall accompanies the band as Kennedys soars vigorously on vocals.
“The Writing on the Wall”, “The Other Side”, “The Island of Fools” and “The Last Hero” are songs true Hard Rock and Metal lovers embrace. Tremonti’s love for Metal music (which lead to his harder sounding solo project, Tremonti) must have had an influence on the heavier sound of The Last Hero.
One thing can be said about The Last Hero, this album proves to be Alter Bridges strongest performance musically and lyrically to date. Whether the band will continue down a heavier sounding path is unknown.
Over the last twelve years, every album from debut One Day Remains to The Last Hero has been one that fans, peers and critics alike have embraced. Alter Bridge seems to have the magic touch for creating music that is creative and powerful whether of heavier nature or ballad. Whatever they touch seems to turn to music gold and The Last Hero proves to continue that success.
