Alter Bridge - Fortress Review

Three years is a long time to wait for a new album from a band as active and as assiduous as Alter Bridge. After 2010's ground breaking "AB III" and their subsequent world tour, the band went their separate ways, involving themselves with new projects and collaborations with other musicians. Mark Tremonti released his long overdue but brilliant solo album "All I Was" last year, Myles Kennedy lent his vocal talents to Slash on the ex-GNR's latest effort and Scott Philips combined forces with members of Sevendust and Submersed on the super-group, Projected. However with the American foursome getting back together earlier this year and returning to more familiar ground, their fourth studio album, "Fortress" released by Roadrunner Records has finally hit the stores in the UK and without doubt has been worth the wait!    

With Michael "Elvis" Baskette returning to producing duties after overseeing their two previous albums "Blackbird" and "AB III," Alter Bridge have forged a near-perfect composition and formation of Heavy Metal and Hard Rock elements. These elements are united exquisitely with enchanting melodic and harmonious choruses, establishing "Fortress" as 2013's most important album. The 12-track collection expertly offers listeners a whole range of musical styles, flourishing from start to finish with Metal and Rock, early 90's Groove and Stoner Metal and modernised Hard Rock as well as brandishing Alter Bridge's now distinguished own style of passionate and emotional playing and larger than life choruses delivered with their all-American spirit hard into our ears. In a nutshell "Fortress" is Alter Bridge's definitive Metal album. The components have been existent since their debut album "One Day Remains" but not as explicitly expressed in their latest effort. "Fortress" is a 60-plus minute non-stop rock extravaganza; evoking the sort of rock out tunes that will knock you off your feet, you'll be singing to the top of your lungs and head-banging until you suffer a severe migraine! 

Commencing the album is "Cry Of Achilles" beginning with a flamenco influenced finger picking piece on a Nylon-stringed acoustic before brutally unleashing incendiary riffs and towering rhythms. It is a great progressive album starter and showcases some impressive playing from all four members. Its pretty clear after the 6-minute opener has concluded, Alter Bridge are constructing a castle rather than a fortress. Swiftly following is the album's first single "Addicted To Pain" with its heavy groove, hook laden chorus and fret burning solo it stands as a example of what's to come from "Fortress:" soaring vocals, diverse and thrilling riffs and energetic stadium filler songs. The album's two strongest tracks follow, "Bleed it Dry" and "Lover" with the former an uproar of dark betrayal and deep despair which rains in its emotive flair and breathes the Alter Bridge legacy of radio-friendly but uncompromising hard rock anthems to life. From then on "Fortress" steers on a full metal manifest, harbouring awesome riffing and unique but solid song structures that unite the heaviness of Metal and the charm of Classic Rock; "The Uninvited," "Peace is Broken," and "Farther than the sun" all prime examples of this. Kennedy's versatile and passionate voice reaches new heights on this record, unashamedly brandishing his four-octave tenor vocal range, enabling each track to be executed with complete conviction. Tremonti's skills on guitar just get better and better with his metallic dexterity on "Fortress" simply a dream to behold, showcasing not just his technical ability but also his expertise in harnessing the beauty within the song, note by note. Hell even the axeman gets a go on lead-singing duties in "Waters Rising." Philips on drums really steps up a notch with some awe-inspiring drum patterns that forcefully add to the powerful nature of the record. Brian Marshall on bass adds dynamic and complex grooves, proving his rhythmic influence and asserting his position as the backbone to the band.    

Through their three previously released albums, Alter Bridge have established their talented artistic skills of creating diverse and all-embracing rock music without having to rely on clichéd song formulas. From stepping out of the box and implementing innovative artistic segments and additional layers of creativeness, the band have modernized Rock and Metal styles and in doing so have almost established their own genre, confirming themselves as the definitive rock band of the 21st century. "Fortress" confirms AB'S spectacular impact on Modern Rock, a benchmark set from a unit consentient and fortified, musicians at the very peak of their powers composing music that will be remembered for years to come. As energetic and ingenious as peak-form Led Zeppelin, "Fortress" is a must for admirers of the Hard Rock and Metal scene.  

Stand out tracks: 

Cry of Achilles
Bleed it Dry
Lover
Peace is Broken


Addicted to Pain Video: