AB III

Alter Bridge full throttle

With each new long player, the American-based ensemble Alter Bridge is becoming less like anybody else and more like themselves, which is a good thing to witness. In a world where many rush into music business, where everybody who grabbed a guitar (by accident in many cases) intends to play rock, we long for extraordinary performers like we never before. Alter Bridge looks just like one of such extraordinary bands. It stands without a question that the uniqueness of this ensemble is credits of guitarist Mark Tremonti and vocalist Myles Kennedy. Both are still young to be capable of working hard and not famous enough yet to rest on laurels. Led by the two of them, Alter Bridge released two albums, One Day Remains (2004), and Blackbird (2007), steadily and reliably working in the field of alternative rock. In 2010, the musicians presented their long player number three giving it a laconic and logical title, AB III. They did a great job having made fourteen songs for as much as one.

AB III features each musician in his prime

The musicians were right to open the album with the would-be hit Slip To The Void. Unhurried, suspense intro, impressive instrumental part and enthusiastic singing, all these integral elements of a true good song are present here. Kennedy not only owns a great voice and masters great singing technique, but also possesses a rich arsenal of emotions you have but believe in. This is why two completely different songs, careless Wonderful Life, and almost mournful I Know It Hurts, sound equally effective. The frontman and guitarist collaborate as one passing over the reigns to each other. As a result, we have remarkable songs with catchy choruses and meticulous solos. Tracks like that are good both at home and on stage, particularly Isolation, or Show Me A Sign. Despite the evident secondary character of drums and bass here, both responsible musicians have greatly improved. Bass lines are more distinct, apparently, because they are played with more confidence. Together, bass and drums, form stable and consistent rhythm section whose potential you can easily assess on purely rock-n-roll stuff Fallout, and Life Must Go On.

Alter Bridge know the secrets of good rock-n-roll

The entire work of AB III, from start to end, was done in compliance with the already recognizable and even more appraised style of Alter Bridge. In the meantime, the musicians deserved the right to say that they gave all they could to this effort, demonstrating all their strength and experience they keep gaining. Besides, you can feel this band has much more space for further growth and is able to become even better very soon. But even today, Alter Bridge are a representation of everything good we can find in the present rock-n-roll. It’s a band that exemplifies the best way to play this music. Apart from unsurpassed instrumental skills, these guys can be proud of their chemistry, which is so important when it comes to playing live. Basically, this music is based on what we all have heard hundreds of times already, guitars, vocals, bass and drums. But this is the interaction between these elements which determines the status of a band. AB III proves to be exactly what this band was expected to offer, a high quality album from a group of people sharing same ideas, knowing what they have to do and having all they need to do it.