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Rating: I almost feel sorry... Yep... I'm a bit embittered... Let me explain...
If you're reading this review, you've either stumbled upon it by chance, or you're one of those, like me, who spent quite a few posts insulting each other in three different DeBaser reviews of the previous Alter Bridge album... "They're just Creed with a new singer, They suck, Great album, They're post-grunge, They're pop-rock pretenders, They're Pearl Jam clones, That's not true at all, What a great voice, I preferred the old singer, Get lost if you don't understand anything, Etc..."
Good times... About three years ago...
But not now. You can't anymore. And as I was saying, I almost feel sorry... Mind you, it's not like you can't insult each other anymore... In fact, I'm sure some foul words will still come out... And you can also discuss various aspects of the album (e.g., Great_Album VS Album_Sucks, which is more than legitimate).
But it won't make sense anymore to spit (figuratively) at each other regarding the 2 classic issues responsible for the old debate:
1. "They're just Creed with a new singer, and they really suck..." VS "No, that's not true at all, because..."
2. "They're just Pearl Jam clones and they suck..." VS "No, that's not true at all, because..."
If we want to joyfully insult each other, the back-and-forth will have to necessarily shift to other topics. Indeed, because of Blackbird, Alter Bridge's second album, you can say everything, but not that it has anything to do with Creed or Pearl Jam. Not at all. Sorry guys, insulting each other about Creed VS Alter Bridge VS Pearl Jam was fun, I enjoyed it too, but now it ends here.
It simply doesn't make sense anymore. Closed.
It ends here in the sense that Blackbird is a decisive turning point for Alter Bridge. Probably, if you're one of those who stumbled upon this review almost by chance (and therefore don't know the longstanding issue...) and listen to the album, you would "classify" it as Hard Rock or Alternative Metal, or similar (but I don't want to delve into the nosographic issue of hard rock_post grunge_soft metal_pre pop musical labels, debated years ago...).
Honestly trying to draw connecting threads between this work and old comparisons is truly impossible (or at the most, naive). In general, the first evident thing is that AB's sound in "Blackbird" has become heavier and darker. Decidedly so. There are about 3-4 definitely heavy pieces. The compositional style has shifted to a more aggressive side. But also the "soft" side (for some perhaps "pretentious") has not been entirely abandoned (unfortunately?).
Overall, the album is well-balanced, there is an alternation between moments of good metal (yes, I would say Metal...), and a couple of lighter and radio-friendly moments (perhaps a somewhat commercial choice?), as well as catchy yet powerful and enjoyable songs. Notably, "Blackbird" was in fact self-produced by Tremonti & Co, as they paid to terminate their contract with WindUp (greedily pressing for a "Creed reunion"); they then recorded the album with "Elvis" Baskette as producer, and only later reached an agreement with Universal Records for its release. Complete compositional freedom thus, detached from market choices (at least one hopes...). And the new style is noticeable.
A note of merit must be attributed to Baskette, who did a really good job. Light years away, even in terms of simple mixing, from the rough production (not his) of the previous One Day Remains. The sound of "Blackbird" presents itself well-balanced, sharp yet also "round", never confused, and allows one to sufficiently distinguish the instruments (in One Day Remains I still doubt whether there is bass or not...:-).
The technical performances of the 4 ABs are very good. Myles Kennedy (vocals) has tenor-like characteristics that allow him to "go up and down" as he pleases. I don't see anyone in the current hard rock scene who can replace him (let alone live, I add. If you're thinking of Cornell, fantastic on CD, go hear him live...).
It's perhaps this very dynamism of Kennedy that distances the ABs light years from the old comparisons.
Moreover, this second album is the result of the joint compositional effort of Tremonti and Kennedy. The latter has been able to bring his darker, blacker nuances, both as a voice and as a guitar.
Mark Tremonti (guitar) proves he has improved even more technically, indeed he presents 7 really good solos, even though his shredding risks losing some expressiveness in the long run, to the detriment of the melodic line of the solo itself. In any case, his style stands out strong and clear, characterizing the entire AB sound, and many songs are indeed based on his powerful riffs.
A "strength" demonstration.
Scott Phillips' (drums) performance accompanies the band's sound "hardening".
In this work, he moves fairly well, with his style never dry nor concise, but rather complex and "filling". He occasionally remembers he has the double pedal, and when he does, we certainly do not regret it. Finally, Brian Marshall (bass), poorly treated in the previous album's mixing, regains some space. But without exaggerating, in the sense that his role is never prominent, but accompanies the band's strong points, which are the power of the riffs and Kennedy's vocal abilities.
The songs... Reviews that go through the album track by track bore me a bit,
so I'll try to succinctly put it like this:
Do you feel like listening to a couple of nice hard tracks? Either you go get Rocco Siffredi's latest work, or you listen to White Knuckles (definitely the most fast & heavy, with some little gifts for double pedal lovers...). Or Buried Alive (spectacular intro spawned by a Mark Tremonti shred, for tremolo bar lovers...). Instead, Rocco Siffredi's power doesn't appeal to you, you're more romantic, looking for something more sustained?
You could try Brand New Start (a classic but effective ballad, that grabs). Or Watch Over You (another lighter ballad, where vocalist Myles Kennedy gives a demonstration of remarkable technical ability and expressiveness). Do you want proof of the maturity of AB's new style, testing the power of the riffs combined with the melody of the vocal lines?
Try Come To Life, or One by One or Coming Home. Honest songs, certainly without structural avant-gardes, but solid and pleasant.
Do you want to hear the song you totally didn't expect? Definitely Blackbird, the title track. An epic 8-minute song, breathtaking. Decidedly over the top, a gem. In albums, if you're lucky, there's at most one song like this. And indeed, there it is. "Epic". AB themselves have defined it as such. Unthinkable for the mainstream hard rock standards these days. Listen to believe. Do you want to be able to wrinkle your nose a bit and say, "This one here might not change my life..." The ABs didn't lack anything... Break Me Down and Rise Today might be the slightly weaker tracks (and probably wink a bit at the commercial), yet, surprisingly,
the latter was chosen as the first single and video (cute videoclip by the way). There are also a couple more songs (Ties That Bind, When Tomorrow Comes, Wayward One and the bonus tracks of the different editions). I'll leave them to your "virgin" listening (definitely pleasant)(?...).
In conclusion... "Blackbird": is it worth getting? Yes. Regardless of whether you like Creed or Pearl Jam or they make you sick... Actually, as I said, it has nothing to do with it... "Blackbird" has what it takes to become a much-appreciated album by anyone interested in hard rock. An aggressive, impactful album, but with the presence of more intimate spaces as well. There are few "serious" and "genuine" albums like this around. Bet that if Alter Bridge plays in Italy, it will be sold out? And that you'll probably be there too?
Tiamazzo
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Ties That Bind (03:19)
I tear on the leash That keeps me contained and controlled Let me go I want to break free And bite my way out of this hole ONE LAST HOPE TO RISE AND BREAK AWAY ABOVE THE FADED LINE WAY BEYOND THE TIES THAT BIND THIS I KNOW THE RISK IS WORTH THE GAIN IT�S WORTH THE SACRIFICE WAY BEYOND THE TIES THAT BIND I run but the chains Pull me right back to the floor You control I rattle the cage I won�t be your slave anymore ONE LAST HOPE TO RISE AND BREAK AWAY ABOVE THE FADED LINE WAY BEYOND THE TIES THAT BIND THIS I KNOW THE RISK IS WORTH THE GAIN IT�S WORTH THE SACRIFICE WAY BEYOND THE TIES THAT BIND You broke me into pieces Don�t tell me what to be Damn you all, I'm gonna find my way ONE LAST HOPE TO RISE AND BREAK AWAY ABOVE THE FADED LINE WAY BEYOND THE TIES THAT BIND THIS I KNOW THE RISK IS WORTH THE GAIN IT�S WORTH THE SACRIFICE WAY BEYOND THE TIES THAT BIND
02 Come to Life (03:52)
Hey
Tore away the veil of weakness
The enemy now lies beneath us
I think we're safe
Hey
Won't be held down any longer
No disgrace and no dishonor
Keep us chained
(Chorus)
There's nothing we should have to fear
It's alright
We've come to life
We'll never shed another tear
It's alright
We've come to life
Hey
The bulletproof are so resilient
To every fool with an opinion
They never break
By the way
We scream to find a reason
Never doubt or stop believing
And escape
(Chorus)
Now wicked tongues can speak
And rewrite history
But you can't keep the truth contained
And like the song was sung
Just realize we're one
And don't forget were here to stay
(Chorus)
03 Brand New Start (04:55)
Against the sky
Streams of light
Call out to me and you
We leave as one
We've just begun
To find the solace we're due
This is the life we must choose
We will make a brand new start
From the pieces torn apart
The break of day is before us
Cast your sorrows to the wind
Let the highway, take us in
As we escape the disorder
This desert road
That we call home
This is our destiny
We chase the setting sun
As we outrun a life of agony
God how we ache to be free
We will make a brand new start
From the pieces torn apart
The break of day is before us
Cast your sorrows to the wind
Let the highway, take us in
As we escape the disorder
-Solo-
We will make a brand new start
From the pieces torn apart
The break of day is before us
Cast your sorrows to the wind
Let the highway, take us in
As we escape the disorder
We'll make our way
We'll make our way
We'll make our way
We'll make our way
04 Buried Alive (04:35)
I twist and turn
In the darkest space
Can't find my worth
As I numb the pain
Glass to the sky
With a blacktooth grin
This whiskey smile
Takes me down again
I'm cold and I'm so afraid
That I'm too weak and I can't change
(Chorus)
I've been buried alive and
I don't want to be here anymore
Reached out a thousand times for
A hand to pull me from below
I've been buried alive in a world
Of constant sorrow
Reach down tonight set me free...
Save tomorrow
Another shot
Slip into the haze
Another night
Soaked in my disgrace
Toast to the lie
I'll raise my glass and run
A wasted life
What have I become?
(Chorus)
Save Tomorrow
Save Tomorrow
Let me breath again
Show me where I begin
To find the will to change
Before I lose everything
(Chorus)
Reach down tonight set me free
And I will follow
05 Coming Home (04:20)
As I peel away
All the years of pain
I've discovered what's been all along
You were so right
I was so wrong
Every shooting star
They all fall so hard
They all fade like a played out song
Now is the time
Before all is lost
I'm coming home
(I'm coming home)
I'm coming home
(I'm coming home)
So I'm coming home
Lost on a road I don't belong
I rest my song
I'm so alone
Far from the streets I call my own
I'm coming home
Rushing back to me
As the city sleeps
So afraid of what I will find
Memories they haunt
From deep inside
Every broken man
Comes to understand
That he'll never find paradise
When all that he wants
Was there all the time
I'm coming home
(I'm coming home)
I'm coming home
(I'm coming home)
So I'm coming home
Lost on a road I don't belong
I rest my song
I'm so alone
Far from the streets I called my own
So I'm coming home
Back to a world left long ago
And now I know
I'm coming home
I'll find my way back
I'm letting go
I'm coming home
We've come to find
What we take for granted
Keeps us alive in the end
So don't let time
Leave you empty-handed
Reach out tonight and make amends
So I'm coming home
Back to the place where I belong
I'll rest my song
I'm so alone
Far from the streets I call my own
So I'm coming home
Back to a world left long ago
Now I know
I'm coming home
I'll find my way back
I'm coming home
I'm coming home
(I'm coming home)
I'm coming home
(I'm coming home)
07 Rise Today (04:21)
[Verse 1: Mark Tremonti]
Now is the end of time, a fool and his legacy are gone
His pride found another way to make sure it all went wrong
Awake in a new day, our fears have come to pass
And this time they’re gonna last
This time they’re gonna last
[Break: Mark Tremonti & Myles Kennedy]
Don’t let me drown
Don’t let me drown
[Refrain: Mark Tremonti & Myles Kennedy]
Now all of the fields are burning, it blocks out the sun
I see all the water rising to drown everyone
[Verse 2: Mark Tremonti]
This is the season we tear our rivals down
This circle of tyrants will end us all right now
The earth has provided the means to burn it down
Well, don’t you see it now?
Well, don’t you see it now?
[Break: Mark Tremonti & Myles Kennedy]
Don’t let me drown
Don’t let me drown
[Refrain: Mark Tremonti & Myles Kennedy]
Now all of the fields are burning, it blocks out the sun
I see all the water rising to drown everyone
This is tomorrow's way to end our days
Watch as the clouds they gather now to wash us away
[Bridge: Myles Kennedy]
Water is rising coming to wash it all away
There’s no denying we were so wrong
Water is rising coming to wash the filth away
There’s no denying we are so
Lost
[Bridge: Myles Kennedy]
Staring down the end of time
Every fear is realized
Crying out is much too late
There’s nothing we can do to save
For the time has come
[Chorus: Mark Tremonti & Myles Kennedy]
Now all of the fields are burning, it blocks out the sun
I see all the water rising to drown everyone
This is tomorrow's way to end our days
Watch as the clouds they gather now to wash us away
[Outro: Mark Tremonti]
At the end of days
The end of days
08 Blackbird (07:58)
The willow it weeps today
A breeze from the distance
Is calling your name
Unfurl your black wings and wait
Across the horizon’s
Coming to sweep you away
It’s coming to sweep you away
Let the wind carry you home
Blackbird fly away
May you never be broken again
The fragile cannot endure
The wrecked and the jaded,
A place so impure
The static of this cruel world
Cause some birds to fly
Long before they’ve seen their day
Long before they’ve seen their day
Let the wind carry you home
Blackbird fly away
May you never be broken again
Beyond the suffering you’ve known
I hope you find your way
May you never be broken again
Ascend may you find no resistance
Know that you made such a difference
And all you leave behind
Will live to the end
The cycle of suffering goes on,
But memories of you stay strong
Someday I too will fly,
And find you again
Let the wind carry you home
Blackbird fly away
May you never be broken again
Beyond the suffering you’ve known
I hope you find your way
May you never be broken again
May you never be broken again
09 One by One (04:20)
Underneath the desert sun
They bid my brother’s blood to run
Many miles away
Hell has come today
Fire raining from the sky
See the face of fear asking one last time
Let me get home safe
Before it’s too late
One by one
The brave will fall
Life is lost again
They gave it all
Deep within the castle walls
So many grievers’ funeral songs
Echo in their sleep
Ode to memories
The sacrifice of flesh and blood
For a promise land that may not be won
Let us not forget
The hero laid to rest
One by one
The brave will fall
Life is lost again
They gave it all
And they gave it all
A price we can’t ignore
If their hope what they're dying for
For every hero gone
For every family torn
We will honor you forever more
One by one
The brave will fall
Life is lost again
They gave it all
One by one
The brave will fall
Life is lost again
They gave it all
They gave it all
10 Watch Over You (04:19)
Leaves are on the ground
Fall has come
Blue skies turning grey
Like my love
I tried to carry you
And make you whole
But it was never enough
I must go
And who is gonna save you
When I'm gone
And who'll watch over you
When I'm gone
You say you cared for me
But hide it well
How can you love
Someone not yourself
And who is gonna save you
When I'm gone
And who'll watch over you
When I'm gone
And when I'm gone
Who'll break your fall
Who will you blame?
I can't go on and
Let you lose it all
More than I can take
Who'll ease your pain?
Ease your pain
And love is gonna save
You when I'm gone
And I'll watch over you
And I will give you strength
When you're not strong
Who'll watch over you
When I'm gone away?
Snow is on the ground
Winter's come
You long to hear my voice
But I'm long gone
12 White Knuckles (04:25)
Are you still lost tonight
Living but dead inside
This is a proclamation
This is a call to rise
Are you abused, alone?
Walking with broken bones
If you feel you've been forgotten
Let this song guide you home
We are the disillusioned
We've been left wanting more
Before every aspiration
Hits the floor
Hold on for your life
All we feel is so
Far from alive
The damned are done believing
And the cursed can dream no more
So hold on for your life
Because only the strong survive
They tell you what you should be
They sell you their plastic dreams
Opinions are all provided
But nothing is what it seems
I dare you to take control
Cause empty your hands
And bruised on the soul
For those who show no resistance
And those who are weak below
We are the disenchanted
We die with each passing day
And no one here understands us
So I say..
Hold on for your life
All we feel is so
Far from alive
The damned are done believing
And the cursed can dream no more
So hold on for your life
Because only the strong survive
How will it feel?
To live a lie
Until your dying day
When nothing is real
As we sacrifice
Bending until we break
It's been revealed
Hold on for your life
Dreams are not theirs to take
Dreams are not theirs to take
Hold on for your life
All we feel is so
Far from alive
The damned are done believing
And the cursed can dream no more
So hold on for your life
Because only the strong
I said only the strong survive
14 We Don't Care at All (03:46)
Crack the heart with true intentions
Blood and scars and no redemption
Weve been a slave to your disaster
Lost it all it doesnt matter
And we dont care at all
We got nothing to take on
And leave the rest to fall
Were going back where we belong
Waste aways amount to nothing
But your opinions keep on coming
Were dead inside to your rejection
Risk it all and did I mention
Ill say it again
Ill say it again
And we dont care at all
We got nothing to take on
And leave the rest to fall
Were going back where we belong
Never doubt it
Never question
What we were
And where weve been
Scream out loud
As our intentions
Find a word
And we dont care at all
We got nothing to take on
And leave the rest to fall
Were going back where we belong
Ill say it again
And we dont care at all
We got nothing to take on
And leave the rest to fall
Were going back where we belong
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Other reviews
By giannirock
The second album is always the most challenging, but this rule doesn’t seem to apply to Alter Bridge, who present an album even better than the previous one, more mature and technically sound.
Blackbird is an album that many will appreciate, from Pearl Jam nostalgics to heavy metal lovers; an album that never gets tired of being listened to and reaches incredible emotional peaks.
By jeff3buckley
His two solos in the song that gives the album its name are treasures to be guarded and are considered among the greatest in rock history.
The last five tracks appear as yet another faded and repetitive filler of an album that could have been twenty minutes shorter.
