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Rating: As the saying goes, "When one Pope dies, another is made," and that's exactly what Creed did with the departure of their leader Scott Stapp and the acquisition of the new singer Myles Kennedy (formerly of Mayfield Four), renaming themselves Alter Bridge.
Finally, with this new lineup, the band managed to shake off the label of "Pearl Jam lookalikes" due to the blatant vocal similarity between Stapp and the king Eddie Vedder (even though, in my opinion, instrumentally, they vaguely remind me of the "sober" Metallica from the Reload and Black album).
Compared to previous works, Creed-Alter Bridge have integrated their style with a much more incisive and less standardized voice than the previous singer, but the treat that all group enthusiasts were waiting for is another: finally, there’s a good presence of GUITAR SOLOS! Thank God that damn Mark Tremonti realized he could play it, but how is it possible that a skilled guitarist like him only woke up now and for three whole albums before this didn’t dignify us with a shred of solo?
Moving on to the standout tracks of "One Day Remains," we can perceive influences of various types: from the first single "Open Your Eyes," which presents a strong energy yet leaves ample room for melody, to "Broken Wings," which has a chorus that is embarrassingly similar to Creed's previous hit "My Sacrifice." Another important track is "Burn It Down," which evokes some reflective atmospheres and a touch of the acerbic from Alice in Chains, then moving to "In Loving Memory," which in my view is the best-performed piece, also because it emotionally involves the band, since it was dedicated to Mark Tremonti’s recently deceased mother.
Overall, the track-list progresses quickly and uniformly. The songs are easily memorable, thanks also to the touch that has always distinguished this band: bass and drums working in parallel like the mechanisms of a rhythmic machine, a guitar alternating between driving accompaniments and typically hard-rock riffs with clean and arpeggiated interludes, and a complete voice with good high notes and at the same time with very warm timbres (even if it seems distantly like a clean and diaphragmatic Chriss Cornell).
Without getting too carried away, this is a good record, clearly not bringing any kind of novelty or innovation, it certainly isn't among the ten albums I'd take to a desert island, but it is simply good music. However, credit must be given to Alter Bridge for being one of the few bands that tries to keep alive what little is left of melodic grunge rock, although they will have to work much more to achieve more excellent results.
Anyway, I recommend everyone listen to this album, you'll practically have the chance to hear the evolution of a band that kept us company during the second half of the '90s, and nothing more.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Find the Real (04:43)
Stuck in the middle, I burrow inside,
back to the cradle.
Away from the burdens of all my crimes,
before it's fatal.
My past has found me, the truth's come out,
all is remembered.
With no place to fall, but straight down,
I must surrender.
Well it seems I've finally thought of everything,
I wanna love, I wanna feel,
find peace, find the real.
There's a face I put on all my life,
the face of an angel.
But I look in the mirror only to find,
the face of a stranger.
And with all I've taken I hunger for more,
cause I'm selfish.
And all I'm left with is a crown of thorns,
and I'm helpless.
Well it seems I've finally thought of everything,
I wanna love, I wanna feel,
find peace, find the real.
I'll trade these lives for something right.
I will kill what hurts with something pure.
I will be redeemed so I can breathe again.
(Instrumental)
Well it seems I've finally thought of everything,
I wanna love, I wanna feel,
find peace, find the real.
Well it seems I've finally thought of everything,
I wanna love, I wanna feel,
find peace, find the real.
03 Open Your Eyes (04:58)
Looking back I clearly see
What it is that's killing me
Through the eyes of one I know
I see a vision once let go
I had it all
Constantly it burdens me
Hard to trust and can't believe
Lost the faith and lost the love
When the day is done
Will they open their eyes
And realize we are one
On and on we stand alone
Until our day has come
When they open their eyes
And realize we are one
I love the way I feel today
But how I know the sun will fade
Darker days seem to be
What will always live in me
But still I run
It's hard to walk this path alone
Hard to know which way to go
Will I ever save this day
Will it ever change
Will they open their eyes
And realize we are one
Stand the pain and carry on
I know the day will come
When they open their eyes
And realize we are one
ohhh... ohhhhh.... ohhhh....
Will they open their eyes
And realize we are one
(its hard to walk this path alone
hard to know which way to go)
Will they open their eyes
and realize we are one
(lost the faith and lost the love when the day is done)
Will they open their eyes
And realize we are one
05 Metalingus (04:19)
I've been defeated and brought down
Dropped to my knees when hope ran out
The time has come to change my ways
On this day
I see clearly
Everything has come to life
A bitter place and a broken dream
And we'll leave it all
Leave it all behind
I'll never long for what might have been
Regret won't waste my life again
I won't look back I'll fight to remain
On this day
I see clearly
Everything has come to life
A bitter place and a broken dream
And we'll leave it all behind
On this day
It's so real to me
Everything has come to life
Another chance to chase a dream
Another chance to feel
Chance to feel alive
Fear will kill me
All I could be
Lift these sorrows
Let me breathe
Could you set me free
Could you set me free
On this day
I see clearly
Everything has come to life
A bitter place and a broken dream
And we'll leave it all behind
On this day
It's so real to me
Everything has come to life
Another chance to chase a dream
Another chance to feel
Chance to feel alive
06 Broken Wings (05:06)
Fight the fight alone
When the world is full of victims
Dims a fading light
in our souls
Leave the peace alone
Now we all are slowly changing
Dims a fading light
in our souls
In my opinion seeing is to know
The things we hold are always first to go
And who's to say we won't end up alone
On broken wings I'm falling
and it won't be long
The skin on me is burning
by the fires of the sun
On skinned knees I'm bleeding
and it won't be long
I've got to find that meaning
and I'll search for so long
Cry ourselves to sleep
We will sleep alone forever
Will you lay me down
in the same place with all I love
Mend the broken homes
Care for them
they are our brothers
Save the fading light in our souls
In my opinion seeing is to know
What you give will always carry you
And who's to say we won't survive it too
On broken wings I'm falling
and it won't be long
The skin on me is burning
by the fires of the sun
On skinned knees I'm bleeding
and it won't be long
I've got to find that meaning
and I'll search for so long
Set a free all
Relying on their will
to make me all that I am
and all that I'll be
Set a free all
Will fall between the cracks
with memories of all that I am
and all that I'll be
On broken wings I'm falling
and it won't be long
The skin on me is burning
by the fires of the sun
On skinned knees I'm bleeding
and it won't be long
I've got to find that meaning
and I'll search for so long
10 Shed My Skin (05:08)
I am not alone
I live with the memories, regret is my home
This is my true freedom
Express all the feelings of what I've become
I watch the rising sun
I hope I find some peace today
It seems I've gone away
It seems I've lost myself
It seems I've really lost my way
It seems I've lost my self
It seems I've...
Shed my skin
Are you ready for me?
Or purge my love
Are you ready for me?
A bitter, sinking feeling
Awake to the fact there's no going back
To the world in which I was living
I'm searching for something, but found less than nothing
I watch the rising sun
I hope I find some peace today
It seems I've gone away
It seems I've lost myself
It seems I've really lost my way
It seems I've lost my self
It seems I've...
Shed my skin
Are you ready for me?
Or purge my love
Are you ready for me?
Oh 'cause I'm dying to feel
What I have lost
Oh and what I was
All my life I've waited
Endless days have taken
Taken what made me free
Years have gone
I'm broken
Left the past unspoken
Those years...
Oh and they haunt me still
Shed my Skin
Are you ready for me?
Or purge my love
Are you ready for me?
And shed my skin
11 The End Is Here (04:57)
Endless days
we search for what we hold inside
so hard to find
Luck turns
will the fallen ever reach within
and rise again
For the rest of my life..
I will find the answers that were always here
I will find the meaning this time
I will fight the end
till the end is here..
wasted time
with words that seem to break our will
they bind us still
without a care
they tarnish what we hold so dear
what was once so clear
For the rest of my life
I will find the answers that were always here
I will find the meaning this time
I will fight the end
till the end is here..
the end is here
the end is here
the end is here
the end is here
For the rest of my life
I will find the answers that were always here
I will find the meaning this time
I will fight the end
till the end is here..
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Other reviews
By Gallagher87
"Metalingus is the masterpiece of the album, a powerful track with sharp lyrics and a sound between crossover and nu-metal."
"Open Your Eyes is among the best tracks of the album where M. Kennedy fully expresses his vocal talents."
By Bisius
These are Creed with a different voice. Period.
They are not certainly exceptional, and they definitely need to improve the choruses, but as they are, they can be a good listen to chase away stress and clear the mind.
