Alter Bridge
The Last Hero

I often find myself reading opinions on new musical proposals, but the comments are usually not pleasant, criticizing the lack of "freshness" of the proposed work, which often harks back to sounds already heard in the past. "Already heard and rehashed," "They sound like a copy of so-and-so," "They sound like a copy of such-and-such," "Did we need this band," and "They don't make bands like they used to" are just some of the comments you often read when a new group releases an album. Yes, it's true that they don't make bands like they used to, but if a historic band releases new material, the criticism is about why they are releasing it and why they don't just retire. In the end, we are never happy. Unfortunately, bands like Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, or The Who have passed the torch, and it's right for our minds to open up to new horizons, to new bands because even in this century, there are great bands that deserve to be appreciated!

For example, Alter Bridge, led by the Kennedy/Tremonti duo. The former (in my very humble opinion) had the "misfortune" of being musically born in this century. His voice is one of the most beautiful the music landscape has ever had! I am sure that if he had lived around the sixties/seventies, he would be recognized today as one of the greatest vocalists of all time, and he is also a great guitarist! A complete artist! The latter was already famous for being part of "Creed," but over the years, he has improved his technique, and today he is surely one of the most appreciated guitarists.

"The Last Hero" is the fifth album by the Americans, released in 2016 three years after the fabulous "Fortress." It's a sort of concept album, with the figure of the hero in the foreground.

A majestic intro introduces us to the first track of the album, "Show Me a Leader." Designed for live performances, it overwhelms the listener for the entire duration of the song. The lyrics almost seem to point a finger at the American elections (at the album's release, Trump had not yet been elected). "The Writing on the Wall," on the other hand, is an anthem of protest against the problem of global warming, a track deeply felt by them. "The Other Side" is the surprise. You expect it to explode at any moment into a classic Alter Bridge chorus, but the heavy riff is deliberately dragged out for the entire duration of the track, leaving the listener flabbergasted. A track that deserves at least 4/5 listens to be appreciated and properly understood. It is followed by the sunny and harmonious "My Champion," perhaps deliberately placed after "The Other Side" to sweep away the anguish left by the previous track. "Poison in Your Veins" again winks at the live performance, while it's with "Cradle to the Grave" that they reach the highest point of the album. A ballad among the most beautiful ever produced by Kennedy and company. A track that's worthy of being listened to. "The Side of Fate" has just the right mix of power and melody with an almost progressive vein in the background. There's also room for the "killer song" "Island Of Fools," featuring a massive riff that shows us the band's hard side. The album's closure is entrusted to the "title track."

In short, Alter Bridge hits the mark again with "The Last Hero," proving once again that they are a great band.