Tremonti
Marching in Time

After seven intense and fulfilling years with Alter Bridge, Mark Tremonti, the eclectic guitarist and co-founder of the band, felt the need to bring his creativity to a different and more personal level, to demonstrate what he was capable of with his voice (excellent things, see also the charity cover album "Tremonti sings Sinatra"). Thus, the "Tremonti Project" was born, a parallel project as ambitious as it was necessary, for one of the most talented and charismatic guitarists on the metal scene.

Tremonti is accompanied by Eric Friedman on acoustic guitar, Tanner Keegan on bass, and Ryan Bennett on drums. Bennett and Keegan have worthily replaced Garrett Whitlock and a certain Wolfgang Van Halen, a talented young bassist and son of art (the late father is Eddie Van Halen), who left the band in 2016 to devote himself to what is now an already successful solo project (I recommend listening to it).

"Marching in Time" is Tremonti's fifth studio work. Released in 2021, the full-length produced by friend Michael "Elvis" Baskette for Napalm Records was created during the most complicated phase of the pandemic, something that can also be found in the lyrics, as well as in the author's desire to vent his anger and frustration for such a difficult life experience. It is the second concept album, following the successful predecessor "A Dying Machine", which paved the way for a further evolution of the band's signature speed metal sounds.

The twelve tracks, which flow marvelously, start with the driving rhythm of "A World Away". The snare drum, frantically beaten, accompanies Tremonti's aggressive guitar, which halfway through the piece gives way to Eric Friedman's acoustic picking. It slows down and speeds up, almost without a break leading to the second track "Now and Forever", very similar to the previous one in its compositional plot and even more melodic in the singing. "If Not for You", the first single released, is among my favorites. It hints at mainstream, also through background synth sounds, and is technically impeccable. Mark unleashes all the octaves available and delivers a powerful closing solo. "Thrown Further" dons the guise of a typical thrash metal piece, with hammering percussion and occasionally chanting riffs. The whole thing culminates in the album's pinnacle, "Let That Be Us", which, as they say, is worth the ticket price. It opens with an explosive riff, then flows into a chorus with typical metalcore vocals. Mark's pick goes wild on the strings at maximum speed, and the lyrics speak of redemption:

"Back on my feet

I'll never be the same

The way I feel

I'll never slip again

I'm far from lost

But I'm far on my way

I'll never forget

I'll never be the same"

"The Last One of Us" is the inevitable ballad, characterized by guitar notes typical of early Alter Bridge, accompanied by singing that moves from the start. "In One Piece" shifts into gear and hits the accelerator, as if to take us back on the roller coaster we had momentarily gotten off. "Under the Sun" brings back reflection, warning us that from here on it will slow down to make room for a touch of melancholy. It considers a love that is ending as a refuge, a vanished sanctuary, where to hide in the shadows so as not to fail in the sunlight. "Not Afraid To Lose" continues the discourse but is devoid of the cynical surrender demonstrated so far. "Bleak" and "Would You Kill" share a very similar narrative, although the musical plots are substantially different. The first, with a pessimistic and at times resigned text:

"So when you die left wanting more

You'll see this tragedy made no sense at all"

The second, more aggressive and combative, starting from the sound, which at times recalls the sounds chosen for the first record "All I Was":

"Would you know if it might be the end

Would you kill if the chance came again

Are you brave when you can't see tomorrow

Would you kill, would you beg, steal or borrow"

The second part of the album is evidently more influenced by the reflective cynicism that characterized the lockdown days, during which, as said at the beginning, the complete composition of the concept album took place.

It closes beautifully with the title track "Marching in Time", a fitting choice in relation to the type of narrative that characterizes the entire work. The voice is that of a father preparing his child to face a life started during a terrible pandemic. A dedication from Tremonti to his third child on the way, little Stella, born in March 2021. Technically flawless, in its over seven minutes of duration, the piece continually slows down and speeds up in an emotional seesaw, reaching its peak with the fine final syncopated solo, until the fade-out.

Ultimately, Marching in Time is truly a beautiful album, which in addition to confirming Mark Tremonti's undisputed talent, highlights his courage and compositional wisdom. Five albums in ten years, for a side project, mean dedication, talent, and creative flair. If then the whole thing is acclaimed by critics, even better.

To understand the quality of Tremonti, it's good to go backwards starting from the past of its founder, to the flourishing present that will lead him to a future full of new personal successes and more.

Just think that 2019 was the year of Mark Tremonti's nomination as the best guitarist of the decade, by the magazine "Guitar World". And right when the "Tremonti Project" was born, the magazine "Guitarist" elected the solo of "Blackbird" by Alter Bridge, as the most beautiful of all time.

If a good day starts in the morning...