nagpo wrote:So I just finished my first listen of the entire record. I do like the record. It is better than TLH - which will more than likely remain as their worst record ever.
I actually really liked the synth wave stuff and wished they went even further into it. It kind of feels like a gimmick because it's used so sparsely but I still like it.
Some of the choruses on the songs really aren't that melodically interesting. And some of the lyrics really don't catch me either.
It's mostly a pretty consistent record though. I think they should go further in this direction, it's a positive step in the right direction.
Less guitar solos and bridges is a step in the pop AB direction. Only 4 minutes worth for the whole album thats already killing replay value for me. Coming from TLH which imo had the best guitar solos of any of their albums [say what you want about the album } but it craps all over this 1 in that regard. Sorry AB is a guitar band to me not a pop one like this album.
I didn't think too fondly of Godspeed when I heard it at the Listening Party. I thought they jumped the shark and went too hard on the synths and keyboard effects. Now that I have the luxury of listening to it at home on replay, it is growing on me and it's a nice song that celebrates more of the life of a passed one as opposed to In Loving Memory and Blackbird where it reflects the more sorrowful and more tragic of losing someone.
On another note, I'm quite surprised on the amount of bands that's giving a shoutout to AB and the new album, looking through AB's Twitter page (and since this is release week, expect many retweets on their page). Naturally, Skillet and Shinedown is giving a shoutout due to the fact that they have been or is going on tour with AB, but bands like Disturbed, Adelitas Way, and even friken Steel Panther gave a shoutout for AB. AB's got a lot of bands that they are good friends with.
austinjhnsn wrote:Agree that Losing Patience isn't that great at all.
This album rules and TLH drools.
all seriousness i will post a review soon, it has been great reading everyones thoughts! I love that we all seem to have different favorites and someones biggest dislike might be someone elses favorite.
TLH is a rock album this is a pop album. I prefer rock and TLH rocks. Like i have said many times nothing even comes close to TSOF or Cradle on this album. Im sure many Beeber fans might like this album though so if AB were trying to lure teen girls to their music this is the album to do it
austinjhnsn wrote:Agree that Losing Patience isn't that great at all.
This album rules and TLH drools.
all seriousness i will post a review soon, it has been great reading everyones thoughts! I love that we all seem to have different favorites and someones biggest dislike might be someone elses favorite.
TLH is a rock album this is a pop album. I prefer rock and TLH rocks. Like i have said many times nothing even comes close to TSOF or Cradle on this album. Im sure many Beeber fans might like this album though so if AB were trying to lure teen girls to their music this is the album to do it
What pop do you listen to? There's plenty of heavy. Just because there is a few less guitar solos doesn't make it pop. You're trolling right? This is still about as friendly to the mainstream as they've ever been.
austinjhnsn wrote:Agree that Losing Patience isn't that great at all.
This album rules and TLH drools.
all seriousness i will post a review soon, it has been great reading everyones thoughts! I love that we all seem to have different favorites and someones biggest dislike might be someone elses favorite.
TLH is a rock album this is a pop album. I prefer rock and TLH rocks. Like i have said many times nothing even comes close to TSOF or Cradle on this album. Im sure many Beeber fans might like this album though so if AB were trying to lure teen girls to their music this is the album to do it
Not trying to stir the pot, but taking it to that extreme is pretty childish. This is still a rock album, it’s just more straightforward than past albums. I’ll take the title track on this album any day over anything from TLH, including the two massively overrated songs you listed
Alright I'm a few more listens in. Got a big ole wall of text for y'all. I really am feeling that this album is like the "light world" version of AB III. Whereas AB III was very dark and depressing with a few spots of positivity and hope, this album doesn't shy away from darker topics but overall the takeaway is "All you can really do is live your life. Be present in the now and you'll be alright" and on paper that's a pretty simple sentiment but just like AB III's themes of loss of faith hit hard for me at the time, this is really just what I needed now. It's crazy how they keep doing that. Does this album have the classic status of Blackbird or the high points of ODR and Fortress? not really. But it doesn't have to. They made good music, it made me feel good, and that's all I care about.
1-2. One Life/Wouldn't You Rather - Alter Bridge continues to be unparalleled in modern rock at starting off their albums perfectly. Not much to say, just a fucking banger
3. In The Deep - Pretty middle of the road track. I don't skip it, but it's not essential AB listening imo. Good performances though and I like the whole "verse in minor, chorus in major" thing
4. Godspeed - First listen I was like "idkkkkk about this" I'm no pop hater and I love AB ballads, but it just seemed off at first. Luckily, it sunk in and I love it. The piano is a welcome addition MORE PIANO IN ROCK MUSIC PLEASE and I just love the uplifting vibe of it.
5. Native Son - Yeah, this one is kinda meh. Has the TLH problem of nothing being technically wrong with it, it's just boring.
6. Take The Crown - My personal favorite of the pre-release tracks. The verses are heavy and chilling, the chorus is anthemic, the outro is a great climax. Classic AB, plus the ending bluesy noodling by Myles oof ummf that's that good shit inject that straight into my veins
7. Indoctrination - Same thing as Native Son. I respect what they were going for here, and there are some cool parts, but the melodies just aren't doin it for me.
8. The Bitter End - Tied for my favorite song on the record. This really sounds like the sequel to All Hope Is Gone, both thematically, melodically, etc. This song just makes me feel good to be alive, man. This is what Alter Bridge excels at, what they've always excelled at. Melodies are fantastic, another great ending climax, some really cool little riffs scattered throughout, just fuck, this song alone is better than the entirety of TLH
9. Pay No Mind - Pretty decent song. Nothing super special, but I do really enjoy the chorus. Probably one of their catchiest chorus ever tbh. I would like the song a lot more if it had a better bridge. It just goes nowhere and then boom, back to the chorus.
10. Forever Falling - Another song that took a few listens to get into, but now I love it. Mark's vocals are top notch, the riffs and melodies are all solid, not much to say, just a great song from start to finish
11. Clear Horizon - It's aight. Kinda feels like a SMKC song. Plenty of decent parts here, just a pretty forgettable whole imo
12. Walking On The Sky - whoooooooo boy. This is my other tied for favorite song. Everything works on this song. The verses are emotional, the chorus is gigantic, the relation to the themes of the album is great, the whole song is exhilirating. "Do you feel a. LIIIIIIIIIVE" damn straight I do, Myles
13. Tear Us Apart - definitely the worst song on the album. Alter Bridge has no shortage of cheesy songs, and I love most of them. But damn this song is too much. None of it works imo. It may fit the positive vibe of the album, but I definitely don't feel alive or present listening to it. If it sounds like I'm being harsh, keep in mind that imo it's the only actually bad song on the album.
14. Dying Light - I still am not really feeling the chorus but everything else about this song is awesome. Super cool bridge, best solo on the album, definitely works as an effective closer, though I personally think Walking On The Sky would've been a better closer
So, in conclusion, just like ABIII, we have some stellar standout tracks with resonating themes amongst a few duds and not so great production. Not the most remarkable album of all time, but the parts I liked, I really really liked, and will cherish forever.
If I had to rank the albums atm, I'd say:
1. Blackbird 9/10
2. Fortress 8/10
3. One Day Remains 7/10
4. Walk The Sky 6/10
4. AB III 6/10
6. The Last Hero 4/10
I'm not really the best at scoring, but you get the idea.
LosingPatience wrote:
TLH is a rock album this is a pop album. I prefer rock and TLH rocks. Like i have said many times nothing even comes close to TSOF or Cradle on this album. Im sure many Beeber fans might like this album though so if AB were trying to lure teen girls to their music this is the album to do it
...this is straight trolling at this point. In no way is this a pop album, and I feel you are being very dramatic by saying so. I know that we all have our opinions, but this is ridiculous. You're just lashing out because it's a diverse sounding album.
I’d say Walking on the Sky is a big one for me as well. The Bitter End has grown on me a lot too. Still not an album favorite but I wouldn’t necessarily call it filler anymore. Tear Us Apart is the only filler song for me now.
austinjhnsn wrote:Agree that Losing Patience isn't that great at all.
This album rules and TLH drools.
all seriousness i will post a review soon, it has been great reading everyones thoughts! I love that we all seem to have different favorites and someones biggest dislike might be someone elses favorite.
TLH is a rock album this is a pop album. I prefer rock and TLH rocks. Like i have said many times nothing even comes close to TSOF or Cradle on this album. Im sure many Beeber fans might like this album though so if AB were trying to lure teen girls to their music this is the album to do it
Pop music is for everyone. I'll take a good pop record over a mediocre rock record every single day of the week.
After three listens, the two weakest for me are Clear Horizon and Tear Us Apart. But they'd be middle of the pack on TLH.
There's an operatic / musical theater streak running through some of the vocal melodies that I'm really liking. Most prominent on Pay No Mind and Dying Light.
I liked Clear Horizon pretty well on first listen, but I could see why some wouldn’t. From what I read over at Ao12, Myles didn’t even want it on the album and Tim called him to argue on the song’s behalf.
Andy92 wrote:I liked Clear Horizon pretty well on first listen, but I could see why some wouldn’t. From what I read over at Ao12, Myles didn’t even want it on the album and Tim called him to argue on the song’s behalf.
Andy92 wrote:I liked Clear Horizon pretty well on first listen, but I could see why some wouldn’t. From what I read over at Ao12, Myles didn’t even want it on the album and Tim called him to argue on the song’s behalf.
I'm a big fan of Clear Horizon. As a matter of fact, (Ubik will appreciate this) when I was jogging to the album today the song has many parallels with the movie Blade Runner
Really dig into the lyrics, it's there (with Deckard and Rachael driving off into the green world at the end of the theatrical version.)
Not sure that Myles realizes he basically wrote a song about that relationship from a film. But it totally matches up.
You know, I wouldn't be surprised if it was the case. The bridge verse kinda makes it more convincing.
Here you stand all alone
Above the crowd the air is cold
Losing balance where you can't let go
Here and now in the clouds you have found your escape
For all you give, it's worth the risk, at least you lived your way
You're on the line
Walking on the sky
Andy92 wrote:I liked Clear Horizon pretty well on first listen, but I could see why some wouldn’t. From what I read over at Ao12, Myles didn’t even want it on the album and Tim called him to argue on the song’s behalf.
anguyen92 wrote:I didn't think too fondly of Godspeed when I heard it at the Listening Party. I thought they jumped the shark and went too hard on the synths and keyboard effects. Now that I have the luxury of listening to it at home on replay, it is growing on me and it's a nice song that celebrates more of the life of a passed one as opposed to In Loving Memory and Blackbird where it reflects the more sorrowful and more tragic of losing someone.
On another note, I'm quite surprised on the amount of bands that's giving a shoutout to AB and the new album, looking through AB's Twitter page (and since this is release week, expect many retweets on their page). Naturally, Skillet and Shinedown is giving a shoutout due to the fact that they have been or is going on tour with AB, but bands like Disturbed, Adelitas Way, and even friken Steel Panther gave a shoutout for AB. AB's got a lot of bands that they are good friends with.
None of those bands surprise me. Adelita's Way has toured with AB and probably gained a few fans from them (I found out about AW from the fact that they toured with AB). AB toured with Disturbed. Steel Panther seems like a band that would appreciate the work of Tremonti and Myles on guitar. Now if a big band like Metallica gave a shout out that would be huge
You know, I wouldn't be surprised if it was the case. The bridge verse kinda makes it more convincing.
Here you stand all alone
Above the crowd the air is cold
Losing balance where you can't let go
Here and now in the clouds you have found your escape
For all you give, it's worth the risk, at least you lived your way
You're on the line
Walking on the sky
Had a few listens through the album and it’s about what I expected. Definitely like this one better than TLH. WTS is a solid mix of many different aspects of the band and definitely sounds like AB.
I still wish it had a ballad (Godspeed is my favorite off WTS) but still better than TLH. Really liked the synthy stuff and retro vibes I think that added a new dynamic that would’ve made the songs a lot thinner sounding if it wasn’t there. I still think they’re trying to beat the “we’re a heavy heavy band” drum too much the last two albums and wish they didn’t settle for being heavy for heavy’s sake. Indoctrination on the other hand KILLS. Love the main riff in it but a lot of the other riffs aren’t that memorable tbh. Also thought Dying Light was This Side of Fate part two for the most part.
Overall I think it’s a good album and gave me a nostalgic feeling of listening to my favorite band again but still think it’s missing so many things that made this band special to me. A few softer songs, Mark’s cool alternate tunings on guitar, and those lyrics that draw out so much emotion. I liked the concept of this album and I’m sure I’ll enjoy the lyrics more the more I learn them but just feels like something is missing to me. Either way, will forever love this band and I think WTS is a breath of fresh air and is already more memorable than TLH
There's plenty of heavy. Just because there is a few less guitar solos doesn't make it pop. You're trolling right? This is still about as friendly to the mainstream as they've ever been.
