The "Cauterize" Listener Review Thread - post yours here!

[SHEAKENBAKEN]

If mark was able to pull off the vox of creeds stuff i'd be down.

I think mark could do it and possibly better than Stapp.

[Andy92]

Mark might be able to do it better than 2015, doesn't take care of voice, half lost his mind Stapp. But there's no way he could sing some of the stuff off the first 3 albums like Stapp used to. His voice from 97-02 is still one of my favorite voices ever.

Plus, they'd never play as Creed like that anyways. Interesting to discuss, but it won't happen.

[Timotheus]

Stapp's vocals are a huge part of Creed's sound. I don't think I'd even want to hear that.

[Vaux]

Some quick hits -

The beginnings of Radical Change and Arm Yourself kinda sound the same

Tie The Noose should have been the opening track.

I love the high bass note in the outro of Cauterize - that might have been a great way to start the song too, not just at the end.

Love the CD - I cant really list my favorites in order - But I will say I think Dark Trip is amazing, and under that is a tie between Cauterize, Tie The Noose, and Fall Again. The rest I like about equal - so far, of course. If I had to pick a track that I am not getting into as much, that would be Providence.

Did I mention Dark Trip is amazing?

[HappyHogJens]

Appreciating the songs more and more. Only songs I tend to skip are Cauterize and Dark Trip..

[pokefan_4]

Tie the Noose should have been the single....... That song is awesome and catchy. But I'm sure that, in today's butt hurt world, someone would get butt hurt over a song that had the word "noose" in it and they would make it racial.

[slasherbridge]

Tie the Noose should have been the single....... That song is awesome and catchy. But I'm sure that, in today's butt hurt world, someone would get butt hurt over a song that had the word "noose" in it and they would make it racial.

Isn't that the song that he said he wrote about the recent riots in Ferguson/Baltimore/etc.?

[SHEAKENBAKEN]

Tie the Noose should have been the single....... That song is awesome and catchy. But I'm sure that, in today's butt hurt world, someone would get butt hurt over a song that had the word "noose" in it and they would make it racial.

Isn't that the song that he said he wrote about the recent riots in Ferguson/Baltimore/etc.?

Tie The Noose was inspired by all the police shootings in the US, riots and riots, I'm speaking from the place somebody's writing and saying that the solution is to take your anger out. We all know what's wrong but in the same time you also try to see their point of view, just being fed up being profiled. It's not saying if it's right or wrong, the whole thing is wrong and the police's answers are jumping quickly into conclusions of race.

[pokefan_4]

Tie the Noose should have been the single....... That song is awesome and catchy. But I'm sure that, in today's butt hurt world, someone would get butt hurt over a song that had the word "noose" in it and they would make it racial.

Isn't that the song that he said he wrote about the recent riots in Ferguson/Baltimore/etc.?

Tie The Noose was inspired by all the police shootings in the US, riots and riots, I'm speaking from the place somebody's writing and saying that the solution is to take your anger out. We all know what's wrong but in the same time you also try to see their point of view, just being fed up being profiled. It's not saying if it's right or wrong, the whole thing is wrong and the police's answers are jumping quickly into conclusions of race.

right... I was just saying that people would freak out over it saying "tie the noose" if it was on main stream radio.....

I think it's the best song on the album... Def. has the best riff and a great chorus.

[AHart96]

After 10-15 listens, I feel comfortable with this review. WARNING: It's very lengthy and in-depth, this is the type of review I would write for a magazine or music website. I decided to do a more mathematical, by-the-numbers review which was actually very fun and interesting. I think I'm gonna start reviewing all albums this way. It's a great way to get an unbiased opinion of an album rather than just saying "this is the best album I've ever heard" or "this album and all the songs on it are perfect". Plus, it's alway fun to compare and debate based on numbers. I posted ratings along with my thoughts for what I believe are the five most important parts of a song for each to get a better score for every song and in turn, the album as a whole. With that said, here's my full review of "Cauterize". Hope you enjoy!

RADICAL CHANGE
Verse: 4/5 - The highlight vocally is during the chorus, can't wait to see how this sounds live.
Chorus: 5/5 - Phenomenal chorus, one of the top ones from the album. Ridiculously catchy
Verse: 3/5 - Love the lyrics with the meaning being tied to the Creed split, but just an average delivery IMO
Bridge: 5/5 - The clean breakdown reminds me of "Show Me a Sign" and I love his vocals here, despite it being short in length
Instrumental: 5/5 - The guitar work is just incredible. The main riff is awesome, but that pre-chorus riff...HOLY SHIT. Love the alternate trem dives in the first and second pre-chorus. Can definitely tell Eric is playing the first solo which was nice, and I love Mark's end solo that follows the melody beautifully. I heard a bit of the "Cry a River" solo in there, which is a good thing.
Overall: 4.4/5 - Awesome song with an incredible chorus, some of the best guitar work I've heard from Mark, and a great way to start the album.

FLYING MONKEYS
Vocals: 5/5 - When the previews were first released, the vocals here caught my attention the most. Definitely lived up to the hype and it sounds great live as well.
Chorus: 3/5 - Just average in my opinion. The vocals and harmonies are great, but its too slow in my opinion. Enjoy the lyrics as well but wish there were more.
Verse: 5/5 - This is where Mark's vocals shine in this song, and I love the lyrics here too
Bridge: 3.5/5 - Not completely sold on the bridge. Enjoyed the swell going into it and the clean guitar, but vocally and lyrically it's just alright.
Instrumental: 3.5/5 - The reason it's this high is solely because of the intro/verse riff, it's one of my favorites Mark has written. Not much else going on though, and it's hurt by a lack of a solo.
Overall: 4/5 - Solid song, but I'll remember it best for the riff and the verses because of his vocals. I had higher expectations after hearing Mark saying it was his favorite, but did not live up to the hype for me.

CAUTERIZE
Vocals: 5/5 - Mark's vocals are amazing throughout the entire song. Bonus points for the harmonies really increasing the enjoyability of the song.
Chorus: 4/5 - Great vocally. The lyrics are good, but not great. Simple but effective chorus
Verse: 5/5 - Might be the best verses Mark has written. It's got a punk rock feel which is different for Mark, but I really enjoy. The vocal harmonies and guitar work just make this sound huge.
Bridge: 5/5 - My favorite part of the song. The first guitar riff sounds awesome to me and then Mark's vocals just take this to another level. Probably the best bridge of the album.
Instrumental: 3.5/5 - We all know the clean blues outro is amazing thanks to Mark & Co., but other than that nothing really new here for Mark. Standard heavy riff, octave chords in the verse, same old power chords in the chorus and bridge, and it's hurt by no solo. All of it is solid, but nothing GREAT aside from the outro.
Overall: 4.5/5 - Killer song that I thought should've been lead single. The verses and the bridge are the highlights for me, and we all love the sexy outro. Really want to give a shout out to Elvis for the production on this one. I was anticipating this song the most after hearing it live, and I was not let down. The song sounds massive, particularly the verses and bridge.

ARM YOURSELF
Vocals: 3.5/5 - Definitely a different style than All I Was, I like them.
Chorus: 2.5/5 - Meh. Vocals and lyrics are good, but the delivery isn't my cup of tea.
Verse: 3/5 - Pretty good, really enjoyed the previews we heard before the album released.
Bridge: 4/5 - Really liked the bridge in this one. Love the whole post-chorus breakdown and Mark's vocals are awesome. Great lead up to the solo.
Instrumental: 4/5 - The riffing throughout this song is sick. The solo is nice, but I can't tell if it's Eric or Mark using the finger-style soloing he started using in "Bleed it Dry". Just feel like it was a little too short to be considered great.
Overall: 3.4/5 - Slightly above average song, one of the heaviest of the album but is brought down by the chorus and short solo.

DARK TRIP
Vocals: 4/5 - Very emotional vocals throughout, really shines for me during the bridge, especially that harmony right before the solo.
Chorus: 3/5 - Just an average chorus IMO. Too slow for me and the repetitive "my home" line just doesn't help it stand out from others.
Verse: 4/5 - Great all around, love the guitar work, vocals, and lyrics.
Bridge: 5/5 - Everyone is firing on all cylinders in this one. I got goosebumps during the vocals here, especially the "Forsaken me again" line. Wolfie is the MVP of this song
Instrumental: 5/5 - One of the better ones of the album. The lead guitar line on acoustic sounds like something from Full Circle, which I actually like a lot. Enjoy the leads over the top of the acoustic throughout as well. Has probably the best solo on the album and the bass in this song is top-notch.
Overall: 4.2/5 - Really good song, different from just about anything Mark has done before. Did not fully live up to the hype I was reading about it, brought down just a notch because of the chorus.

ANOTHER HEART
Vocals: 3.5/5 - Not much to say other than above average and a step up from All I Was
Chorus: 4/5 - I wasn't a fan at first, but I really enjoy it now. I find it very catchy and I can see why it was a single, but still don't think it should've been the first.
Verse: 4.5/5 - Classic Mark fingerpicking here and I really enjoy the lyrics. To me they're obviously about Stapp, but I think it's good Mark that is getting those words out of his system.
Bridge: 3.5/5 - Love the Wolfie riff that turned into the pre-chorus riff as well, and that riff before the solo is a serious headbanger. Can't wait to hear it live eventually.
Instrumental: 4.5/5 - Awesome guitar work throughout the song. Contains one of the better solos of the album too.
Overall: 4/5 - Much better than some people are saying, definitely not the worst song on the album IMO. I feel it's radio worthy but does not feel out of place at all. Great song, just not as great as some of the others on the album.

FALL AGAIN
Vocals: 5/5 - Mark really stepped up his game on this one. Gonna be very interesting if they ever play this one live to see if Mark can hit some of these notes.
Chorus: 3.5/5 - The only reason it's not higher is because the chorus is way too short. If it were longer and had more than one repeated line it would be phenomenal.
Verse: 4/5 - I feel like I've heard the acoustic guitar before in another song. His vocals here are great and the lyrics are also nice. I really enjoyed that extended second verse, that was where the song began to step up.
Bridge: 4.5/5 - Probably the highlight of the song for me. Mark's vocals here are just top notch and I love the "Shed My Skin" reference, or at least that's what I hear in that "I lost my way" line.
Instrumental: 3/5 - Just average to me. I haven't ever been able to get through "Save Me" so I'm unfamiliar with the similarities in the riff that are pointed out.
Overall: 3.8/5 - Really good song that would've been one of my favorites if the chorus were longer and had more lyrics. Top notch vocals throughout. Not a huge fan of the swells at the beginning and end, feels unnecessary to me and just adds length to the song

TIE THE NOOSE
Vocals: 3.5/5 - Above average, but nothing too special. Not a big fan of the vocal effects though, his voice is too good for him to need them to me.
Chorus: 3/5 - Good vocally, but not a fan. I feel like there are way too many lyrics that are just thrown in and I don't like the delivery them. Too many major notes IMO and feels like he tried too hard to make it a radio-friendly chorus.
Verse: 3/5 - Standard verse, nothing special that we haven't heard before from Mark.
Bridge: 3.5/5 - Love the guitar work and feel of the bridge. Sets up the solo perfectly.
Instrumental: 4/5 - Great work by all throughout the song. The guitar work is the highlight in this one, the riffs are sweet. The solo is good too, but like a lot of the solos on this album, it's too short to be considered memorable.
Overall: 3.4/5 - My least favorite song on the album by far. A lot of it is stuff we've heard plenty of times before, and the chorus doesn't help. I feel like it's the weakest of the album and really dampers the song to me. Please don't be a single.

SYMPATHY
Vocals: 5/5 - Probably Mark's best vocal performance of Cauterize. Just excellent vocals during the entire song.
Chorus: 4.5/5 - Great anthemic chorus. His vocals here are awesome and the lyrics are gonna strike a chord with a lot of people.
Verse: 4.5/5 - The lyrics in the verses are great, as well as Mark's vocals. I love the second half of each verse when Mark gets more emotional and amps up the delivery.
Bridge: 5/5 - I'm in love with the bridge here. It just builds and builds and builds. His vocals really shine and this section takes this song to another level for me. The "ohhhh" leading to the final chorus gave me goosebumps.
Instrumental: 4/5 - I immediately heard the intro to "Hide" in this one. Love whenever I hear a Creed-sounding guitar part, so that was a pleasure hear. The solo is great as well, one of the better ones of the album.
Overall: 4.6/5 - This song blew me away. When the previews came out, this was probably my least-anticipated song. So when I finally heard the whole thing, I was very pleasantly surprised. When I heard this was gonna be the next single before the album came out, my heart dropped. But now, I'm all for it. I think this song is gonna be massive on the radio, and if any song is gonna put Tremonti on the map in the U.S., this will be it. The second half of the song is some of the best few minutes of the album.

PROVIDENCE
Vocals: 5/5 - Wow. The vocal melodies in this song are unbelievable, they have been stuck in my head since I first heard the full thing.
Chorus: 5/5 - Other than Radical Change, this is the best chorus on the album. Love the lyrics and vocals, and the extended 2nd and 3rd choruses are even better.
Verse: 4.5/5 - I'm completely with Timo on this, the verses feel rushed to me. They easily could have been doubled and taken this song to Fortress-level. However, what we have in the verses are still amazing.
Bridge: 3.5/5 - Love the time signature it's in and the buildup riff. I wasn't originally sold on the triple harmony vocals that we heard in the preview, but now I enjoy it and think it fits well with the song.
Instrumental: 5/5 - Probably the best out of the fingerpicked parts on the album. Love the leads thrown in during the song, and the bridge riff and solo are amazing.
Overall: 4.6/5 - My favorite song on the album and a perfect way to close it. It lived up to the "epic" billing and fits in well with songs like Blackbird, Fortress, WDTTW, etc. My only gripes are the short verses and that post solo breakdown with the demonic-like (?) vocals. Other than those minor issues, this song is incredible and reminds me that I cannot wait for Dust and AB V. Well done Mark & Co.

FULL ALBUM (AVERAGES)
Vocals: 4.4/5 (4.35)
Chorus: 3.8/5 (3.75)
Verse: 4.1/5 (4.05)
Bridge: 4.3/5 (4.25)
Instrumental: 4.2/5 (4.15)
Overall: 4.11/5

FINAL THOUGHTS:
This is an awesome album, definitely a big step up from "All I Was". In a lot of interviews lately, Mark has really been stressing that he wants to be known as a songwriter and not a guitar player, and this album really emphasizes that point. The songwriting for "Cauterize" is like night and day compared to "All I Was". The songs flow MUCH better and the some of the melodies here are among Mark's best. The solos may have taken a back seat this album compared to the last one, but the riffs are just as good if not better, the vocals are massively improved, and the solos that are there really aid the song despite being shorter. Props to everyone for upping their game, including Elvis on production, Mark on vocals, and the addition of Wolfgang really was noticeable and made the album that much better. A very solid 4/5 from me and I can't wait to hear how "Dust" follows this up before the release of AB V.

RANKINGS (based on #'s):
1. Providence
2. Sympathy
3. Cauterize
4. Radical Change
5. Dark Trip
6. Another Heart
7. Flying Monkeys
8. Fall Again
9. Arm Yourself
10. Tie the Noose

ACTUAL RANKINGS:
1. Providence
2. Cauterize
3. Radical Change
4. Sympathy
5. Dark Trip
6. Another Heart
7. Flying Monkeys
8. Fall Again
10. Tie The Noose

What does this prove? The numbers are pretty freaking accurate. The only thing I changed in the list was #s 2-4, but they're all interchangeable really. The numbers can only go so far though, there are certain intangibles that can only be decided by the listener such as how much you love a certain part of a song and whether it vaults it over another song with better numbers.

FAVORITES
Vocals: Cauterize, Sympathy, Providence
Chorus: Radical Change, Providence
Verse: Cauterize, Flying Monkeys
Bridge: Cauterize, Dark Trip, Sympathy
Instrumental: Radical Change, Dark Trip, Providence
Solos: Radical Change (#2), Dark Trip, Another Heart, Sympathy

Thanks for reading! (If you made it through all of that)

[Kreuger33]

I'm probably the only one who doesn't like dark trip much.

The riffs are just unique. It stands out from the rest because of how different it is.

[RuRo]

After 10-15 listens, I feel comfortable with this review. WARNING: It's very lengthy and in-depth, this is the type of review I would write for a magazine or music website. I decided to do a more mathematical, by-the-numbers review which was actually very fun and interesting. I think I'm gonna start reviewing all albums this way. It's a great way to get an unbiased opinion of an album rather than just saying "this is the best album I've ever heard" or "this album and all the songs on it are perfect". Plus, it's alway fun to compare and debate based on numbers. I posted ratings along with my thoughts for what I believe are the five most important parts of a song for each to get a better score for every song and in turn, the album as a whole. With that said, here's my full review of "Cauterize". Hope you enjoy!

RADICAL CHANGE
Verse: 4/5 - The highlight vocally is during the chorus, can't wait to see how this sounds live.
Chorus: 5/5 - Phenomenal chorus, one of the top ones from the album. Ridiculously catchy
Verse: 3/5 - Love the lyrics with the meaning being tied to the Creed split, but just an average delivery IMO
Bridge: 5/5 - The clean breakdown reminds me of "Show Me a Sign" and I love his vocals here, despite it being short in length
Instrumental: 5/5 - The guitar work is just incredible. The main riff is awesome, but that pre-chorus riff...HOLY SHIT. Love the alternate trem dives in the first and second pre-chorus. Can definitely tell Eric is playing the first solo which was nice, and I love Mark's end solo that follows the melody beautifully. I heard a bit of the "Cry a River" solo in there, which is a good thing.
Overall: 4.4/5 - Awesome song with an incredible chorus, some of the best guitar work I've heard from Mark, and a great way to start the album.

FLYING MONKEYS
Vocals: 5/5 - When the previews were first released, the vocals here caught my attention the most. Definitely lived up to the hype and it sounds great live as well.
Chorus: 3/5 - Just average in my opinion. The vocals and harmonies are great, but its too slow in my opinion. Enjoy the lyrics as well but wish there were more.
Verse: 5/5 - This is where Mark's vocals shine in this song, and I love the lyrics here too
Bridge: 3.5/5 - Not completely sold on the bridge. Enjoyed the swell going into it and the clean guitar, but vocally and lyrically it's just alright.
Instrumental: 3.5/5 - The reason it's this high is solely because of the intro/verse riff, it's one of my favorites Mark has written. Not much else going on though, and it's hurt by a lack of a solo.
Overall: 4/5 - Solid song, but I'll remember it best for the riff and the verses because of his vocals. I had higher expectations after hearing Mark saying it was his favorite, but did not live up to the hype for me.

CAUTERIZE
Vocals: 5/5 - Mark's vocals are amazing throughout the entire song. Bonus points for the harmonies really increasing the enjoyability of the song.
Chorus: 4/5 - Great vocally. The lyrics are good, but not great. Simple but effective chorus
Verse: 5/5 - Might be the best verses Mark has written. It's got a punk rock feel which is different for Mark, but I really enjoy. The vocal harmonies and guitar work just make this sound huge.
Bridge: 5/5 - My favorite part of the song. The first guitar riff sounds awesome to me and then Mark's vocals just take this to another level. Probably the best bridge of the album.
Instrumental: 3.5/5 - We all know the clean blues outro is amazing thanks to Mark & Co., but other than that nothing really new here for Mark. Standard heavy riff, octave chords in the verse, same old power chords in the chorus and bridge, and it's hurt by no solo. All of it is solid, but nothing GREAT aside from the outro.
Overall: 4.5/5 - Killer song that I thought should've been lead single. The verses and the bridge are the highlights for me, and we all love the sexy outro. Really want to give a shout out to Elvis for the production on this one. I was anticipating this song the most after hearing it live, and I was not let down. The song sounds massive, particularly the verses and bridge.

ARM YOURSELF
Vocals: 3.5/5 - Definitely a different style than All I Was, I like them.
Chorus: 2.5/5 - Meh. Vocals and lyrics are good, but the delivery isn't my cup of tea.
Verse: 3/5 - Pretty good, really enjoyed the previews we heard before the album released.
Bridge: 4/5 - Really liked the bridge in this one. Love the whole post-chorus breakdown and Mark's vocals are awesome. Great lead up to the solo.
Instrumental: 4/5 - The riffing throughout this song is sick. The solo is nice, but I can't tell if it's Eric or Mark using the finger-style soloing he started using in "Bleed it Dry". Just feel like it was a little too short to be considered great.
Overall: 3.4/5 - Slightly above average song, one of the heaviest of the album but is brought down by the chorus and short solo.

DARK TRIP
Vocals: 4/5 - Very emotional vocals throughout, really shines for me during the bridge, especially that harmony right before the solo.
Chorus: 3/5 - Just an average chorus IMO. Too slow for me and the repetitive "my home" line just doesn't help it stand out from others.
Verse: 4/5 - Great all around, love the guitar work, vocals, and lyrics.
Bridge: 5/5 - Everyone is firing on all cylinders in this one. I got goosebumps during the vocals here, especially the "Forsaken me again" line. Wolfie is the MVP of this song
Instrumental: 5/5 - One of the better ones of the album. The lead guitar line on acoustic sounds like something from Full Circle, which I actually like a lot. Enjoy the leads over the top of the acoustic throughout as well. Has probably the best solo on the album and the bass in this song is top-notch.
Overall: 4.2/5 - Really good song, different from just about anything Mark has done before. Did not fully live up to the hype I was reading about it, brought down just a notch because of the chorus.

ANOTHER HEART
Vocals: 3.5/5 - Not much to say other than above average and a step up from All I Was
Chorus: 4/5 - I wasn't a fan at first, but I really enjoy it now. I find it very catchy and I can see why it was a single, but still don't think it should've been the first.
Verse: 4.5/5 - Classic Mark fingerpicking here and I really enjoy the lyrics. To me they're obviously about Stapp, but I think it's good Mark that is getting those words out of his system.
Bridge: 3.5/5 - Love the Wolfie riff that turned into the pre-chorus riff as well, and that riff before the solo is a serious headbanger. Can't wait to hear it live eventually.
Instrumental: 4.5/5 - Awesome guitar work throughout the song. Contains one of the better solos of the album too.
Overall: 4/5 - Much better than some people are saying, definitely not the worst song on the album IMO. I feel it's radio worthy but does not feel out of place at all. Great song, just not as great as some of the others on the album.

FALL AGAIN
Vocals: 5/5 - Mark really stepped up his game on this one. Gonna be very interesting if they ever play this one live to see if Mark can hit some of these notes.
Chorus: 3.5/5 - The only reason it's not higher is because the chorus is way too short. If it were longer and had more than one repeated line it would be phenomenal.
Verse: 4/5 - I feel like I've heard the acoustic guitar before in another song. His vocals here are great and the lyrics are also nice. I really enjoyed that extended second verse, that was where the song began to step up.
Bridge: 4.5/5 - Probably the highlight of the song for me. Mark's vocals here are just top notch and I love the "Shed My Skin" reference, or at least that's what I hear in that "I lost my way" line.
Instrumental: 3/5 - Just average to me. I haven't ever been able to get through "Save Me" so I'm unfamiliar with the similarities in the riff that are pointed out.
Overall: 3.8/5 - Really good song that would've been one of my favorites if the chorus were longer and had more lyrics. Top notch vocals throughout. Not a huge fan of the swells at the beginning and end, feels unnecessary to me and just adds length to the song

TIE THE NOOSE
Vocals: 3.5/5 - Above average, but nothing too special. Not a big fan of the vocal effects though, his voice is too good for him to need them to me.
Chorus: 3/5 - Good vocally, but not a fan. I feel like there are way too many lyrics that are just thrown in and I don't like the delivery them. Too many major notes IMO and feels like he tried too hard to make it a radio-friendly chorus.
Verse: 3/5 - Standard verse, nothing special that we haven't heard before from Mark.
Bridge: 3.5/5 - Love the guitar work and feel of the bridge. Sets up the solo perfectly.
Instrumental: 4/5 - Great work by all throughout the song. The guitar work is the highlight in this one, the riffs are sweet. The solo is good too, but like a lot of the solos on this album, it's too short to be considered memorable.
Overall: 3.4/5 - My least favorite song on the album by far. A lot of it is stuff we've heard plenty of times before, and the chorus doesn't help. I feel like it's the weakest of the album and really dampers the song to me. Please don't be a single.

SYMPATHY
Vocals: 5/5 - Probably Mark's best vocal performance of Cauterize. Just excellent vocals during the entire song.
Chorus: 4.5/5 - Great anthemic chorus. His vocals here are awesome and the lyrics are gonna strike a chord with a lot of people.
Verse: 4.5/5 - The lyrics in the verses are great, as well as Mark's vocals. I love the second half of each verse when Mark gets more emotional and amps up the delivery.
Bridge: 5/5 - I'm in love with the bridge here. It just builds and builds and builds. His vocals really shine and this section takes this song to another level for me. The "ohhhh" leading to the final chorus gave me goosebumps.
Instrumental: 4/5 - I immediately heard the intro to "Hide" in this one. Love whenever I hear a Creed-sounding guitar part, so that was a pleasure hear. The solo is great as well, one of the better ones of the album.
Overall: 4.6/5 - This song blew me away. When the previews came out, this was probably my least-anticipated song. So when I finally heard the whole thing, I was very pleasantly surprised. When I heard this was gonna be the next single before the album came out, my heart dropped. But now, I'm all for it. I think this song is gonna be massive on the radio, and if any song is gonna put Tremonti on the map in the U.S., this will be it. The second half of the song is some of the best few minutes of the album.

PROVIDENCE
Vocals: 5/5 - Wow. The vocal melodies in this song are unbelievable, they have been stuck in my head since I first heard the full thing.
Chorus: 5/5 - Other than Radical Change, this is the best chorus on the album. Love the lyrics and vocals, and the extended 2nd and 3rd choruses are even better.
Verse: 4.5/5 - I'm completely with Timo on this, the verses feel rushed to me. They easily could have been doubled and taken this song to Fortress-level. However, what we have in the verses are still amazing.
Bridge: 3.5/5 - Love the time signature it's in and the buildup riff. I wasn't originally sold on the triple harmony vocals that we heard in the preview, but now I enjoy it and think it fits well with the song.
Instrumental: 5/5 - Probably the best out of the fingerpicked parts on the album. Love the leads thrown in during the song, and the bridge riff and solo are amazing.
Overall: 4.6/5 - My favorite song on the album and a perfect way to close it. It lived up to the "epic" billing and fits in well with songs like Blackbird, Fortress, WDTTW, etc. My only gripes are the short verses and that post solo breakdown with the demonic-like (?) vocals. Other than those minor issues, this song is incredible and reminds me that I cannot wait for Dust and AB V. Well done Mark & Co.

FULL ALBUM (AVERAGES)
Vocals: 4.4/5 (4.35)
Chorus: 3.8/5 (3.75)
Verse: 4.1/5 (4.05)
Bridge: 4.3/5 (4.25)
Instrumental: 4.2/5 (4.15)
Overall: 4.11/5

FINAL THOUGHTS:
This is an awesome album, definitely a big step up from "All I Was". In a lot of interviews lately, Mark has really been stressing that he wants to be known as a songwriter and not a guitar player, and this album really emphasizes that point. The songwriting for "Cauterize" is like night and day compared to "All I Was". The songs flow MUCH better and the some of the melodies here are among Mark's best. The solos may have taken a back seat this album compared to the last one, but the riffs are just as good if not better, the vocals are massively improved, and the solos that are there really aid the song despite being shorter. Props to everyone for upping their game, including Elvis on production, Mark on vocals, and the addition of Wolfgang really was noticeable and made the album that much better. A very solid 4/5 from me and I can't wait to hear how "Dust" follows this up before the release of AB V.

RANKINGS (based on #'s):
1. Providence
2. Sympathy
3. Cauterize
4. Radical Change
5. Dark Trip
6. Another Heart
7. Flying Monkeys
8. Fall Again
9. Arm Yourself
10. Tie the Noose

ACTUAL RANKINGS:
1. Providence
2. Cauterize
3. Radical Change
4. Sympathy
5. Dark Trip
6. Another Heart
7. Flying Monkeys
8. Fall Again
10. Tie The Noose

What does this prove? The numbers are pretty freaking accurate. The only thing I changed in the list was #s 2-4, but they're all interchangeable really. The numbers can only go so far though, there are certain intangibles that can only be decided by the listener such as how much you love a certain part of a song and whether it vaults it over another song with better numbers.

FAVORITES
Vocals: Cauterize, Sympathy, Providence
Chorus: Radical Change, Providence
Verse: Cauterize, Flying Monkeys
Bridge: Cauterize, Dark Trip, Sympathy
Instrumental: Radical Change, Dark Trip, Providence
Solos: Radical Change (#2), Dark Trip, Another Heart, Sympathy

Thanks for reading! (If you made it through all of that)

Excellent review.

I agree with several of your thoughts but just wanted to echo the sentiment about Fall Again. It was one of the standouts for me on first listen, Mark's vocals really shine, love the verses and the bridge especially and the solos are good, but the chorus is lacking a bit and holding it back from being a top tier song.

My rankings so far:

Cauterize
Providence

Sympathy
Radical Change
Fall Again
Dark Trip

Another Heart
Tie The Noose
Arm Yourself
Flying Monkeys

Not really much separating the songs in each tier, and it's still likely to change quite a lot.

[fix]

<insert big-fking-review here>

Nice review, fun to read! Love how different people can think about songs haha!

You're bashing my favorite chorus (Arm Yourself)! And Sympathy is on my skip-list, if Tie The Nooses' chorus is 'trying to hard to make it catchy' (which weirdly I like in the context of the heaviness) then Sympathy is almost a parady of stadium 'Nickelback' rock.

Taste is a great thing, isn't it!

[jhart9896]

Now that I've had the album for 3 days and given it plenty of listens through my phone and car radio, I feel like I can properly give each song an in-depth review and give an unbiased (hard to do because I, like so many of you, worship Tremonti) review of the songs and album as a whole. WARNING: LONG LONG LONG REVIEW **Disclaimer** Just like with All I Was, my opinions will almost definitely change over time, but we'll cross that bridge when the time comes. In the meantime, here is my review of Mark's latest offering, Cauterize:

RADICAL CHANGE- Love the speed riff in the intro and verses, awesome for him to kick off the album with a bang, unlike All I Was and Fortress with the slow build up before the songs would pick up the energy. Verses are pretty standard Tremonti lyrically, but you can certainly tell he stepped up in the vocal department. The pre-chorus is a definite headbanger that people will be breaking their necks to at live shows. And of course, the chorus is the standout of the entire song, insanely catchy that I feel would fit perfectly on the radio. We've heard him say how the lyrics are about when Creed broke up and he was in the process of forming Alter Bridge, and I'm so happy he finally addressed the situation in one of his songs. Other things to point out that deserve a mention is how awesome he screams "forever" in the bridge before an awesome lead kicks in. Love the breakdown and drum line right before final chorus, and the second solo in the song is one of my favorites on the album.- 9/10

FLYING MONKEYS- We've had this song to listen to for a few weeks before the album was released so we've all had extra time to process it, and my feelings towards it are generally the same as first listen. I love the slow and heavy riff, one of my favorites Mark's ever done. The verses lyrically and vocally make the song, and the line "But I'm afraid I'm inclined to fight this one alone" are sure to pump up anyone listening. As far as the chorus, vocally it's great and really shows how far is voice has come, but lyrically it doesn't seem to fit the rest of the song. I feel like it was a chorus he's had on file forever and it just happened to be in the same tuning as the verse so he decided to throw the parts together to make this song. Bridge is okay. I feel like if this song had a solo it'd be a lot higher up in terms of favorites of the album. Solid song, just not one of the top ones IMO.- 8.5/10

CAUTERIZE- Ah the title track. Upon first listen I was immediately hooked, and up to this point my absolute favorite on the album as well as any song Tremonti has been apart of. Heavy, heavy intro. The verses have a very punk rock feel to it between the octave riff and the vocals/lyrics, something different but awesome indeed. Extremely catchy. The chorus isn't great lyrically, but Mark's voice is on point and the chorus is so damn catchy. I really hope this ends up being a single. Love how it goes back to the heavy intro before resuming the verse. The bridge is so strong, I feel like I'm repeating myself but this whole song is just so catchy and awesome. On a side note, this opinion might not be very popular, but I saw one comment saying how the person thought the song could do without the triple harmonies, and I completely agree. I feel like it would be better if it were just Mark singing the chorus. The blues finger-picked outro, similar to that in Broken Wings, is so smooth and really adds to the song.- 9.5/10

ARM YOURSELF- Upon hearing the preview I was very excited to hear this one, and I actually like it more than I thought I would. I like the opening riff, but I feel it's too similar to Radical Change. Verses are okay, nothing special. I actually dig the vocal effects on the pre-chorus, but that's just me. The chorus I have mixed feelings about. I feel like the lyrics are rushed and he's trying too hard to get them to fit into the song, but oddly it still works and it's pretty catchy. Really like the slowed down bridge. Solo is only okay. I thought on a faster paced song like this it would be a little more shred. Above average song.-8/10

DARK TRIP- Finger-picked intro is really cool, very different sound from what we're accustomed to hearing from Tremonti. Vocally this is one of the more impressive songs on the record, and I love the lyrics, certainly this song has a lot of meaning and tells a vivid story. Chorus is only okay. "My home" repeated over and over gets stale quickly. Emotional though so it earns extra points. LOVE the blues lead going into 2nd verse. The bridge is probably the strongest part of the song, and who doesn't love the screamed "forsaken me again" line? Kick in bad-ass solo. Probably the best on the album. Final thoughts: this song has definitely grown on me, and while not my favorite like so many of you, I do like this song a lot and can see why it has the response it does.-8/10

ANOTHER HEART- The lead single. From the first I heard it, I was hooked and made me die to hear the rest of the album. While it may not have been best choice for lead single, it still works and fills the spot nicely. Follows the You Waste Your Time format of heavy intro and picked verse. I firmly believe the lyrics are aimed at Stapp. How anyone could say they aren't confuses me. Extremely catchy chorus that certainly fits the bill of radio-friendly rock single. Love the harmonies in the second verse. Ballsy and heavy bridge, and another impressive solo follows. Took some time to grow on me, but I'm a fan now. All in all, a solid song.-8.5/10

FALL AGAIN- Not sure how to feel about the phased intro/outro; more on the side of thinking the song could do without. I think this song was his strongest vocally on the album. Once he starts screaming and the band kicks in, this song really gets going. Many of you feel the chorus is too short lyrically to stand out, but I disagree. I think it fits nicely, and what it lacks in length more than makes up for with vocal power and emotion. Delivered perfectly. I love the acoustic verses, and the lyrics are very powerful. The extended second verse is awesome. Solo is short but one of the better ones. The bridge is f****** amazing. Enough said. I like the dynamic of the slow stripped chorus before going back into one more awesome anthem-like chorus. I really feel like this song will be great live and could get an arena full of people to sing right along. 2nd solo is always a nice touch. Yup, less phase please. One of my favorite songs of the album though.-9/10

TIE THE NOOSE- I love the VERY HEAVY riff. Simply put it, it's badass. The vocals are strong, and the lyrics aren't bad, but the delivery is just off to me and I feel like it's just missing something. I'm not one of the ones who think this is the best song on the album. I agree with whoever said that it seems like the chorus is forced and trying too hard to be catchy. Solo is really cool, if it was longer it could be one of the better ones on the CD. Overall, this song is consistent, and it's above average, but pretty standard as far as what we're accustomed to hearing from Mark and I feel it's the weakest on the album.- 7/10

SYMPATHY- Probably the song I was most looking forward to hearing after the initial previews were released. I love the intro. Lyrically I think this is the strongest of the album. Vocals are great, and the chorus is among the best of any Tremonti song, but I wonder how well he'll be able to sing it live. Definitely fitting to be a single and I'm stoked to see the video they shot. I'm excited to see the kind of reception and attention it gets once it hits radio. If any song is going to introduce Mark to the US masses and give him the respect he more than deserves, it will be this song. Bridge is fantastic, and the question of "Where are you now my friend?" is awesome. Solo is great, and it kind of reminds me of Open Your Eyes throughout. Fantastic song.-9/10

PROVIDENCE- Last but certainly not least is the song I was originally looking forward to the most because of hearing that it would be an epic in the same category of Blackbird, WDTTW, and Fortress. I wasn't impressed with the preview, and upon first listen, I was somewhat let down. However, after multiple listens and really LISTENING, this song fits the bill and is one of my favorites and has grown on me so much. The finger-picked acoustic intro is amazing and something I can't wait to learn how to play on guitar. The lyrics are very strong, and vocally he really shines through. The guitar riff that kicks in before he says "tear down the walls" sounds very 80's to me. The chorus is outstanding. I've probably repeated myself a million times, but his voice has improved so much and this song is a perfect example of that. In all honesty, and I may get booted from this forum for having this opinion, I like Mark's voice more than Myles' or Scott's. There's just something about it that I find to be just amazing. The blues lick going back to the verse is perfect and will be another awesome part to learn on guitar. Bends are great. If this song really was thrown together in one day, them Mark and Co. caught lightening in a bottle. Aaaaand time change. Love the galloping riff. Triple harmonies again I'm not a huge fan of, but it's not bad either. I think this song has the longest solo on the album and while it's not the best he's written, still goes to show he's one of the best guitarists on the planet. I agree with Hartie on this one (is it weird that I'm calling him that and I'm Hartie as well..?), but I don't like the demonic-like part. Very creepy but I guess it fits the mood of the song. All in all this song has the potential to grow into my favorite.-9.5/10

FINAL THOUGHTS- All I Was is one of my favorite album ever, and Cauterize just blows it out of the water in every single way. Whereas AIW was mostly Mark, I feel like with the addition of Wolfie on bass, that this album is an actual band effort and you can tell. I want to mention that Garrett's drumming on the album was excellent. All in all, I will have this album on repeat for the next several months until we get Dust.

RANKINGS (SUBJECT TO CHANGE):
1.CAUTERIZE
2. PROVIDENCE
3. RADICAL CHANGE
4. SYMPATHY
5. FALL AGAIN
6. FLYING MONKEYS
7. ANOTHER HEART
8. DARK TRIP
9. ARM YOURSELF
10. TIE THE NOOSE
ALBUM-9/10

[Go u Rock]

Hi guys. New to the forum but been a Tremonti follower ever since I first heard Arms Wide Open back in 2001. Got the last t shirt at the first AB UK gig, bought the PRS Tremonti signature guitar and have every available Tremonti song to date (as well as probably too many t shirts...) I'm a huge fan.

I needed to wait a few days to give my thoughts on Cauterize coz it wasn't as instant to me as All I Was. Honestly, I love half of the album - Flying Monkeys, Cauterize, Sympathy, Providence & Dark Star. I like the other five songs - great riffs etc but just feel let down by the choruses which I feel could have been more melodic and epic.

I like Another Heart but would have preferred Flying Monkeys as the first single. My only real gripe with the album is that I find that a few of the songs have that horse galloping sameness, lacking great melodic choruses - Tie The Noose, Arm Yourself & Radical Change being the culprits imo. I still think they're decent songs of course. Like Proof on All I Was, Fall Again is my only skip over track - I just find the chorus uninspiring unlike the similarish but superior Save Me.

7.5/10. I can't wait for Dust to drop now! In the meantime, I'll just have to play the life out of my June acquisitions - Cauterize and The Darkness' Last Of Our Kind. It's going to be a great summer!

[SHEAKENBAKEN]

Hi guys. New to the forum but been a Tremonti follower ever since I first heard Arms Wide Open back in 2001. Got the last t shirt at the first AB UK gig, bought the PRS Tremonti signature guitar and have every available Tremonti song to date (as well as probably too many t shirts...) I'm a huge fan.

I needed to wait a few days to give my thoughts on Cauterize coz it wasn't as instant to me as All I Was. Honestly, I love half of the album - Flying Monkeys, Cauterize, Sympathy, Providence & Dark Trip. I like the other five songs - great riffs etc but just feel let down by the choruses which I feel could have been more melodic and epic.

I like Another Heart but would have preferred Flying Monkeys as the first single. My only real gripe with the album is that I find that a few of the songs have that horse galloping sameness, lacking great melodic choruses - Tie The Noose, Arm Yourself & Radical Change being the culprits imo. I still think they're decent songs of course. Like Proof on All I Was, Fall Again is my only skip over track - I just find the chorus uninspiring unlike the similarish but superior Save Me.

7.5/10. I can't wait for Dust to drop now! In the meantime, I'll just have to play the life out of my June acquisitions - Cauterize and The Darkness' Last Of Our Kind. It's going to be a great summer!

*clears throat*

Hi, Go u Rock! Welcome to TABN!

[Go u Rock]

Thanks!

[Jaredr24]

Now that I've had a few listens I feel like I can give it a fair judgement:

1. Radical Change
Definitely hits you in the face first thing. Love the chorus lyrically and musically. I really like how Mark mimics the melody at the beginning of the solo. Good album opener but I like "Leave it Alone" a little better so I'd give it 8/10.

2. Flying Monkeys
This one hits you in the face as well but with a slow groove and has chugging. Serious riffage. Love the key change in the chorus. The instrumental part of the bridge is my favorite part. 9/10

3. Cauterize
Nice fast paced riff to start it off. The melodies in this song are extremely catchy and memorable throughout, especially the chorus. The bridge is good and kind of reminds me of Projected for some reason. Mark's vocals shine on this one. 9/10

4. Arm Yourself
More of a thrashy sounding song from the get go. Good riffage and the chorus is prett catchy. I think the bridge sounds like it could almost be on AB III, still good it just gives me that kind of vibe. Overall, isn't my favorite. 7/10

Dark Trip
OH MY WOW! Definitely more different than anything has Mark has done before. Has a mysterious and eerie vibe that sounds like it could be from the 80s. Great use of clean guitars on this one. Bridge almost sounds like a TesseracT song with the high harmony line in the vocals. Best song imo. 10/10

6. Another Heart
First song I heard off the album. I still think it was the worst choice for a single he's ever had with any band. It's not a bad song but compared to others he could have used it's definitely not as high caliber or memorable. 6/10

7. Fall Again
Love the volume swells in the beginning and end. Kind of sets the vibe for the song. Another song with good clean guitars. Chorus is really powerful, Mark sounds killer vocally. 9/10

8. Tie the Noose
Another good heavy song. Once again Mark's vocals shine, especially on the pre chorus. Very catchy chorus, it's stuck in my head currently. Overall not super impressive so I give it 7/10

9. Sympathy
I will forever be a sucker of any ballad Mark Tremonti writes. Period. Mark shows off his vocal range more in this one which is nice. Very catchy melody and very heartfelt. 10/10

Providence
Solid album closer. The songs that Mark write in 6/8 time will always be his best songs imo. Very dark and moody with a classic sounding Tremonti style intro. Chorus is yes, very yes. Powerful closer and one of the best songs he's written in a while. I do think it sounds AB but I definitely can't complain about that ever. 10/10

Overall I feel like it's better than All I Was in every aspect except guitar solos. It seems like the solos on this album are lacking the memorability that his other ones have. They aren't bad but just aren't as memorable. I still wish he would use more clean/acoustic guitars but that's just me definitely a solid album so I'd give it a 8.5/10.

[BSC]

Here's my review. I've waited quite a while before sharing my thoughts, as I wanted to let the album sink in. When I first listened to the album, I wasn't impressed, but it's grown on me. Bare in mind that I really disliked All I Was, so the fact that I've given this album a fair bit of attention says a lot. Also bare in mind that this post will probably focus on what I dislike about the album, I wouldn't bother posting it if it was just repeating the (near) unanimous praise of this album, as I don't feel such a post would particularly contribute to the thread. Despite my criticisms I've tried to be balanced and give credit where it's due, I've listened to Mark for a long time, and I do really want to enjoy this album.

Radical Change - Good start to the album. I enjoy Mark's vocals, the bridge is really interesting, and the solos are cool, although a find the song to be a bit repetitive. I feel the chorus kind of comes out of nowhere, especially after the bridge. The song certainly demonstrates Mark's cut and paste, piece together method of songwriting. 7/10

Flying Monkeys - I really like the riff, and I love that it continues throughout the verse and isn't replaced by another riff, which happened in a lot of the songs on All I Was. The chorus is great, it's probably one of the most unique Mark Tremonti songs we've got in a while. I know some people have criticised the bridge, but I think it's great. I think it's one of the heaviest songs on the album, it's definitely a song I'll return to, if I was to create a 'Mark Tremonti - Greatest Hits' compilation, this song would be on it. 9/10

Cauterize - The riff is okay, Garrett's double bass and it's volume in the mix does detract from the heaviness of the riff itself though, it's more of a wall of sound. Wolfgang is doing some cool stuff throughout the song. Too much vocal echo though (I thought Elvis got a bit bored of that?), it was littered all over ABIII and I hated it. 7/10 (I considered a 6, but thought it would have been harsh).

Arm Yourself - When this song comes on I struggle to realise what song it actually is, thinking it's Radical Change or Cauterize. The intros of these songs sound too similar to have them so close together in the track list. I like Mark's aggressive, non-melodic, singing, we're getting close to a metal song here. Not a fan of Garrett's drumming, the bass drum is just too loud, it makes it sound monotonous. The chorus is catchy. I do enjoy the bridge, but again, the bass drum just gets on my nerves (I know this may appear to be nitpicky). 7.5/10

Dark Trip - Definitely an interesting strong. The pre-chorus guitar stuff sounds really cool. I think the chorus falls a bit flat though, there's nothing particularly memorable about it. Although the little instrumental section after the first chorus is good, I think if they worked harder on this strong it could have been the next 'epic'. The bridge is great. 8/10

Another Heart - I really have no desire to listen to this song again, bland riff, bland verse, bland chorus. Flying Monkeys or Cauterize should have been the first listen. It's not a bad song, but I personally don't find any part of it particularly enjoyable. I'll never think 'Oh, I've got to listen to Another Heart'. 5/10

Fall Again - It's better than Another Heart, but I don't find it very interesting. The riff sounds ridiculously similar to Save Me, one of AB's worst songs. I wouldn't be surprised if Mark forgot that he wrote Save Me, he said Fall Again is from the ODR-era, so I expect he went through his laptop to find the riff and forgot he actually wrote a song with it. 6/10

Tie the Noose - the riff doesn't grab me, but it gets better once Mark starts singing over it. It's got a good catchy chorus, but it's not a song I'm in a hurry to return to. 6/10

Sympathy - The intro is refreshing. I don't think Mark's voice is suited for these kind of choruses though. It's a good song, but it's not my kind of song. 7/10

Providence - The verses are average, but the chorus is interesting. The song sounds a bit rushed though, especially considering it's supposed to be this album's Blackbird (I'm not sure why). The bridge is rhythmically interesting, but apart from that it's boring. The harmonies in the bridge are great. I wish they spent more time on it, and I wish it wasn't given the 'epic' label, it has a longer bridge, does that make it epic? 8/10

I don't consider the album to be particularly heavy, and I struggle to find a memorable riff, but it's nevertheless enjoyable. I don't know for how long I'll listen to the album in it's entirety, but I'll certainly listen to select songs.

Having thought about this further - I'm looking forward to Dust, I'm sure I'll be able to create a really great 10 song playlist from both albums.

[Timotheus]

Fall Again - It's better than Another Heart, but I don't find it very interesting. The riff sounds ridiculously similar to Save Me, one of AB's worst songs. I wouldn't be surprised if Mark forgot that he wrote Save Me, he said Fall Again is from the ODR-era, so I expect he went through his laptop to find the riff and forgot he actually wrote a song with it. 6/10

I actually was thinking the same thing a while back. They only performed it once (or twice?) and it isn't on the actual album, so it could very well be that he has forgotten about it. It's been more than a decade.