Favorite Alter Bridge Record

[One Drew Remains]

I'm with vigilant Steve on this one. It falls right in the middle.

Fortress
Blackbird
TLH
ODR
AB III (it may be last, but I still love it)

[cajmoyper]

Muffin McFluffin, I think you make a lot of great points but Prog element you speak of is something we've been begging for for years. It's the next step in a band like AB's evolution. V,C,V,C,B,C,C is for church music. Furthermore, I love, love, love Broken Wings, In Loving Memory, Brand New Start, and Blackbird, (they all rank among not just my favorite AB songs, but my favorite songs altogether) but they are a bit formulaic. They all end with the same jingle they begin with. We just wanted them to experiment with the flow of energy. All those songs reach these plateaus from which you don't want to come down. I think that's something they maybe took too much to heart in TLH.

I would've liked a little more crossfade, a couple of songs would've benefited from bringing it down after those peaks. But others like Island of Fools and the title track, possibly my favorite AB song, are songs meant to punch you in the chest and not let up and they do it so well. I agree a little more subtlety in the mix would've benefited in places, take for instance Mark's solo in TLH. People have been calling it by comparison to Myles' not as good, shall we say? But after Myles riff is brought back in, it sort of drowns out some of the shreddiest, technique-iest, soloing Tremonster has done. That energy is saved by the ending chorus that leaves you, and literally Myles, breathless.

It's loud as eff. So it's going to be the album I run straight to when I need a jolt of energy. It's all I've been listening to in the past week. That being said...

One Day Remains- At this point, I don't know that it'll ever be dethroned. It's got Myles' best vocals, the best guitar melodies, my favorite song containing my favorite solo in Burn It Down, and a taste of what AB would become in Metalingus. Top to bottom my favorite album.

The Last Hero- This is what happens when you merge White Knuckles with Blackbird. I love that some reviews have categorized this album as being bombastic but in a negative connotation. I think it's positive. And listening to it the first time I felt like the whole album was building to one point and that point was the title track. CoaW, awesome, led into Twilight, even more awesome, led into Island of Fools, awesome + my favorite solo on the album, led into WOW!!! The Last Hero!!! I've already discussed that one. It's just so ridiculously amazingly structured and performed. One thing that shouldn't go unmentioned is Flip's drumming. As a drummer, I don't know enough about bass to say Brian wasn't awesome but Flip was amazing. This is his hands down best performance. To me, a few times outshining his band mates.

Fortress- This is their most well put together album. It's as technically proficient as we've seen from them, it's the most varied, it's the now second most experimental. I don't think there's a song on that album that sounds even remotely like another. The guitar "duel" in Fortress is awesome but it's not as melodious as some of their others. I love the song but that point to me was when AB entered Prog rock status. That solo wasn't to build the song, it was to show off. Which is partially the reasoning for soloing but it lacked the feeling and emotion of any of their others. Still, I absolutely love that song.

ABIII- You nailed it on the head. This one is solid all the way through. Show Me A Sign is the standout for me though. Couer d'Alene, I Know it Hurts, Slip to the Void, Isolation, the dynamic duo of All Hope is Gone and Still Remains, and Words Darker Than Their Wings are all amazing songs. I think it just lacks the mega ballad. As great as those songs are, I don't think there's a song on this album in my top 10 AB songs.

Blackbird- 2 of my top 3 though are Brand New Start and of course Blackbird. The best 'b-sides' are on this album. Some of the most energetic songs are contained within it's confines. And listen, the margin between my favorite and "least" favorite AB album is so slim. It's just that I think this one is the least awesome.

I went to two Fortress tour shows and was a bit dismayed to find out the guys were playing more BB songs than they were Fortress songs. I really hope when they swing back this way presumably early next year, that they throw in as much TLH as possible. I could honestly do without live versions of Ghosts, Come to Life, Before Tomorrow Comes, Addicted to Pain, and Rise Today. Mix it up guys. Promote your new album for crying out loud!!! /rant

[MuffinMcFluffin]

Muffin McFluffin, I think you make a lot of great points but Prog element you speak of is something we've been begging for for years. It's the next step in a band like AB's evolution. V,C,V,C,B,C,C is for church music. Furthermore, I love, love, love Broken Wings, In Loving Memory, Brand New Start, and Blackbird, (they all rank among not just my favorite AB songs, but my favorite songs altogether) but they are a bit formulaic. They all end with the same jingle they begin with. We just wanted them to experiment with the flow of energy. All those songs reach these plateaus from which you don't want to come down. I think that's something they maybe took too much to heart in TLH.

The problem isn't the progressive sound, the problem is that some of it is bad, or "thrown in for the sake of throwing it in." Some of it works, and some of it just doesn't at all.

[Andy92]

That's sort of the Dream Theater effect. Some of the parts are brilliant, other times it just seems random. But I don't think they've done anything too over the top on this album...like 3 minute keyboard solos that sound like they're being played with 5 hands.

[slasherbridge]

It's only over the top if you get bored listening to it. I get bored of listening to bands like Dream Theater. It's too much. Just because you can write a song that changes time/key signatures 50 times, doesn't mean it's a good song.

I don't get bored with ABs arrangements. And I don't see them becoming a band that writes songs purely for the musicality. It's all about melody with them. If it sounds good, then it is good.


My album order:
Fortress
ABIII
TLH
Blackbird
ODR.

But it's close

[chtimixeur]

1. One Day Remains : 9/10
2. Blackbird : 8.5/10
3. Fortress : 8/10
4. The Last Hero : 7/10
5. AB III : 6/10

[Lukeage]

1. One Day Remains
2. Fortress
3. Blackbird & The Last Hero (joint)
4. ABIII

[Altered]

1.The Last Hero
2.Fortress
3.AB III
4.Blackbird
5.One Day Remains

[Ubik]

Fortress


The Last Hero
Blackbird/ABIII
One Day Remains

[alterbridgefan2099]

Blackbird
Fortress
ODR
The Last Hero
ABIII

[Felypesh]

1. Blackbird
2. Fortress
3. The Last Hero
4. One Day Remains
5. AB III

[cajmoyper]

Muffin McFluffin, I think you make a lot of great points but Prog element you speak of is something we've been begging for for years. It's the next step in a band like AB's evolution. V,C,V,C,B,C,C is for church music. Furthermore, I love, love, love Broken Wings, In Loving Memory, Brand New Start, and Blackbird, (they all rank among not just my favorite AB songs, but my favorite songs altogether) but they are a bit formulaic. They all end with the same jingle they begin with. We just wanted them to experiment with the flow of energy. All those songs reach these plateaus from which you don't want to come down. I think that's something they maybe took too much to heart in TLH.

The problem isn't the progressive sound, the problem is that some of it is bad, or "thrown in for the sake of throwing it in." Some of it works, and some of it just doesn't at all.

I don't think there's a wasted second on this album and like the poster just below you stated, they never go overboard with it. In fact, I think there were a few licks or riffs, specifically in This Side of Fate and The Last Hero that I would've liked to have seen stretched out. I've said it before but if Alter Bridge were that type of band, they very easily could've made either of those songs 9 or 10-minute epics. That Last Hero is the most packed song I think I've ever heard. Every time it ends, I exhale whilst having a huge grin on my face.

[sPAZAttack91]

Wow, this was hard! Okay here we go.

ODR- Might not be the best technically but I love the huge sound they have here. Myles is in top form and Mark's lyrics are quite heartfelt and personal (better than Myles' writing anyway). Lovely songwriting and a very dynamic record - those riffs hit you! My favourite more for nostalgia, it was my first AB record.

Fortress - Their most consistent album, only suffers from the lack of a ballad. I was so impressed the boys listened to fans and changed up their song structures. Each track sounds different and you can hear other acts influence on the bands writing. Mark on lead vocals made the album much more diverse too. Elvis reigned in the production after the mess that was ABIII!

Blackbird - Has Alterbridge's best song and ballad. The boys really took their time here with the songwriting and it shows. Really memorable riffs and solos. No really bad songs but I think the album could have trimmed the fat as the heavier tracks here blend into one another. Elvis's production is sadly not as great as ODR and sometimes the songs get a little too busy. I love this album but listen to Fortress and ODR more.

ABIII- Has the makings of what could have been a good album but feels rushed and disjointed. This album has some really great songs (STTV, Cour delaine, WWTW) but a lot of filler. My biggest problem with this album is both the tone and production. Mopey lyrics (how many times have you cut?) and an overemphasis on downtuned, sludgy riffs don't really jell with the anthemic AB sound. It feels forced to me. The production also plain stinks and it's the start of Elvis layering too many tracks over each song. Hearing 5 Myles singing each song isn't pleasant and often the guitars sound like they are being played through a 14 year old's practice amp (looking at you Wonderful Life!)

TLH- The problems that plague ABIII return, albeit with inferior songwriting. There are very few cuts off the album that make an impression. Parts yes, but most songs don't work as a whole. Moreover, the variety found in Fortress has disappeared and been replaced by an emphasis on heavy Tremonti riffs that don't really fit Myles' vocal style. The loud, shrill production makes this album tedious to listen to.

[Thomz87]

I really like the direction the band is going musically with Frotress and TLH. I think ABIII was their weakest disc so far, but I still like it.

1. TLH
2. Fortress
3. Blackbird
4. ODR
5. ABIII

[mradu1960]

INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT for me:
1. One Day Remains A++
2. ABIII A+
3. The Last Hero A
4. Blackbird A
5. Fortress A-

[WaywardOne]

INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT for me:
1. One Day Remains A++
2. ABIII A+
3. The Last Hero A
4. Blackbird A
5. Fortress A-

I like this scale - it really emphasizes that just because you rank one of their albums at the bottom doesn't mean it's not amazing

[AB23]

Scale relative to rock albums in general:

One Day Remains- A+
Blackbird- A+
Fortress- B+
The Last Hero- B-
ABIII- C-

[prslover]

ODR
Fortress
TLH
BB
ABIII

[pokefan_4]

BB
ODR
ABIII
FORTRESS
TLH

[Kreuger33]

4tress is my fave. Then tie between TLH and 3. And tie between the other two. Its hard to pick;