Fortress... A Disappointment?

[AHart96]

At first I didn't really like the way Myles sang 'belong' (and that other word I can't come up with) in FTTS, but it grew on me. Should be a lot of fun live!

I still don't like it at all, it kinda ruins the song for me. And I think the other word you're looking for is 'gone'. If he sang it defferently, I would love the chorus, and thus put the song way higher on my list. I love everything else about the song, the chorus just kills it for me though

[nildiven]

Maybe athemic is not the correct word I'm looking for. Because even though I suppose they offer a sing-a-long quality, it's not exactly big and melodic. To me a song with an anthemic chorus is more along the iines of brand new start. But I suppose that is a more subjective question of what constitutes a good anthemic chorus.

Well, for me, anthemic chorus is just like the Lover's chorus. Huge as fuck, pompous, all instruments smashing your face. I'm not taking lyrics into account.

I definitely agree with that and think it's a great chorus.

[JSlade]

I agree with the AHart. The way Myles sings the FTTS chorus is horrendous. All that nasal. Ew.

[AHart96]

I agree with the AHart. The way Myles sings the FTTS chorus is horrendous. All that nasal. Ew.

I don't see why he feels the need to do it. It would sound just as good/better if he sang it in his normal voice

[JSlade]

It's how he sings with Slash. All that 80's classic rock is seeping into AB.

[AHart96]

It's how he sings with Slash. All that 80's classic rock is seeping into AB.

I know, and that's why I could really never get into Apocalyptic Love. I'm not a huge fan of that style

[Dolo]

It's how he sings with Slash. All that 80's classic rock is seeping into AB.

That's not particulary a good thing, this style is so hackneyed. I'd rather they went into more unique direction.

[SugarShane]

I really like the album so far, it's much better than ABIII (not hard though, admittedly). The biggest miss for me on this record unfortunately though is Fortress. After reading the song length, i thought we were in for another Blackbird. But the song really over stays its welcome. It's a 4 minute song dragged kicking and screaming out to 7.5 minutes. Blackbird never feels like it's hanging on for the sake of hanging on, but Fortress does. That said, the first 4 minutes of it are just awesome, but it just doesn't feel real after that.

Apart from that though, really digging the album.

[Lotha]

I agree with the AHart. The way Myles sings the FTTS chorus is horrendous. All that nasal. Ew.

I don't see why he feels the need to do it. It would sound just as good/better if he sang it in his normal voice

But FTTS chorus has that kinda 80's rock vibe, to me at least. Don't have a problem with it. And Myles is one of the rare people who can pull it off without being totally irritating to my ears.

[joey78]

Blackbird isn't progressive. It's still formulaic, it's just a longer formulaic song. Still follows the intro-verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-solo-chorus formula that most AB songs do. Same with Slip to the Void.

Yeah... I think its just a bit overhyped. I still love that song though.

If you watch the track by track video interview that Myles and Mark did recently, both of them said that neither Fortress nor COA top blackbird. Mark said COA may come close but Blackbird still rules.

Almost all bands these days claim that their latest release is better than everything they've done in the past. So if Mark says his recent stuff is not better than Blackbird, there has to be a damn good reason for it.

[Macca]

Meh. Not necessarily.

[alterchris]

I really like the album so far, it's much better than ABIII (not hard though, admittedly). The biggest miss for me on this record unfortunately though is Fortress. After reading the song length, i thought we were in for another Blackbird. But the song really over stays its welcome. It's a 4 minute song dragged kicking and screaming out to 7.5 minutes. Blackbird never feels like it's hanging on for the sake of hanging on, but Fortress does. That said, the first 4 minutes of it are just awesome, but it just doesn't feel real after that.

Apart from that though, really digging the album.

I couldn't agree more

[Ubik]

Without the midsection Fortress would be half the song (and not just in terms of length).

[JSlade]

It's how he sings with Slash. All that 80's classic rock is seeping into AB.

That's not particulary a good thing, this style is so hackneyed. I'd rather they went into more unique direction.

I didn't say it was good. I actually hate it in AB's case. I wish Myles would just drop Slash (get mad) and focus on AB. This album felt like Slash's influences and All I Was influences were mashed together. It didn't feel like an AB album to me.

[alterbridgefan2099]

Honestly I've done a complete 360. I have known about AB for years, but have only 2 months ago became a diehard fan. I can't explain why it took me so long to see why they are sooooo perfect. But it did. To express my views of Fortress I need to relook at what each album gives to me.


One Day Remains is probably the most perfect Album I've ever heard from a band. It was surprisingly my second most favorite. ABIII coming first about a week ago. Then I heard Fortress and in a heartbeat that album won me over. Moving ODR to my 3rd favorite. On further evaluation so to speak. I've just now gone back to ODR, and it's probably one of their best albums they've ever made.

The highs, the lows, the lyrics. The guitars. THIS is how I want my Alter Bridge Experience to be...Of course each album is unique and different from the last but..ODR is the best to me. It shows the most passion, the most range, the most intensity (Not back breaking heaviness, but passion in all the things the bands doing), THIS could be very well the best Rock album I've heard. EVER.

Blackbird was always the one album I considered to suck. I then listened to it and instantly fell in love. It takes Melodic AB, the parts I love far more. And the heaviness of Fortress, and ABIII and you get one perfect bridge of an album. The band really grew in my opinion.

On to ABIII, when I had first got into AB I found Isolation, and Couldn't. Stop. Listening. My god it was perfect. Course now I see their other stuff is sort of better. I loved the album. I loved everything ABOUT THEM. THEY are PERFECT. The heavier side isn't terribly bad. But I prefer the Melodic side. I now have ABIII.5, just because I could afford it and it at the time stood out the most.

Fortress....where did you go wrong. It on one hand is one of the best albums they've released in a LONG TIME. LIGHT YEARS BETTER THAN ABIII. On the OTHER hand. Its like...different. I can't place it. It FEELS bad. But good. Like a love hate relationship. I love it, then I hate it, then I love it. Its probably their weakest album yet. Which is still light years better than 99% of Metal/Rock albums on the market NOW. Its a weaker link. The change sounds good, the songs lyrically, and musically sound good. The thoughts I'm feeling with the album still make me beyond words happy. Of course its not ODR. I love AB, and they've NEVER made a less than perfect song. Just most of Fortress is less perfect than ODR's etc.

I'm in love with it, but the heaviness...and lyrics, aren't the same level of ODR. I know I know, give me a week and I'll have a new number 1 AB album. But THIS is the most perfect and raw one out of them all. It'll forever have a place in my heart. Fortress, not bad. But not the same....I wish I could get a ODR 2

[Mister Gold]

Blackbird isn't progressive. It's still formulaic, it's just a longer formulaic song. Still follows the intro-verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-solo-chorus formula that most AB songs do. Same with Slip to the Void.

Yeah... I think its just a bit overhyped. I still love that song though.

If you watch the track by track video interview that Myles and Mark did recently, both of them said that neither Fortress nor COA top blackbird. Mark said COA may come close but Blackbird still rules.

Almost all bands these days claim that their latest release is better than everything they've done in the past. So if Mark says his recent stuff is not better than Blackbird, there has to be a damn good reason for it.

The band has an emotional attachment to Blackbird because of its status as a tribute to a friend of theirs and I think that's partially why they think they still haven't topped it yet. I wouldn't be surprised if they go their whole career thinking that they've never topped that song, even if certain fans might end up disagreeing with them.

[RoCkBiTeR]

After what feels like a thousand listens to Fortress ( and seeing as how I started the thread in the first place ), I thought it best to put my hands up and accept that I overreacted. It has well and truly grown on me and I'm now appreciating it for what it really is - a peach of a record.

I still think that there are a few too many so-so songs that Outright will probably make us wish that it had replaced though. My guilty quartet being Farther Than The Sun, Cry a River, Peace is Broken & The Uninvited - but then one person's filler song is another persons killer song, right?

My worst of the bunch is still Farther Than The Sun & I still say that its chorus sounds like I'm listening to that of a bland modern country song. So far its dirty opening riff has been my cue to skip to All Ends Well, also leapfrogging Cry a River.

The Bleed It Dry solo is incredible & more than makes up for my initial disappointment with its uninspiring machine gun fire chorus. I absolutely love it now. One of my stand outs!

Blackbird has always been overrated to me. I think It's a decent song but I never have the patience to listen to it. The title track of Fortress, however, destroys it imo. Also love it!

Anyways, this isn't a review. I just wanted to confess to eating my own words and to say that this leopard has firmly changed its spots.

All Ends Well and Cry of Achilles are still my favourites by a royal mile though.

I should probably go join the line at Best Buy now, right?

[psycosquirrel789]

@alterbridgefan2099

Welcome to the ODR team. We are happy to have you. Unfortunately, we probably won't ever get ODR 2. I had to let go of that after AB III. Its sad, but, its hard to even think of ODR as an Alter Bridge record anymore. If we get any more records, I expect them to be in the same vein as Fortress.

[Bob_BleedItDry]

I think fortress song is better than blackbird to

[Andy92]

I think Fortress as a whole could potentially be their best album that features the whole band working as a unit throughout the whole writing processes. One Day Remains will always be special, but it is pretty hard to expect to hear an album like that again. After nearly 10 years go by, almost all musicians have evolved their styles in different directions.