"The Last Hero" Media Review Thread

[Dan Dando]

"Yeah man, we really can't wait to play this stuff live!" *Hums Before Tomorrow Comes chorus*

Setlist anxiety

[Timotheus]

"So the song is written about being exterminated from the ants’ perspective!”

Favorite line from that interview, lol.

[Dan Dando]

"So the song is written about being exterminated from the ants’ perspective!”

Favorite line from that interview, lol.

Album number six has gotta be a Lovecraftian concept album about the ants' revenge

[fix]

Really enjoyed this track-by-track. I go apeshit for these kind of stories behind tracks. Can't wait to read through them again when the album is out.

[MuffinMcFluffin]

As songwriters, their synergy is now at the point where they’re finishing each other’s sentences…

I bet Mark starts lines with something unique, then Myles ends with something that he "can't deny."

[gbruin]

"So the song is written about being exterminated from the ants’ perspective!”

Favorite line from that interview, lol.

Album number six has gotta be a Lovecraftian concept album about the ants' revenge

And he still has The Grasshopper Apocalypse theme on the back burner. The combined possibilities here are astounding.

[Ryan]

So they've played Show Me a Leader so far. You'd think that they'd play My Champion and Poison in Your Veins fairly regularly as well since they're the other singles.

And in that track by track Myles mentions a couple of different things...

1) He's sure Writing on the Wall will be in the set.
2) He feels The Other Side will be a great one to play live.
3) And he hopes that they'll play Island of Fools.

Mark also says how he's looking forward to playing Crade to the Grave live. I think comments like that bode well for the upcoming shows and how much the new album is represented in the setlists

They played The Writing On The Wall at the LP during the soundcheck for the VIP's there. Myles didn't sing any lyrics, but man, they were tight with the music and it sounded bad ass!

[SHEAKENBAKEN]

https://headbangerreviews.wordpress.com ... last-hero/

As someone who is constantly in the metal community and sees all the diversity and extremes of differing opinions that go on with literally everything, I rarely see the community agree on something as a whole. And when it does happen and I don’t know about the topic at hand, I tend to gravitate towards the situation and investigate. Hence it led me to enjoy the absolute stunner of a record that is Alter Bridge’s “The Last Hero”.

These guys are probably the definition of a hard rock band as just everything about Alter Bridge is naught but a contained rage mixed with a somewhat friendly but very approachable sound for many listeners, and it easily comes to a peak with “The Last Hero”. The whopping 13-tracks off this record (not including the bonus song) are without doubt a trip of aggression that is at the same time very forgiving in terms of sound and melody that will grip every person who listens to even 30-seconds of one track for the entirety of this rock revolution. My favorite part about “The Last Hero”, though, has to be the simple fact that every track doesn’t sound the same. Such is a fate that many rock titans succumb to at some point in their career, but Alter Bridge prove that time has not yet come for them if it ever will. I will even go as far to say that Alter Bridge has made what could possibly be the quintessential hard rock album of this year with less than a hand full of other bands even coming close to even tying with the supreme excellent time that is “The Last Hero”.

If you want a fucking killer of a time that you will be definitely hear spread across the radio, this is what you need to mark your calendar for, kids. Alter Bridge managed to only to succeed with “The Last Hero” and I can promise you the second it’s available you and everyone else who hears it will be shouting as one in agreement with this one giant anthem of rock.

“The Last Hero” releases on October 7th!

[SHEAKENBAKEN]

http://www.plattentests.de/rezi.php?show=13544

TRANSLATED:

The eternal search

Already in the 18th century there was a kind of Wikipedia, just stop and offline with the swaggering name "Grosses vollständiges Universal-Lexicon". Suppose a shaky historian scrolls carefully around in it and pushes on page 1214 letter H on the following definition:. "Held, lat hero is one who begabet of nature with a handsome figure and ausnehmender Leibesstärcke by brave deeds may seek fame and risen above the common state of those people. " While this is not a proper sentence, but it was enough to get a rough picture of a bona fide hero, today that would, for example, Captain America. And so we are already in the middle at "The last hero", the new album of the rock band Alter Bridge, on which they are looking for the "real heroes" that they will never find.

Sure, Mark Tremonti can really play good guitar, and singer Myles Kennedy is a pal of Slash and Led Zeppelin old boys quite a slut, but that we know already. What is new is the fact that Alter Bridge with their fifth album now finally no longer want to be seen as descendants of Creed. To make this clear in no uncertain terms, they try louder and more evil than ever to sound earlier, even louder and worse than in "Fortress". But this time even came seven-guitars used, who would have thought. But do not worry, Alter Bridge still fit perfectly with the well-padded alternative metal tray. But already the whole rock Kram ensure the wide-legged power riffs that bombastic stadium chants Kennedys ( "Show me a leader thatwill not compromise / Show me a leader so hope never dies"), the Flitzfinger bays Tremonti, just ,

Every now and then there are tempo changes, such as "The other side" when doomy, but this situation is truly exceptional. The mid-tempo anthem "From the cradle to the grave" recalls this soft rock compilations time. But well, one for the ladies or whatever it's called in the business. Similarly geklöppelt is "You will be remembered", one dripping with US patriotism ode to the fallen soldiers ( "You will always be the hero"). All right, we understand. The rest is rock retorts, well thought and well done. Real highlights are barely visible, permanent limp the eardrum and any drafts. Some ingenious passages in "Iceland of fools" the heart of the inclined listener could indeed momentarily stop, at the latest when ironed chorus but the pulse is again on normal mainstream operating tempo. The more or less glorious conclusion eventually forming "The last hero", the then still shines with proper rhythm work and heroic sweeping melodies. But is that enough?

Alter Bridge are professionals, today more than ever before. The one hears at the plate. Grand Gestures in lyrics and guitar, always the epic hero motive in view, much like the old Wagner at that time. A little more experimentation in songwriting to hear how some numbers on "Fortress", would not hurt. But that would have been truly heroic.

[SHEAKENBAKEN]

http://musipediaofmetal.blogspot.ca/201 ... lands.html

After their respective sojourns with Slash and solo careers, Messrs Kennedy and Tremonti reunite with Brian Marshall and Scott Phillips for Alter Bridge’s fifth studio album. It's a darker, heavier sound than previously heard on Fortress with Mark Tremonti’s fret work as ferocious as ever. A move towards much more political themed comment is apparent from the opener, the riff heavy single Show Me A Leader through to bonus track Last Of Our Kind, with its pounding bass lines and edgy guitar.

Of course, what distinguishes Alter Bridge from Tremonti the solo vehicle is the quality of Myles Kennedy’s vocals, which are as clear and impressive as ever. The Last Hero contains 13 tracks, most of which are classic heavy rock. Marshall and Phillips lay down the concrete foundations which provide the theatre for Tremonti and Kennedy to cut loose. it's good stuff, heavy enough to give you a neck ache, with thumping tunes such as The Writing On The Wall, Poison In Your Veins and Crows On A Wire and the crushing Island Of Fools all perfect for the live arena. In fact, it's just possible that when it comes to solid heavy rock, Alter Bridge are about to enter the real big game park and step up to the plate as successors of the behemoths of Maiden and Metallica.

Yes, I think that these boys are now in that sector. With their anthems raging against governments and global warming inaction, the band have upped their writing substantially. Sure, there are a couple of weaker ones including the pretty ghastly You Will Be Remembered which raise the flag to the fallen of the U.S. forces but overall this is a big slab of meat which holds its head high and swats away challengers. Whether it can be reproduced in the live arenas where sound is often just soup is debatable but The Last Hero may just be the release that gets Alter Bridge a deserved Champions League placing. 9/10

[antiwal]

http://www.plattentests.de/rezi.php?show=13544

TRANSLATED:

The eternal search

Already in the 18th century there was a kind of Wikipedia, just stop and offline with the swaggering name "Grosses vollständiges Universal-Lexicon". Suppose a shaky historian scrolls carefully around in it and pushes on page 1214 letter H on the following definition:. "Held, lat hero is one who begabet of nature with a handsome figure and ausnehmender Leibesstärcke by brave deeds may seek fame and risen above the common state of those people. " While this is not a proper sentence, but it was enough to get a rough picture of a bona fide hero, today that would, for example, Captain America. And so we are already in the middle at "The last hero", the new album of the rock band Alter Bridge, on which they are looking for the "real heroes" that they will never find.

Sure, Mark Tremonti can really play good guitar, and singer Myles Kennedy is a pal of Slash and Led Zeppelin old boys quite a slut, but that we know already. What is new is the fact that Alter Bridge with their fifth album now finally no longer want to be seen as descendants of Creed. To make this clear in no uncertain terms, they try louder and more evil than ever to sound earlier, even louder and worse than in "Fortress". But this time even came seven-guitars used, who would have thought. But do not worry, Alter Bridge still fit perfectly with the well-padded alternative metal tray. But already the whole rock Kram ensure the wide-legged power riffs that bombastic stadium chants Kennedys ( "Show me a leader thatwill not compromise / Show me a leader so hope never dies"), the Flitzfinger bays Tremonti, just ,

Every now and then there are tempo changes, such as "The other side" when doomy, but this situation is truly exceptional. The mid-tempo anthem "From the cradle to the grave" recalls this soft rock compilations time. But well, one for the ladies or whatever it's called in the business. Similarly geklöppelt is "You will be remembered", one dripping with US patriotism ode to the fallen soldiers ( "You will always be the hero"). All right, we understand. The rest is rock retorts, well thought and well done. Real highlights are barely visible, permanent limp the eardrum and any drafts. Some ingenious passages in "Iceland of fools" the heart of the inclined listener could indeed momentarily stop, at the latest when ironed chorus but the pulse is again on normal mainstream operating tempo. The more or less glorious conclusion eventually forming "The last hero", the then still shines with proper rhythm work and heroic sweeping melodies. But is that enough?

Alter Bridge are professionals, today more than ever before. The one hears at the plate. Grand Gestures in lyrics and guitar, always the epic hero motive in view, much like the old Wagner at that time. A little more experimentation in songwriting to hear how some numbers on "Fortress", would not hurt. But that would have been truly heroic.

HAHAHAHA! Funniest translation ever!!

[Lotha]

As someone who was educated on the art and skill of translating ( ) I can't even read those. I know it's just Google Translate but I still get pissed about it.

[antiwal]

Mark "Flitzfinger" Tremonti! HAHAHA

[Mr. Slash]

I wanted to translate that review. Then I noticed it is from Platten-Test.
This hipster site gives every album an awful rating if the album is not super avant-garde in any aspect. So I'm not gonna waste my time with this crap.

[Lotha]

Similarly geklöppelt is "You will be remembered"

I don't know what the word means but it's so fitting

[Mr. Slash]

Similarly geklöppelt is "You will be remembered"

I don't know what the word means but it's so fitting

In this context it would be "built". That word is colloquial for "put together". I'd say the reviewer wants to imply that the song is a generic piece of music that follows the standard rock song pattern.

[Lotha]

Ah. Good thing I have no hype left in me.

[SHEAKENBAKEN]

http://distortedsoundmag.com/album-revi ... er-bridge/

*Sigh* Someone who didn't do their homework for Show Me A Leader again.

It’s been three years since ALTER BRIDGE released their last studio album, Fortress, and if anything the album really showed the bands rising success. Now the rock titans have returned with their fifth studio album, The Last Hero, it’ll only be made clearer that they are a band that are going to be remembered as a classic in the future.

Subtly yet explosively kicking off the album is single track, Show Me A Leader. The track itself doesn’t immediately throw you in there, but there’s a stunning intro of the impeccable skill of guitarist Mark Tremonti, that alone being instantly grabbing. The track is explosive and marks an excellent beginning to the newest chapter of ALTER BRIDGE’s career.

One of the finer things in life can only be described as the vocals of Myles Kennedy, the man himself oozes with a high-powered and energetic style. His voice is one of the most loved in the modern rock scene, and when listening to The Writing on the Wall, it’s a given as to why that is. Whilst, as always the music of the band is consistently on point, Myles’s voice on this track in particular is the epitome of how a good rock vocalist should sound.

When The Last Hero reaches The Other Side only three tracks in, it is noticeable that whilst ALTER BRIDGE have a pretty heavy sound in terms of guitar work especially, the album hits a bit of a darker turn musically without losing their signature sound, and it works effortlessly for them.

As previously mentioned about the darker approach musically, there are still tracks that hold that sound of almost inspiration on the album. It’s difficult to put entirely into words about the sound of inspiration, but it’s a sound that makes you feel like getting up and doing something that matters. ALTER BRIDGE are pretty good with achieving tracks on their albums like that, but My Champion really is it for them. The lyrics of the track are transfixing and really pull you in, you are wholly focused on coming back up from the bottom, it’s a positive song and done with sincerity, sincerity that really makes fans of the band be able to appreciate.

There is a whole new level of character found in the The Last Hero, and one thing that can be a worry with a band that just keeps topping their best is reaching a peak. Listening to tracks such as Poison In Your Veins, Losing Patience and This Side of Fate – it becomes common knowledge that the four-piece have always been at their peak, they just keep making their own new level and hitting that, there is no falling from the top for ALTER BRIDGE. The power, the sheer emotion, and incredible talent in this album just blends together elegantly, they have mastered being able to progress their tracks into stories.

One of the most beautiful things about the band is that they are able to progress from heavy, punchy tracks into something so beautifully emotional. Just refer back to tracks such as Watch Over You and In Loving Memory; those alongside others are powerful, they’re ones that are the most hard hitting, above all of the others. You Will Be Remembered might not be one of the top songs that ALTER BRIDGE have released that really make you feel everything, but it doesn’t mean that it’s not a stunning track. The Last Hero creates a beautiful story about paying tribute to soldiers and recognising their sacrifices and You Will Be Remembered really just puts that concept together with grace, honesty and perfection.

Crows on a Wire kicks in after the emotional take to the album with ferocity, leading into the final few tracks of the album, and my, what a final few tracks they are. They are seeing the rock titans progress with their heaviness and how they really portray themselves, Island of Fools is the perfect example of that. It is out there, but they are not losing their overall style, they were already a mature band with their sound, but they still are finding ways to keep maturing which each record.

The title-track leads the album out, the overall track is absolutely stunning, the only negative is that whilst the title of the song is pretty fitting for the placement, it doesn’t feel like the right track to be closing the album; however there are no other contenders on the album to have done the job either.

The Last Hero is a stunning and powerful album; it shows how strong ALTER BRIDGE come back time and time again. It might not become one of the best albums of their career, because they all compete for that title, but that just says something about the band themselves. They continuously raise the bar for themselves, there is no reaching the peak of their career and then never achieving that again because they do it, constantly. We’ve got the classic bands of previous generations, LED ZEPPELIN, BLACK SABBATH, IRON MAIDEN; if ALTER BRIDGE carry on progressing the way they are now, they are definite contenders for the classics of our generation.

Rating: 9/10

[SHEAKENBAKEN]

http://www.metal.de/reviews/alter-bridg ... ro-192499/

TRANSLATED

There is evidence of a high work ethic that ALTER BRIDGE deliver despite the numerous side playground of Lords Kenney and Tremonti time after three years their new album "The Last Hero". The only times surprises with an unusual for the band artwork, but also musically a lot to offer so!
ALTER BRIDGE on new paths

The opening "Show Me A Leader" is already known as a single release. The song combines all trademarks of the band in itself: Fat riffs, great vocal melodies and guitar solos astreine as only Mark Tremonti can just play. Whoever therefore believes that ALTER BRIDGE play it safe with their fifth album in number, will be taught in the next 60 minutes of the better. Even "The Writing On The Wall" surprises with heavy riffs of modern metal-rail and an incredible groove. The progressive-influenced "The Other Side" turn celebrates with screeching guitar riffs an unusually gloomy atmosphere.

But despite all the experimentation forget the four men never know what their fans want. "My Champion" for example, is a knotless hit song with radio capability, without being replaced or arbitrarily. The big melodies never fall by the wayside. Instead ALTER BRIDGE explore their musical boundaries once again further out, add new Schlenker and nuances added, without doing harm to their band's own sound. Here a magnificent song follows the other. Expresses seldom falter tracks in different moments. The refrain of "This Side Of Fate" as has come a little sluggish. The overall impression clouded the though very little.
An experienced team

Along the lines of "it is not broke, do not be repaired" Michael "Elvis" Bass chain for the production of the plate is responsible. Since " Blackbird " ALTER BRIDGE cooperate with him. Obviously the guys are in the studio now blind. For "The Last Hero" not only sounds bold and differentiated from the boxes, but there really any instrument at the right moment the space it needs. Solos are always good to hear. The backing choruses stand out without coming to the lead vocals in the way. Every little sound element is easily audible.

In ALTER BRIDGE rely. Also with album number five, the band has an impressive musical diversity, never loses her face and what is most important: The Americans deliver a batch of great songs from that comes completely without failures. Buy or die!

[SHEAKENBAKEN]

http://goetiamedia.com/music-review/rev ... 4492187500

TRANSLATED

What happens is that is not always the task of a band, now in its fifth album, the overcome their previous game but must simply maintain the level. It's basically what they do Alter Bridge on this The Last Hero, keeping all recognizable details of the band but now under a social discourse that aims not only to world leaders and global warming, but also to the feeling of unity and perhaps patriotism so characteristic of his homeland.

Nor gloom of AB III is present or the Blackbird ambitious but rather that sound friendly but quality within the band has managed to capture after a decade trying to find their identity. Curiously the band first used seven - string guitars, and songs like 'My Champion' show us the most accessible side of the band so far, but it represents something negative within the parameters of Alter Bridge.

If the lyric can be a subject of double edge, in the purely musical they do not go around with nonsense: the guitar duel between Myles Kenndy and Mark Tremonti still fierce and rampant, with the rhythm section Brian Marshall on bass and Scott Phillips behind the battery following them (even in the mixture).

affordable and accessible choruses / pegadizas under the cloak of a powerful but complicated machinery recognizable instrumental melodies. Alter Bridge still know to balance the dynamics very well throughout the album does not sound too repetitive between songs, with songs like 'Poison In Your Veins' that take us to their debut album and the most consistent time as to creative innovation .

The Last Hero Fortress is perhaps behind by the simple fact of not distance itself too much in these 3 years between disk and disk. They remain a guitar band.