Walk The Sky Reaction Thread

[nildiven]

Also, Walking on the Sky should be the name of the album. Walk the Sky is weird and I'm triggered because of it.

I think it's intentionally used as a verb in the album title. Much of the album is about truly living the one life you have, which is a metaphor I think summed up in the song walking on the sky (about the tight rope walkers that perform their feet at insane heights). So "walk" the sky is the verb to serve as the put your best foot forward, just do it, etc approach that's the overall message to the listener. That's my take at least.

[prslover]

Fear Inoculum is great. Coincidentally, Tool and Alter Bridge are the only two hard rock / metal bands I still follow. And I'm seeing them both in concert this month for the first time in 12 years.

Awesome I am seeing AB in St Pete on Tuesday and Tool in DC on Nov 27th. Our ears are gonna take a punishing!

[AB23]

Also, Walking on the Sky should be the name of the album. Walk the Sky is weird and I'm triggered because of it.

I think it's intentionally used as a verb in the album title. Much of the album is about truly living the one life you have, which is a metaphor I think summed up in the song walking on the sky (about the tight rope walkers that perform their feet at insane heights). So "walk" the sky is the verb to serve as the put your best foot forward, just do it, etc approach that's the overall message to the listener. That's my take at least.

But why couldn't they work this into the song then?

[John3977]

Does Indoctrination remind anyone of Creed’s bound and tied?

[nildiven]

Also, Walking on the Sky should be the name of the album. Walk the Sky is weird and I'm triggered because of it.

I think it's intentionally used as a verb in the album title. Much of the album is about truly living the one life you have, which is a metaphor I think summed up in the song walking on the sky (about the tight rope walkers that perform their feet at insane heights). So "walk" the sky is the verb to serve as the put your best foot forward, just do it, etc approach that's the overall message to the listener. That's my take at least.

But why couldn't they work this into the song then?

I dunno, maybe they felt it would be cheesier that way. I should also clarify I meant the difference in tense, since they're both technically verbs.

[Mr. Slash]

Forever Falling
I think Mark sounds very weak on the verses. There are all kinds of tricks in the mix to mask the fact that he’s not really capable of singing those high notes.

Yeah, I totally see your point. I don't understand why Mark is singing the verses. It was really surprising when he began with his high register vocals and my first thought was "Myles' voice would fit so much better."
Mark's low voice is great but this one was really unnecessary.

[sugarandcyanide]

Native Son
I don’t like this one very much. I think it’s very similar to Wouldn’t You Rather in the way it’s structured and layered. It’s slightly better though. But that fucking chorus. Who thought it was a good idea to put those whoa’s in there? So fucking stupid. Such a serious theme, heavy riffs and all, and suddenly it’s all “yay, I’m estranged to my own land!l Let’s all hold hands and sing along!” The worst part is that it’s almost impossible not to sing along to that part.

Same here.

Take The Crown
I still don’t know what to think of this song. I enjoy parts of it, but other parts are kinda cringy. The chorus is a mess with all the layers, and the “so sorry” part is silly. I don’t know.

Yep.

Indoctrination


Now we’re talking. I absolutely love the beginning of this song. I love the trippy sound. It’s something I never imagined AB doing, and I think they’re doing it so well. All the different sounds and layers. It builds really cool, the growl in the background, the synths and all the extra effects.
Then the chorus comes, and the chorus is a bit of a grower. It disappointed me at first, but I’m growing to like it. It sounds a lot like the chorus of Lost Inside The Girl by Slash, which I also didn’t care about. I think it fits the song though, and I think it wil grow on me even more.
The first minute or so of this song, is a highlight for me of this album.

I don’t like LITG, either, and maybe that’s why the chorus isn’t my favorite. I like the lead lines “I’m in your head, you can’t deny it” and “Indoctrinated in the fire,” but, not the lines after, melodically speaking.

Pay No Mind
Loved it from the start. Definitely top three of the album for me. It’s just such a cool song.

Yes.

Forever Falling

Big nope. Can't get into Mark on lead at all, except in Words.

Walking On The Sky
Such a fantastic song. From the vocal harmonies in the verses to the badass riff in the pre chorus to that MASSIVE chorus. So fucking good. Best song on the album.

I love the verses, and not the chorus. Frustrating.

Dying Light
Great closer. The verses could’ve been so much better though… Such a shame. Still, really like it.

It's just alright, for me.

Second listen through. Keep:

One Life
Take The Crown
Indoctrination
Pay No Mind
Walking on the Sky
Dying Light

I'm really annoyed that I don't like most of the album. These melodies are doing nothing for me. Another ABIII, for me. TLH tops this, IMO.

[George]

Listening a lot to the album. Man, it sounds comercial and also heavy. I'm loving it.

Riffs plus bass and drums are great in my opinion.

I'll bring a full opinion later though.

[nildiven]

I love Forever Falling, though I can't but wish it were like a minute or so longer. Specifically during the bridge, when it slows down as Mark sings "oh noooo," if it went into a bluesy solo before heading back into the final chorus. Would have totally satisfied my craving for their epics. But oh well, still a great song.

[mycarhasabs]

Sounds like they're making the soundtrack for a horror movies for high school kids.

haha, I love that part. Kinda reminds me of when Creed had that one single in the Scream soundtrack. Not the song itself, but just the fact it wouldn't be the first time their material was used for a horror movie.

I think it was "This is the End"?? or am I drunk?

[George]

Sounds like they're making the soundtrack for a horror movies for high school kids.

haha, I love that part. Kinda reminds me of when Creed had that one single in the Scream soundtrack. Not the song itself, but just the fact it wouldn't be the first time their material was used for a horror movie.

I think it was "This is the End"?? or am I drunk?

What If...

Is this the end was on the CD soundtrack also.

[Blackbird]

Just listened to the album for the first time. I need to listen to most AB songs several times to really know what I think about them, but I can already say that it's probably their most consistent album since AB III (which doesn't necessarily mean it's better than its two predecessors). Fortress and TLH both had at least three filler tracks on them, Native Son seems to be the only one on WTS so far (predicting that Indoctrination will grow on me).

All I'm immediately missing are a few more melancholic choruses, but I take that as a result of the positive tone of the album, so I think I'm fine with that.

[CrowsOnAWire]

Just listened to the album for the first time. I need to listen to most AB songs several times to really know what I think about them, but I can already say that it's probably their most consistent album since AB III (which doesn't necessarily mean it's better than its two predecessors). Fortress and TLH both had at least three filler tracks on them, Native Son seems to be the only one on WTS so far (predicting that Indoctrination will grow on me).

All I'm immediately missing are a few more melancholic choruses, but I take that as a result of the positive tone of the album, so I think I'm fine with that.

It’s funny how opinions differ so much. To me, Fortress is almost flawless. The only filler is All Ends Well, where as AB III
to me has some great songs but also a few tunes that merge into one and sound very similar.

[WaywardOne]

This is the first time I did my first listen in a car - it was great because the speakers are good and I can play it as loud as I want, but damn it was probably dangerous how hooked I was on this album . Sorry in advance to all the tl/dr people out there, I'll try keep it to overall impressions for now:

This is the best thing they've ever done lyrically. I'm one of the people who can relate to the darkness of ABIII and the subsequent finding your way of WTS and it just resonates so well.

My biggest takeaway from the first time through is 2ND HALF >>>>>> 1ST HALF. I thought it was ok at first but it felt like every song in the second half just kept elevating this album more and more. What a pleasant surprise!

This feels like the most consistent album they have made, in that there aren't a handful of standouts or tracks that feel like fillers. One exception: FOREVER FALLING. This 100% lived up to the hype for me and I can't quite wrap my head around how this album is so consistent expect for one massive pillar just towering over everything.

I have my gripes about the over-production and layering too... but it's so predictable at this point I wont bother complaining anymore in this post.

I am SO relieved that it's not as synth-y as it was hyped up to be. There are a few spots where it adds atmosphere in a way that I like, but the extent they use it in Pay No Mind and Godspeed are huge no-no's for me.

Getting more into specific songs here but... am I the only one who loves Take The Crown? Native Son wasn't nearly as heavy as described, just jarring because of that abrupt transition. Take The Crown feels much more punishing (that's a compliment) to me and has a better chorus.

Same thing with In The Deep - great song. I love how well the bass stands out for a change!

Wouldn't You Rather has seriously grown on me and the combination with One Life is a beautiful way to open things.

Love Love Love Dying Light. Not sure what happened since it was released but I got so much more out of it this time. Beautiful.

Anyone who threw in any comparisons to Alice In Chains (verses) and Muse (chorus) for Indoctrination is spot-on. This is the most experimental song they've ever done for me and I love it. This is how experimentation should sound vs. throwing in random synth-y bits.

:end verbal diarrhea:

[Schulzy]

I've listened to the entire album in a variety of settings 6 times since receiving it yesterday in the mail. I have mixed feelings. Some great intros, riffs, and lyrics, but something is missing.

I always go back and re-listen to all AB albums prior to new album releases from them. ODR, Blackbird, and Fortress are in my top 10 of all time. ABIII and TLH have some of my favorite songs - Isolation, GODGB, CTTG, TOS, IOF but in my opinion suffer as whole albums. Walk The Sky has songs I like - Native Son, Indoctrination, Pay No Mind, Forever Falling, Clear Horizon, and Walking on The Sky. Unfortunately I just don't get the "must listen because I can't get enough" feeling from 13/14 of them.

I agree with many of the board members in terms of production and specifically Myles' voice. This album and The Last Hero actually make me tired listening to them straight through. I'd describe it as ear fatigue - straining to hear certain things on songs like Mark's vocals in Forever Falling and then feeling punished by pulsing loudness.

I just long for a song that makes me instantly want to sing along - Metalingus, Brand New Start, Isolation, Cradle To The Grave, Farther Than The Sun. Pay No Mind is so close and it remains my favorite on the album.

Final thought - I REALLY miss Mark's slow bluesy solos - see Burn It Down, Wayward One, Bleed It Dry, etc. I can actually sing every note of them - so memorable. I am ranking this below TLH but above ABIII - 5/10 due to the fact that only 7/14 tracks stand out to me.

[LosingPatience]

This is the first time I did my first listen in a car - it was great because the speakers are good and I can play it as loud as I want, but damn it was probably dangerous how hooked I was on this album . Sorry in advance to all the tl/dr people out there, I'll try keep it to overall impressions for now:

This is the best thing they've ever done lyrically. I'm one of the people who can relate to the darkness of ABIII and the subsequent finding your way of WTS and it just resonates so well.

My biggest takeaway from the first time through is 2ND HALF >>>>>> 1ST HALF. I thought it was ok at first but it felt like every song in the second half just kept elevating this album more and more. What a pleasant surprise!

This feels like the most consistent album they have made, in that there aren't a handful of standouts or tracks that feel like fillers. One exception: FOREVER FALLING. This 100% lived up to the hype for me and I can't quite wrap my head around how this album is so consistent expect for one massive pillar just towering over everything.

I have my gripes about the over-production and layering too... but it's so predictable at this point I wont bother complaining anymore in this post.

I am SO relieved that it's not as synth-y as it was hyped up to be. There are a few spots where it adds atmosphere in a way that I like, but the extent they use it in Pay No Mind and Godspeed are huge no-no's for me.

Getting more into specific songs here but... am I the only one who loves Take The Crown? Native Son wasn't nearly as heavy as described,
just jarring because of that abrupt transition. Take The Crown feels much more punishing (that's a compliment) to me and has a better chorus.

Same thing with In The Deep - great song. I love how well the bass stands out for a change!

Wouldn't You Rather has seriously grown on me and the combination with One Life is a beautiful way to open things.

Love Love Love Dying Light. Not sure what happened since it was released but I got so much more out of it this time. Beautiful.

Anyone who threw in any comparisons to Alice In Chains (verses) and Muse (chorus) for Indoctrination is spot-on. This is the most experimental song they've ever done for me and I love it. This is how experimentation should sound vs. throwing in random synth-y bits.


:end verbal diarrhea:

Agree strongly with second half >>>> first half. Think it might be their strongest back half to any of their albums in fact

[Blackbirddd]

It makes me a little uncomfortable the way how Forever Falling decays after the second chorus until the chorus comes again to finish the song

[One Drew Remains]

I really like Native Son. That seems to be a polarizing track here. Love how everything but the drums drop out (for the most part) during the pre chorus

[scarecrow]

My local record store didn't have this or the new Third Eye Blind album... ridiculous.

Had to drive to a Target that's quite out of the way. You'd think that in 2019 a record store would have an album that Target of all places is carrying.

[TenaciousBe]

Also, Walking on the Sky should be the name of the album. Walk the Sky is weird and I'm triggered because of it.

The only part that triggers me is that I'm a big fan of Walk The Moon, and the title feels a bit like they ripped them off.