Pawns & Kings (Alter Bridge - VII)

[RevenantGB]

The song is a grower for sure, I didn't really connect with it during the first few listens. There were moments however (the intro riff and bridge vocal melody) that I enjoyed the second they came on.

[Whitebird]

Hmm I don’t like this new song, at first listen at least, it sounds too Tremontish to me and I don’t know, I just don’t like it

Ps: Nothing wrong about Tremonti of course, but I don’t know I just can’t listen to it as an AB song, weird.

The song has grown on me A LOT by now.

[joshuabeau]

Hmm I don’t like this new song, at first listen at least, it sounds too Tremontish to me and I don’t know, I just don’t like it

Ps: Nothing wrong about Tremonti of course, but I don’t know I just can’t listen to it as an AB song, weird.

The song has grown on me A LOT by now.

Once you start to hear all the little nuances, you’re like “damn”.

[Crumbso]

(For way too long)
(It's not our fault)

Such a missed opportunity not having Mark come in and sing these parts.

Eh? Am I missing something or is that not Mark?

[Crumbso]

Nice and moody. Really nice touch having Mark do the lower harmony on the bridge. He could really have done the lower vocal on the chorus as well as the bits in between the main lines.

It'll need time for me but I love the atmosphere on this tune. The production still sounds pretty good too. It's really nice to hear AB not rushing through things and letting moments like the intro breathe and stretch out a bit. The guitar solo is a bit pants though.

[maximzub]

The guitar solo is a bit pants though.

I literally looked up the phrase "it's a bit pants" because I didn't know what it meant, only to find that it's British slang.

[Crumbso]

The guitar solo is a bit pants though.

I literally looked up the phrase "it's a bit pants" because I didn't know what it meant, only to find that it's British slang.

3. UNCOUNTABLE NOUN
If you say that something is pants, you mean that it is very poor in quality.
[British, informal]
The place is pants, yet so popular.

[joshuabeau]

Totally using “it’s a bit pants” now.

[SHEAKENBAKEN]

Okay upon first listen my initial thoughts are that the intro is cool. I thought it was gonna instantly start with the riff but its nice that it kind of leads into it with some quiet instrumentals and you can actually hear the bass I think the main riff will grow on me with each listen and the higher pitched guitar parts in the main riff help make it more memorable. I like the more stripped-back verse instrumentals. I think Myles' vocals sound decent in the song and I love Marks backing vocals in it. Wish he sang more backings throughout the song. The chorus is probably my favorite of the 3 songs released so far. The song definitely could have benefited from a longer solo from both Mark and Myles in the bridge and outro to help elevate it to an "epic" status IMO. Which was the same criticism I had for Pawns & Kings

[Whitebird]

Does anyone knows if this is their slowest song in terms of bpm?

[iAmDavis]

The chorus is my favorite so far from all three of the singles, easily. The riff behind the vocals make it so much better. I love that high-pitched guitar part as well. Unlike the other two songs, I immediately loved this one. Can't wait till it comes out in the states later tonight so I don't have to use a VPN lol

[maximzub]

I've been listening to Alter Bridge interviews all night, trying to get some insight into their songwriting process. I think I'll apply that to some of my own stuff. Also, I listened to them so I could get into a full-blown Alter Bridge mood so I can dive into Sin After Sin when it comes out in a few minutes. Hoping I'll catch it the minute it comes out in my time zone. Now I'm listening to Silver Tongue just to mentally prepare myself. Conveniently, it's right before Sin After Sin on the album, so that'll be my first taste of the album flow.

[AB23]

I hear a song like this and it's difficult to believe that it's Alter Bridge. It's just so different.

I kinda used to think AB had a unique sound. Like, when I heard the opening of an AB song, I immediately thought "okay, that's definitely an Alter Bridge song" before I even hear Myles start singing. But now, the sound changes so much from where it started. And it's clear that they seem to be straying further and further away from my type of AB music with each subsequent album release. It's okay, I'm a big boy. I can take it. But songs like this just feel like a reminder that they aren't the AB that I discovered anymore. They've evolved, and from their perspective, they've progressed. Whatever, different strokes.

To me, this may be the least AB-sounding single they've ever released. The pace of the song, the way Myles sounds, the chugging of the guitars (which I've made clear isn't really my "thing").

I always have a rule: Don't judge an AB album by their singles, because I NEVER like the singles. They're always way to metal for me. So that's how I still feel. Not a fan of this song at all really, but still holding out hope that I dig half the album and they give me that traditional AB song I'm yearning for.

Glad if you like it though. Consensus seems to be that it's a grower, so maybe I'll like it eventually too.

[maximzub]

I'm sorry, guys. The first listen did not give me much of a good impression at all.

The intro and the verses sounded okay, like a standard Alter Bridge song. I'll give it that. I also like the main riff by itself.

I was really expecting the chorus to go somewhere besides the main riff, but it didn't. That's a problem I have with a lot of songs and that's the main reason why I don't like Bleed It Dry, another song that's well-liked in this community. The chorus just isn't soaring like the one in Pawns & Kings.

The bridge also seemed to fall short. And then Myles's solo came and at the end, I was like, "That's it?" Then they went into another chorus followed by Mark's most boring solo of all time (in Alter Bridge and Tremonti; I can't speak for Creed). And that was it.

Given the slow tempo, I was also really hoping for a heavy breakdown, maybe like the one in The Uninvited. But there wasn't any.

Then I listened to Pawns & Kings and man, that song blows both Silver Tongue and Sin After Sin out of the water. Sorry, but this was a disappointment and I'm a little less excited and more worried about what the rest of this record will bring.

I'm definitely going to have this song on loop to burn it in my memory, just like I have been doing for other songs. I'll check in again soon and we'll see how I feel about it then.

[AB23]

Ya, I thought the bridge was poor, to be frank. Rarely do I say this about an Alter Bridge song, because the bridges are one thing I normally dig from this band, but I hated the bridge a lot.

[nildiven]

I think it's a great song. The main riff is killer. Really dig the chorus. As others have mentioned I wish the bridge and solo were a bit better. Specifically that solo, missed opportunity imo to really end the song on an epic note. But still a great tune nevertheless.

[Marshall]

[Thierry1982]

Sin After Sin is my favorite so far. I have it on repeat the whole morning already. Love the riffing.

Pawns and Kings is number two. Silver Tongue is an easy skipper. Too generic.

[Crumbso]

I just love that AB is ploughing some new furrows this time. I think the 'more is more' approach was bringing diminishing returns. It's still not Fortress/BB levels of legendary yet but it's all looking good. No real hot guitar work to really blow us away yet though.

[AHart96]

This is probably my favorite song of the three released, but I find it to be an incredibly odd choice for a single. I feel like this is one of those songs that would work better in the context of the whole album. Still enjoy it!!