"The Last Hero" Media Review Thread

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SHEAKENBAKEN
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"The Last Hero" Media Review Thread

Post by SHEAKENBAKEN »

Figured it was about time a thread was started for The Last Hero's media reviews.

Metalwani: http://www.metalwani.com/2016/09/review ... -hero.html (9/10)
With still a month to go, fan excitement is already beginning to peak as Alter Bridge gear up for a big return. Their new album, ‘The Last Hero,’ born of their endless striving to top their previous work, lurks just around the corner, with a world tour to go hand in hand with it for adoring fans. The band’s first release since their 2013 ‘Fortress,’ ‘The Last Hero’ will be their fifth studio album, set for release October 7th via Caroline Records in the U.S and Canada and Napalm Records throughout the rest of the world. And if the whispers are to believed, it just might be a doozy!

“We’re certainly not pushing any sort of agenda or political views by any means,” says vocalist Myles Kennedy speaking about ‘The Last Hero’ “but we’re definitely diving into and taking the pulse of the world around us.” With themes of political leadership and global warming this is open to debate, but dive they indeed do, with ‘The Last Hero’ also centering itself around themes of heroism and unity that are repeated throughout.

Kicking off the record, “Show Me A Leader” is evidence of exactly that. Not only the opening track, it also serves as the lead single for ‘The Last Hero’ and justifiably so. Played on seven string guitars with some alternative tunings, a big, larger than life A.B sound takes hold. The band aim big lyrically too, creating a strong sense of both music and lyrics coming together. If, for some,”Show Me A Leader” suffers unfavorable comparisons with similar songs such as Stone Sour’s “Come What(ever) May,” where Corey Taylor’s delivery feels like an all-out onslaught, that may have to do with the fact that Kennedy is taking a different route and the subtle shift in energy lets the song excel on its own merit.

“The Writing on the Wall”, written about those who deny global warming, also deserves to place high on pole position for standout tracks. Similarly, the feel good, singalong powerhouse “My Champion” which owns the line “you gotta keep fighting and get back up again,” a lyric that embodies much of the legitimacy and spirit that courses throughout ‘The Last Hero.’ Musically, Myles Kennedy and Mark Tremonti continue to set the bar when it comes to skills on guitar. The self-proclaimed “guitar nerds” playing is, unsurprisingly, incredible throughout the entirety of the record, further cementing their reputation as a byword of great guitar playing. “Yeah, that’s all well and good,” you might say, “but are there any guitar playing standouts?” Try “Poison In Your Veins,” for it will infect you in the best way possible.

From here on, the road weaves. “Losing Patience” blends the best of the bands new material with subtle hints of ingredients from ‘One Day Remains,’ the band’s debut album. This, just ahead of a track that is something else entirely. “You Will Be Remembered” doesn’t place as pole position for best track, it surpasses the pole completely. A chiming intro riff, verses that swoon and a chorus that unleashes such vocals, you feel yourself and everything in the room stop, as if it all purposely ceased, afraid to miss even a moment. With so much going on, listeners will find it’s easier to just sit back and surrender to it. Though fear not fellow guitar nerds, the interlocking riffs backed by the relentlessly brutal rhythm section that is bassist Brian Marshall and drummer Scott Phillips, soon return. “Crows On A Wire” will satisfy all these needs, as does the album closer “The Last Hero”, which will satisfy everyone’s needs, with a few surprises thrown in between.

A technically complex band, Alter Bridge know how to balance their dynamics. But there was always a question hanging over them when it came to the group dynamics. What started as a band cited as being a supergroup, and technically still is, with ‘The Last Hero’ Alter Bridge seem to have found a synergy and an identity uniquely, and cohesively, their own. If each record thus far was consciously made to be an evolutionary step, ‘The Last Hero’ succeeds in respecting their past, owning their present and fighting loud and large into the future.
Screamer Magazine: http://screamermagazine.com/reviews/alt ... last-hero/
Orlando based rock band Alter Bridge is set to release their fifth studio album titled The Last Hero on October 7th produced by Michael “Elvis” Baskette. Since their last album Fortress in 2013, lead vocalist Myles Kennedy and lead guitarist Mark Tremonti have been exceedingly busy with Kennedy fronting Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash’s solo band and Tremonti releasing his second solo album Cauterize. The much anticipated release of The Last Hero reuniting Brian Marshall (bass), Scott Phillips (drums), Tremonti and Kennedy is sure to be Alter Bridge’s most memorable album to date.

Show Me A Leader, the first single off of this 13 track album features a sophisticated and classic rock vibe as Tremonti takes you on a musical journey from one extreme to the other on the opening seven-string guitar solo accompanied by Kennedy’s forceful vocals reflecting the world’s need for leadership and clearly, Alter Bridge proves they can show us the way with this track.

Pleasantly leading into the second track called The Writing On The Wall and track three The Other Side which has a sultry energy but lyrically, the depth digs deep into the heart and minds of what is going on in the world today. My Champion starts off with a psychedelic 60’s riff and rolls into Alter Bridge’s familiar sound and hooks you as it transitions through. Inspired by Kennedy’s childhood is manifested through the lyrics he has reportedly mentioned in interviews.

Versatility is transparent throughout the album and becomes even more clear with Cradle To The Grave and This Side Of Fate which bring the album into a deeper state of musical bliss. You Will Be Remembered has a lot of the same feeling as 2007’s Watch Over You from the album Blackbird.

The Last Hero which is also the final and title track of the album, seemingly alternates a frenzy of The Eagles’ Hotel California until it rages onward back into what fans love about Alter Bridge which is Tremonti’s commitment to his guitar solos, Kennedy’s passion and as this song takes turn after turn, it is easy to get lost in such a wonderfully executed song and album. It has been well worth the wait!

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Re: "The Last Hero" Media Review Thread

Post by AllC392Was »

I enjoyed the metalwani review but towards the end of it they got lazy.“Crows On A Wire” will satisfy all these needs, as does the album closer “The Last Hero”, which will satisfy everyone’s needs, with a few surprises thrown in between.

LOL you can't indulge?!?
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Re: "The Last Hero" Media Review Thread

Post by SHEAKENBAKEN »

AllC392Was wrote:I enjoyed the metalwani review but towards the end of it they got lazy.“Crows On A Wire” will satisfy all these needs, as does the album closer “The Last Hero”, which will satisfy everyone’s needs, with a few surprises thrown in between.

LOL you can't indulge?!?
Yeah I thought so, too. Usually metalwani is better with the superlatives.

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Re: "The Last Hero" Media Review Thread

Post by SamarthJoshi »

Is anyone able to read this review?

http://teamrock.com/review/2016-09-08/a ... -last-hero
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Re: "The Last Hero" Media Review Thread

Post by Raven »

SamarthJoshi wrote:Is anyone able to read this review?

http://teamrock.com/review/2016-09-08/a ... -last-hero

Wont let me read the review unless I'm a member……weird

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Re: "The Last Hero" Media Review Thread

Post by Lenishere »

Raven wrote:
SamarthJoshi wrote:Is anyone able to read this review?

http://teamrock.com/review/2016-09-08/a ... -last-hero

Wont let me read the review unless I'm a member……weird
Here it is. Honestly isn't much.

Teamrock: http://teamrock.com/review/2016-09-08/a ... -last-hero (4/5)
It seems that Alter Bridge’s previous album, 2013’s Fortress, was somewhat overlooked due to the solo and Slash-related endeavours its members were in the midst of at the time.

There are no such distractions now, though, which means the band should be cementing their place right at rock’s top table with The Last Hero, because, once again, Alter Bridge are a classy cut above the bands surrounding them.

What really sets them apart from their radio rock peers is the ying and yang of two exceptional talents fighting for space. Where the range, tone and richness of Myles Kennedy’s vocals could make even the flattest meat’n’potato rock song soar, here he has to compete with guitarist Mark Tremonti’s never-ending arsenal of gut-punching precision riffs and wildly inventive solos for top billing. Island Of Fools is the perfect example; an earworm chorus and a polyrhythmic slashing riff working in perfect tandem. And who wins? You, the listener, because when they strike the balance of these opposing flavours correctly they can truly make classic rock sound contemporary and exciting again where so many bands of a similar ilk just sound flabby, tired and regressive. Impressive as ever.

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Re: "The Last Hero" Media Review Thread

Post by Ubik »

Same reviewer also gave Fortress 4/5 so that's a decent sign.
For all of the hope that it brings...

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Re: "The Last Hero" Media Review Thread

Post by SamarthJoshi »

Lenishere wrote:
Here it is. Honestly isn't much.
Thank you for that! :)

Here is another one.

rockrevoltmagazine: http://http://rockrevoltmagazine.com/al ... -last-hero
I hear all too often, “where’s the next great hard rock/heavy metal band these days?” The perception is heavy metal is suffering a bit because there hasn’t been anyone that has come along since Metallica or Iron Maiden. The truth is there have been a few, people just aren’t paying close enough attention. Since 2004, Alter Bridge have quietly been building that momentum. Set to release their fifth album, The Last Hero, on October 7th, I’m going to make a bold statement: your next Iron Maiden or Metallica is here; it’s Alter Bridge.

People will say, “How can you say that??” or “That’s ridiculous!” and they have every right, but in my opinion I believe we have one of the greatest bands of the 2000’s right here in front of us. What makes a band like Metallica so good? They are phenomenal musicians and strong song writers not trying to mask their deficiencies by playing a hundred miles an hour or introducing screaming, growling vocals. They put out complex pieces of musical genius, and if you truly listen to Alter Bridge, then you will understand how I can make that comparison. Take a powerful rhythm section including Scott Phillips on drums and Brian Marshall on bass, lead it with guitar greats Mark Tremonti and Myles Kennedy trading off astounding solos, top that with the amazing vocal range of Myles Kennedy as well as Tremonti’s contributions on lead vocals and his Michael Anthonyesque ability with backing vocals, you have all the ingredients of a great hard rock/heavy metal band. They are truly a band that deserves to be mentioned with the likes of Iron Maiden, Van Halen, or Metallica, once again, in my opinion.

Now does that trend continue with their fifth release The Last Hero? You bet your ass it does. With the extremely powerful intro to the record, “Show Me A Leader” the tone is set right away for what will be an epic journey. The velocity continues into the next cut, “The Writing on the Wall” as it chugs along with Phillips’s drums slowly bringing you into Myles’s chants of WHOAAA, and not losing sight of the smallest of details in the background, you hear the chime of a bell. And it is an absolutely killer song. Next up is one of the heaviest riffs I’ve heard come from the AB camp, if not the heaviest for the song, “The Other Side.”

The fourth track on the album, “My Champion” is an ode to Myles’s parents. As he put it, he was a smaller kid that had to work extra hard, and the encouragement from his parents drove him. This is along the lines of the warmer side of the band many fans have come to know, classic Alter Bridge. Picking the pace back up is “Poison in Your Veins” one of my favorites on the album, an inspirational song about believing in oneself.

With the album revolving around the theme of heroes, “You Will Be Remembered” is a heartfelt, passionate composition that is a tribute to those who make the ultimate sacrifice for our country. This is followed up by yet another heavy piece focused on the ugly, deceptive world of politics and how they rip each other apart, “Crows on A Wire,” another one of my favorites on the album with a killer riff. Following the trend from their last effort, Fortress, The Last Hero’s title track closes out the album in epic fashion. It delivers all the highs and lows of a perfect song, putting the perfect bookend on an absolutely amazing record.

he Last Hero is a 13-song masterpiece, a great addition to the growing catalog of what I believe to be today’s quintessential hard rock band, that band that all rock/metal fans keep asking for, it’s already here. As Tremonti states ,“Every time we do a record, my only goal is for people to simply think it’s better than the previous one”, setting the bar very high for a band that already has a stellar catalog. Does The Last Hero accomplish that? Let’s just say it doesn’t go backwards; it’s a great addition to an amazing repertoire that Alter Bridge has built. This is a record that should top your 2016 list; you can pre-order The Last Hero now or pick it up on its release date of Oct. 7th. And while you’re at it add to your collection with Fortress, AB III, Blackbird and One Day Remains if you haven’t already. And be sure to catch one of the best live bands as they tour the world into 2017.
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Re: "The Last Hero" Media Review Thread

Post by ToNsOFuN88 »

From the snippets we have heard, This Side of Fate and Cradle to the Grave stood out to me the most. It's weird that most of these reviews fail to mention them at all. I WANNA KNOW MORE ABOUT THEM DAMMIT!

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Re: "The Last Hero" Media Review Thread

Post by Ubik »

ToNsOFuN88 wrote:From the snippets we have heard, This Side of Fate and Cradle to the Grave stood out to me the most. It's weird that most of these reviews fail to mention them at all. I WANNA KNOW MORE ABOUT THEM DAMMIT!
I was just thinking that about This Side of Fate, my anticipation for it is pretty off the scale considering I still have no clue what it'll sound like (beyond the brilliant reviews from the likes of Ashlee and abw at the listening party).

Writing on the Wall and The Other Side are getting a lot of love though which is great.
For all of the hope that it brings...

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Re: "The Last Hero" Media Review Thread

Post by Bob_BleedItDry »

Is there anywhere you can listen to 30 second clips of the album? Can't seem to find a site

Thanks

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Re: "The Last Hero" Media Review Thread

Post by AB4Lyfe »

There was a site but the previews got taken down, it was the Japanese Amazon.
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Re: "The Last Hero" Media Review Thread

Post by Lenishere »

Bob_BleedItDry wrote:Is there anywhere you can listen to 30 second clips of the album? Can't seem to find a site

Thanks
I actually managed to hear the previews after they were taken down by other means I cannot discuss on this website lol...

So it's there for you to find if you go looking. I'm not looking to get banned so I can't really go into detail or share information.

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Re: "The Last Hero" Media Review Thread

Post by Felypesh »

Lenishere wrote:
Bob_BleedItDry wrote:Is there anywhere you can listen to 30 second clips of the album? Can't seem to find a site

Thanks
I actually managed to hear the previews after they were taken down by other means I cannot discuss on this website lol...

So it's there for you to find if you go looking. I'm not looking to get banned so I can't really go into detail or share information.
Me now :slam
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Re: "The Last Hero" Media Review Thread

Post by AB4Lyfe »

Felypesh wrote:
Lenishere wrote:
Bob_BleedItDry wrote:Is there anywhere you can listen to 30 second clips of the album? Can't seem to find a site

Thanks
I actually managed to hear the previews after they were taken down by other means I cannot discuss on this website lol...

So it's there for you to find if you go looking. I'm not looking to get banned so I can't really go into detail or share information.
Me now :slam
Yay rules... I completely understand the rules, but mehhhhhhhh.
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Re: "The Last Hero" Media Review Thread

Post by Raven »

Wow Rock Revolt review puts AB in the same league as Metallica,Iron Maiden and my fav of all time Van Halen thats awesome he has great taste

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Re: "The Last Hero" Media Review Thread

Post by ToNsOFuN88 »

Fair warning not to share that info no matter how much people might ask. Mods were taking about banning people next after the My Champion leak was shared.

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Re: "The Last Hero" Media Review Thread

Post by AB23 »

ToNsOFuN88 wrote:Fair warning not to share that info no matter how much people might ask. Mods were taking about banning people next after the My Champion leak was shared.
Don't publicly share them or post links on the forum, per rules.
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Re: "The Last Hero" Media Review Thread

Post by ToNsOFuN88 »

AB23 wrote:
ToNsOFuN88 wrote:Fair warning not to share that info no matter how much people might ask. Mods were taking about banning people next after the My Champion leak was shared.
Don't publicly share them or post links on the forum, per rules.
Well that link was shared over PM, which technically isn't public. I think they have made it a bit more strict here lately. If I remember correctly it happened after Tim said something about sharing unofficial links or something.

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Re: "The Last Hero" Media Review Thread

Post by anguyen92 »

^^ Still, the rules state this.
This site is not to be used to share copyrighted studio recordings. Anyone caught sharing such files could be subject to banning. Sharing will NOT be tolerated at all. This includes ALL Alter Bridge studio recordings (live bootleg recordings are OK), all Creed recordings, all Mayfield Four recordings, all Tremonti recordings, all Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators recordings, all Projected recordings, and other bands involving Alter Bridge band members. Regardless of what band members may say about sharing, in the vast majority of cases, the record label own the rights to the studio recordings, and they are the people with the power to present lawsuits against websites.
From my perspective, even if it is not public, people were still using "this site" and its features as an outlet to get stuff that was not officially released yet.

Look, if people want to look for leaked tracks and previews from unauthorized sources and whatnot, I'm not going to hold them back and stop them and shame people and whatnot. I just wish people were a bit more "discrete" about it. That stated, I did felt very bummed out when people in public were asking left and right for PMs of a track that people were going to hear in a couple of hours.
Last edited by anguyen92 on Sat Sep 10, 2016 12:35 am, edited 1 time in total.

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