Best and worst Alterbridge album

News and discussion about Alter Bridge. Get the latest updates here!
sugarandcyanide
Bought The CDs
Posts: 69
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2015 6:01 pm
Location: Ohio, USA

Re: Best and worst Alterbridge album

Post by sugarandcyanide »

*sits alone in the corner*
"One Day Remains" and "Break Me Down" are my favorite AB songs...I've never gone with the crowd. lol
SMKC

07/20/14 - Northfield, OH
09/26/15 - Northfield, OH
08/01/19 - Northfield, OH

Myles - YOTT

11/19/18 - Cleveland, OH

User avatar
Mr. Slash
On The Rail
Posts: 1758
Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2014 6:40 am
Location: Germany

Re: Best and worst Alterbridge album

Post by Mr. Slash »

sugarandcyanide wrote:*sits alone in the corner*
"One Day Remains" and "Break Me Down" are my favorite AB songs...I've never gone with the crowd. lol
ODR is also one of my favorite songs, but playing that song on guitar drives me crazy. I have no idea how people managed to play it at this tempo. I mean, AB played it even faster on their Wembley DVD.

sugarandcyanide
Bought The CDs
Posts: 69
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2015 6:01 pm
Location: Ohio, USA

Re: Best and worst Alterbridge album

Post by sugarandcyanide »

Mr. Slash wrote:
sugarandcyanide wrote:*sits alone in the corner*
"One Day Remains" and "Break Me Down" are my favorite AB songs...I've never gone with the crowd. lol
ODR is also one of my favorite songs, but playing that song on guitar drives me crazy. I have no idea how people managed to play it at this tempo. I mean, AB played it even faster on their Wembley DVD.
I know, it's insane.
SMKC

07/20/14 - Northfield, OH
09/26/15 - Northfield, OH
08/01/19 - Northfield, OH

Myles - YOTT

11/19/18 - Cleveland, OH

User avatar
gbruin
MEGLADONG
Posts: 7872
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2012 6:27 pm
Location: Highlands Ranch, CO

Re: Best and worst Alter Bridge album

Post by gbruin »

sugarandcyanide wrote:*sits alone in the corner*
"One Day Remains" and "Break Me Down" are my favorite AB songs...I've never gone with the crowd. lol
:bow

Other songs get their run, but I always come back to One Day Remains. Brilliant song. Brilliant lyrics. If I could hear only one song for the rest of my life, that's the one.
Another photobucket casualty... :(
As your courage crashes down before your eyes, don't lay down and die

User avatar
VigilantSteve
Hardcore TABN'er
Posts: 749
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2012 8:21 am
Location: WV

Re: Best and worst Alterbridge album

Post by VigilantSteve »

sugarandcyanide wrote:*sits alone in the corner*
"One Day Remains" and "Break Me Down" are my favorite AB songs...I've never gone with the crowd. lol
Yeah, for what it's worth, I think One Day Remains is the best song on their debut album. I can't agree with you on Break Me Down though, sorry (but I don't agree with most that it's the worst song on BB, that's Before Tomorrow Comes for me).

LosingPatience
White Knuckled
Posts: 224
Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2019 3:39 am

Re: Best and worst Alterbridge album

Post by LosingPatience »

Hard to pick my fav it alternates but love TLH. Walk The Sky my least fav hate it soo much i nearly dropped the band altogether . Another WTS and its adios AB for me

User avatar
Crumbso
On The Rail
Posts: 1579
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2012 4:32 pm

Re: Best and worst Alterbridge album

Post by Crumbso »

You know, I was thinking about WTS and how I think it seems like, now all the dust has settled, it's a tad bit underrated in the catalogue. I almost feel it would have gotten a much better response if the singles chosen weren't the filler songs. Imagine if Walking on the Sky or Forever Falling were released as the first singles? It would have made a much better impression. Songs like Take the Crown and In the Deep are pretty much filler songs.... I'd probably even push that criticism at Pay no Mind as well.

As usual, this is an album that would have been amazing if they shortened the running order a bit to 40 - 50 minutes. If you eliminate the above three songs + Tear Us Apart then you get an absolutely cracking 43 minute album with very few weak points.
Image

Andy92
You Waste Your Time
Posts: 14001
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2012 11:52 pm

Re: Best and worst Alterbridge album

Post by Andy92 »

I think WTS is pretty on par with AB III. I think AB III opens much stronger with Slip to the Void, Isolation, and Ghost, but it gets kinda weak in the second half before the last two tracks. Overall though I think those two albums have about the same amount of great songs and the same amount of filler tracks.

For me it’s pretty much Blackboard and Fortress at the top, The Last Hero at the bottom, and the other 3 kinda shift around in between depending on the mood I’m in.
anguyen92 wrote:Oh well. Deal with it.

User avatar
Ubik
Bachelor Daddy
Posts: 4527
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2012 12:12 pm

Re: Best and worst Alterbridge album

Post by Ubik »

Crumbso wrote:You know, I was thinking about WTS and how I think it seems like, now all the dust has settled, it's a tad bit underrated in the catalogue. I almost feel it would have gotten a much better response if the singles chosen weren't the filler songs. Imagine if Walking on the Sky or Forever Falling were released as the first singles? It would have made a much better impression. Songs like Take the Crown and In the Deep are pretty much filler songs.... I'd probably even push that criticism at Pay no Mind as well.

As usual, this is an album that would have been amazing if they shortened the running order a bit to 40 - 50 minutes. If you eliminate the above three songs + Tear Us Apart then you get an absolutely cracking 43 minute album with very few weak points.
Pshhh, Take the Crown is a beast.

I think Walk the Sky is the second easiest listen, front to back, after Fortress. The Bitter End and Tear Us Apart are my least faves but there's enough to them to keep your interest.

EDIT - I'd written "back to front" which made little sense (outside of AB = satanic, obvs)
Last edited by Ubik on Sun Nov 15, 2020 11:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
For all of the hope that it brings...

MuffinMcFluffin
Hardcore TABN'er
Posts: 557
Joined: Mon Jul 25, 2016 1:05 am
Location: Elk Grove, CA
Contact:

Re: Best and worst Alterbridge album

Post by MuffinMcFluffin »

Crumbso wrote:You know, I was thinking about WTS and how I think it seems like, now all the dust has settled, it's a tad bit underrated in the catalogue. I almost feel it would have gotten a much better response if the singles chosen weren't the filler songs. Imagine if Walking on the Sky or Forever Falling were released as the first singles? It would have made a much better impression. Songs like Take the Crown and In the Deep are pretty much filler songs.... I'd probably even push that criticism at Pay no Mind as well.

As usual, this is an album that would have been amazing if they shortened the running order a bit to 40 - 50 minutes. If you eliminate the above three songs + Tear Us Apart then you get an absolutely cracking 43 minute album with very few weak points.
I actually decided to not listen to any tracks before its release, but knowing what were the singles while listening to it for the first time, I feel a little different here. I like when there are gems beyond the singles that are "discovered." It's also one of the reasons I like hearing an opening track that isn't a single, or a closing track for that matter. I want to have an inkling that they hook your or cap it off with something that I shouldn't already have listened to.

I don't know, that sounds dumb when I type it but I know what I mean by what I'm saying at the same time, haha.

User avatar
Crumbso
On The Rail
Posts: 1579
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2012 4:32 pm

Re: Best and worst Alterbridge album

Post by Crumbso »

MuffinMcFluffin wrote: I actually decided to not listen to any tracks before its release, but knowing what were the singles while listening to it for the first time, I feel a little different here. I like when there are gems beyond the singles that are "discovered." It's also one of the reasons I like hearing an opening track that isn't a single, or a closing track for that matter. I want to have an inkling that they hook your or cap it off with something that I shouldn't already have listened to.

I don't know, that sounds dumb when I type it but I know what I mean by what I'm saying at the same time, haha.
You do make a good point here. As in, maybe I 'wore out' the singles by listening to them too much before the album came out and they don't really get their due from me now. Although, Wouldn't You Rather has only grown on me over time. It's a legit song. It's also true that some songs are just made to be deep-cuts buried in the album because they work better in context or with repeat listens.

Cutting albums down to 45 minutes or so is just always an exercise I like to do because I love the LP format and it really reveals the best out of most albums but just cutting off a little flab.
Image

The Dissident
White Knuckled
Posts: 230
Joined: Tue Aug 15, 2017 4:13 pm

Re: Best and worst Alterbridge album

Post by The Dissident »

Crumbso wrote:
MuffinMcFluffin wrote: I actually decided to not listen to any tracks before its release, but knowing what were the singles while listening to it for the first time, I feel a little different here. I like when there are gems beyond the singles that are "discovered." It's also one of the reasons I like hearing an opening track that isn't a single, or a closing track for that matter. I want to have an inkling that they hook your or cap it off with something that I shouldn't already have listened to.

I don't know, that sounds dumb when I type it but I know what I mean by what I'm saying at the same time, haha.
You do make a good point here. As in, maybe I 'wore out' the singles by listening to them too much before the album came out and they don't really get their due from me now. Although, Wouldn't You Rather has only grown on me over time. It's a legit song. It's also true that some songs are just made to be deep-cuts buried in the album because they work better in context or with repeat listens.

Cutting albums down to 45 minutes or so is just always an exercise I like to do because I love the LP format and it really reveals the best out of most albums but just cutting off a little flab.
I completely agree with it being an incrdible eye opening exersize, so many great albums could have been masterpieces with some "fat" cutting, one that always has been one I'd like to do it for would be Hysteria.

User avatar
Sugar Blade
Bought The CDs
Posts: 55
Joined: Fri Sep 23, 2016 8:19 pm

Re: Best and worst Alterbridge album

Post by Sugar Blade »

Fortress – their most consistent and tight album, and also quite diverse. As a package, that's their best offer.
One Day Remains – no bad songs, best production, very positive vibe and optimism.
ABIII – their best streak of opening tracks, their most heartbreaking ballad (Wonderful Life), their best last song on the album. The loose concept of the album feels very sincere. Insane amount of fillers though.
Blackbird – solid record overall, but it's main feature for me: bleak, but beatiful atmosphere that is almost cozy. And it's exclusive to this album, which I think is a right choice.
The Last Hero – headache inducing production, inconsistency, lethal amount of cheese and naiviety in lyrics, but there are several very good songs here and there.
Walk the Sky – I think I've listened to this album 3 or 5 times and I never want to listen to it ever again. Nothing stood out for me except a few moments that I've heard before in their previous songs. Nice atmospheric intro track and quite good closing track.

User avatar
maximzub
On The Rail
Posts: 1328
Joined: Thu Jan 14, 2021 11:57 am
Location: Where women don't exist.

Re: Best and worst Alterbridge album

Post by maximzub »

Crumbso wrote: Sun Nov 15, 2020 8:39 pm You know, I was thinking about WTS and how I think it seems like, now all the dust has settled, it's a tad bit underrated in the catalogue. I almost feel it would have gotten a much better response if the singles chosen weren't the filler songs. Imagine if Walking on the Sky or Forever Falling were released as the first singles? It would have made a much better impression. Songs like Take the Crown and In the Deep are pretty much filler songs.... I'd probably even push that criticism at Pay no Mind as well.

As usual, this is an album that would have been amazing if they shortened the running order a bit to 40 - 50 minutes. If you eliminate the above three songs + Tear Us Apart then you get an absolutely cracking 43 minute album with very few weak points.
People have said that my low opinion of Walk The Sky may be hindered because I haven't heard the best songs. I somewhat doubt that. Here's my track-by-track review, as best as I can without having listened to the whole album.

One Life - Okay opener song, but they could have easily thrown this one out and put Wouldn't You Rather to open the album.

Wouldn't You Rather - Not deserving to be the second spot (compare it to Come To Life, Isolation, Addicted To Pain, and The Writing On The Wall). Used to like it a lot, but I'm getting kinda bored with it. Definitely don't like the studio version, so I've been listening to the live version from Walk The Sky 2.0 instead.

In The Deep - That annoying tuning! In fact, pretty much the whole song sounds creepy except for the intro solo (played by Myles, I believe).

Godspeed - Wasn't a fan on first listen, but it grew on me after the second listen, so I put it on my playlist. Third time I heard it was shortly before I said goodbye forever to a friend, so the emotional response kind of made me like the song more.

Native Son - Still my favorite on the album. One of the first Alter Bridge songs I heard, and it lives up to their old catalogue.

Take The Crown - I heard only about half of it before skipping it. It didn't leave enough of an impression on me to keep listening or to remember anything from it.

Indoctrination - Another creepy intro. The chorus is okay, but overall it has too much of an atmospheric vibe, which I don't like. That's as far as I remember since I only heard it once, which was a while ago. Oh, that's right, why did they plagiarize themselves? The solo sounds almost exactly like The Writing On The Wall, which is an awesome solo, but it's not fair to completely plagiarize themselves.

The Bitter End - Haven't heard it.

Pay No Mind - That synth in the intro kills me. I can't listen to the studio version because all of a sudden it has that bang, and then the synth comes in. The rest of the song is okay, but again, it didn't leave a lasting impression on me.

Forever Falling - Everybody on this forum was telling me I should listen to this song. So I finally did, and I didn't think it was anything special.

Clear Horizon - With this song I see the real problem with this album as you said, with the singles being those that deserved to be filler songs, and vice versa. It's a really cool song, but different. It might take a while to grow on me, but it's promising.

Walking On The Sky - This one is weird. Not the kind of weird like Lover, for example, which I didn't like enough to listen to it again. I'd probably like it better if the chorus was different. The verse has some ballady feel which I like.

Tear Us Apart - Haven't heard it.

Dying Light - This is by no means the "most epic [they've] done since Blackbird". The chord progression in the chorus is strange. Compared to their other last track epics Fortress and The Last Hero, there's nothing heavy about it. Compared to another last track epic Words Darker Than Their Wings, it's not nearly as good vocally. The production on the studio version is also really annoying, but the fingerstyle clean of the live version also sounds weird. Not something I want to be listening to.

Last Rites - Heavy music, but the vocal melody is definitely their worst. People say it gives some Alice In Chains vibes, and I agree, but I think that's a bad thing.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My opinions of the rest of the albums might also be hindered because I haven't heard all the songs.

1. Fortress - I may be biased in favor of this album since I've heard all but one song, but except for Bleed It Dry (as much as I've heard of it), Lover, and Farther Than The Sun, it's consistently good. Addicted To Pain is my favorite Alter Bridge song of all time, and Cry Of Achilles, The Uninvited, All Ends Well, and Fortress are some of my other favorites.
2. The Last Hero - It's more about the individual songs than the album. Has some killer songs such as Crows On A Wire, The Writing On The Wall, The Last Hero, and Cradle To The Grave. Show Me A Leader also cool. I'm not really feeling Poison In Your Veins, and The Other Side is my least favorite Alter Bridge song of all time. I've heard good things about This Side Of Fate and Island Of Fools, and bad things about My Champion and Losing Patience. We'll see how I feel about those.
3. Blackbird - Not exactly the classic that people regard it as. Still has some awesome songs such as Watch Over You, Come To Life, Ties That Bind, and White Knuckles. Before Tomorrow Comes and Brand New Start are okay as well. Rise Today is too much of a "radio baby", Buried Alive is nothing special, and I honestly am bored from listening to the song Blackbird so many times. One element of note on this album is that the guitar tone is not as heavy as on their other albums. It's especially obvious on White Knuckles.
3. One Day Remains - I couldn't really break the tie between this and Blackbird. Very highly polarized album. There's the awesome songs, and then there's the songs I really dislike. Open Your Eyes, Metalingus, In Loving Memory, Down To My Last, Shed My Skin, and The End Is Here are amazing. Find The Real isn't really memorable. I dislike One Day Remains mostly because of the guitar riff. Broken Wings was the first Alter Bridge song I heard, and it wasn't a good first impression. Luckily Watch Over You was my second impression.
5. AB III - The concept album strategy was not a good idea. If I ignore that part, I really like Isolation, Slip To The Void, I Know It Hurts, and Words Darker Than Their Wings. Wonderful Life is okay. All Hope Is Gone reminds me of Broken Wings, Coeur D' Alene is the same kind of boring as Buried Alive, I never found anything special with Life Must Go On, Ghost Of Days Gone By gets old after a while, and I don't like Still Remains. I have yet to listen to most of the album.
6. Walk The Sky
I'm in love with somebody...
Found someone who completes me...
I'm in love with somebody...
Oh yeah...
And it's Lzzy Hale!

MaraCarr wrote: It is not like a crush or a lust thing.
Check out my coolest TABN posts!
My Long Alter Bridge Facts Post
Order Of Me Hearing Alter Bridge Songs
Order Of Me Hearing Tremonti Songs

User avatar
rscotta831
TABN.com Citizen
Posts: 146
Joined: Mon Oct 14, 2019 9:55 am

Re: Best and worst Alterbridge album

Post by rscotta831 »

1. ABIII
2. The Last Hero
3. Blackbird
4. Fortress
5. Walk The Sky
6. One Day Remains

riemslag1
Hardcore TABN'er
Posts: 642
Joined: Fri Aug 23, 2013 11:02 am
Location: the Netherlands

Re: Best and worst Alterbridge album

Post by riemslag1 »

1. ABIII

2. Fortress
3. Blackbird
4. ODR

5. WTS
6. TLH

cheesedip1
Hardcore TABN'er
Posts: 876
Joined: Fri May 09, 2014 1:36 am

Re: Best and worst Alterbridge album

Post by cheesedip1 »

--------Best albums are ODY or Fortress.

Blackbird album has SOME solid songs and good lead guitar work but a lot of the choruses on that album are filler. The 3 bonus tracks are actually pretty good tho.

Ties, Come Life, Brand New Start, Blackbird, and Watch over you are pretty good though. Mostly everything else is borderline filler.

Before tomorrow comes gets a lot of points for good lyrics.


-----Dying Light song is okay but the chorus is kinda eh.

----AB3 isnt their best album but as a concept album its really good.

User avatar
Ronn Drummer
Brand New Start
Posts: 36
Joined: Fri Sep 20, 2013 10:58 pm
Location: My fortress in some long and thin country
Contact:

Re: Best and worst Alterbridge album

Post by Ronn Drummer »

Best Album: Fortress

2. Blackbird
3. One Day Remains
4. AB III
5. The Last Hero

Worst Album: Walk The Sky
The simple man receiving, defending every crime
Somehow still believing they're alright, so hypnotized...

Image

User avatar
AHart96
Rise Today
Posts: 3606
Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2013 3:16 pm
Location: Long Island, New York

Re: Best and worst Alterbridge album

Post by AHart96 »

Fortress
ABIII
Blackbird
One Day Remains
Walk the Sky
The Last Hero
Image
Rock Never Dies

Thanks for the sig Don Harry!

User avatar
Thierry
Bought The CDs
Posts: 53
Joined: Thu Oct 31, 2013 8:33 am

Re: Best and worst Alterbridge album

Post by Thierry »

Fortress
One Day Remains
Blackbird
Walk the Sky
ABIII
The Last Hero

Post Reply