I was about eight years old when I first heard Alter Bridge, with the first song I heard being their most well-known track, ‘Metalingus’. I remember singing and dancing around my room to it!
Alter Bridge are an American rock band from Orlando, Florida, forming back in 2004. The lineup is Myles Kennedy on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Mark Tremonti on lead guitar, Brian Marshall on bass, and Scott Phillips on drums.
The band announced their self-titled eighth studio album back in July 2025, releasing it on 9th January 2026 via Napalm Records. Four tracks were released ahead of the album: ‘Silent Divide’, ‘What Lies Within’, ‘Playing Aces’, and ‘Scales Are Falling’ – so we’ve already had a taste of what’s to come.
What a great start to the new year. Nine days in and a new album has emerged into our lives! Known for their memorable riffs, infectious vocal melodies, and duelling guitar attack, Alter Bridge show no signs of slowing down. And of course that’s a good thing. Have you heard them?! So many epic, heavy riffs fill the album, alongside powerful drumming, melodic and harmonising vocals with soaring high notes, and so much infectious energy. They know how to pull you in.
Some of my favourite tracks from the album:
- ‘Power Down’ is one of the heavier tracks on the album. Its intensity and powerfulness bring the track alive. The guitar riffs are impressive and the drums hit hard.
- ‘Disregarded’ is another heavier cut with a rougher sound. The vocals are hypnotic and melodic, pulling you into the song. The heavy bass and loud drums complement each other extremely well.
- ‘Tested and Able’ carries a lot of emotion and passion, with heavy moments from the guitar and drums.
- ‘Hang By A Thread’ is an acoustic-based track, making it stand out from the rest. Powerful, full of emotion, with a soft ballad style to it.
The closing track ‘Slave To Master’ is a whopping 9 minutes 2 seconds long! What a perfect song to end the album. Epic, impressive riffs fill the whole track. The harmonising vocals carry it to the end, leaving you wanting more. It also has elements of a soft ballad within.
Overall I really enjoyed this album. It represents the band so well and shows us how confident they are in naming it after themselves! I highly recommend listening to it if you haven’t already.
The band have a UK arena tour booked for February and will be launching their inaugural Blackbird Festival in Wales in June.
