Alter Bridge – Alter Bridge

Written by on 07-02-2026 at 08:53.

In 2004, the band Alter Bridge, risen from the ashes of Creed, performed in the Netherlands for the first time. A year later they returned to promote the fine debut album One Day Remains, this time not in Amsterdam but in Utrecht (Tivoli) and Tilburg (013). By now the gentlemen have earned their stripes and we can speak of an established name, or even a mainstay within the genre. On February 22 the Ziggo Dome is on the schedule, followed a day later by the Ancienne Belgique in Brussels. With this self-titled album we  arrive at number eight in the discography. We no longer really have to expect big surprises from the quartet… or will Alter Bridge – which once again appears via Napalm Records – still serve up some nice escapades?

As a fan from the very beginning, I already had to conclude on the previous two or three albums that there was little excitement left. Yes: Alter Bridge is and remains capable of occasionally coming up with surprisingly strong songs, but more often than not these are surrounded by a number of greyer, more anonymous tracks. The same applies to this eighth effort: after several listens, only a handful of songs truly stand out, but the foundation of every track simply sounds super solid. Leave the writing of high-quality songs to the gentlemen of Alter Bridge.

With the single Silent Divide, the album kicks off in an energetically appealing way, but the more subdued Rue The Day, despite the fine soloing, does not quite come into its own. It is mainly the tighter and heavier riffs that get things moving and convince, as can be heard in, among others, Power Down, the menacing Disregarded, and the majority of Tested And Able, sung by Mark Tremonti. The latter once again contains those characteristic, wonderfully catchy melodic lines that linger like few others. The interplay between Mark and frontman Myles never grows tiresome and guarantees musical treats.

Traditionally, the band once again delivers around sixty minutes of music with this album. Another element the quartet does not deviate from is the inclusion of calmer songs spread across the record. Hang By A Thread will undoubtedly invite audiences to sway their phone lights back and forth, while the band taps into a somewhat quieter vein on the subsequent Scales Are Falling. Not necessarily memorable, but once again: solid. The same can be said of What Lies Within and Playing Aces. These are not songs that will have fans sitting on the edge of their seats, and at times predictability even lurks around the corner. In that respect, the closing track is fortunately still a breath of fresh air in the second half of this album: Slave To Master is the longest song Alter Bridge has written to date, featuring a fine build-up without sacrificing any persuasive power. Halfway through the track, the band shifts down a gear, and with an extended guitar solo we even get a fitting final attack. A beautiful ending!

On the first half of this album, the band convinces more than on the second half, but boredom never sets in. On the contrary, after so many years of service, Alter Bridge once again delivers an album that satisfies. Nothing more and nothing less. All songs breathe the band’s DNA, and fans can once again head to the record store. For the time being, Alter Bridge still shows no signs of wear, and let’s hope that remains the case for a good while!

Score:

79/100

Label:

Napalm Records, 2025

Tracklisting:

  1. Silent Divide
  2. Rue The Day
  3. Power Down
  4. Trust In Me
  5. Disregarded
  6. Tested And Able
  7. What Lies Within
  8. Hang By A Thread
  9. Scales Are Falling
  10. Playing Aces
  11. What Are You Waiting For
  12. Slave To Master

Line-up:

  • Myles Kennedy – Vocals, guitar
  • Mark Tremonti – Guitar, vocals
  • Brian Marshall – Bass guitar
  • Scott Phillips – Drums

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