Alter Bridge

About Alter Bridge

Alter Bridge exists because Creed imploded, which is both the most and least interesting thing about them. When Scott Stapp's relationship with the rest of Creed became untenable in 2004, guitarist Mark Tremonti, bassist Brian Marshall, and drummer Scott Phillips found themselves with a rhythm section, a proven songwriter, and no frontman. They recruited Myles Kennedy from the Mayfield Four, a band approximately seven people had heard of, and suddenly had a vocalist who could actually sing without sounding like he was addressing a stadium full of people from a mountaintop.

The band's 2004 debut "One Day Remains" did the thing it needed to do: establish that they weren't just Creed without Stapp. It went platinum, gave them a foothold with "Open Your Eyes" and "Find the Way," and proved Kennedy's voice could carry radio-ready post-grunge without the messianic baggage. But it was their second album, "Blackbird" in 2007, that actually defined what Alter Bridge could be. The title track became their calling card, a six-minute guitar showcase that gave Tremonti room to do the technical playing he clearly wanted to do all along. "Rise Today" and "Come to Life" showed they could write heavy, melodic rock songs that didn't feel like they were pandering to anyone.

They've settled into a pattern of releasing albums every few years that their dedicated fanbase buys and everyone else vaguely acknowledges. "AB III" in 2010 went heavier with "Isolation" and the proggy "Life Must Go On." "Fortress" in 2013 gave them "Addicted to Pain" and continued the trend of Tremonti writing increasingly complex guitar parts while Kennedy sang over them with alarming consistency. "The Last Hero" in 2016 and "Walk the Sky" in 2019 didn't reinvent anything, which seems fine by them.

The weird thing about Alter Bridge is that they're significantly bigger in Europe than in the States. They can headline arenas in the UK while playing theaters back home. Part of that is probably lingering Creed associations that Americans can't quite shake. Part of it might be that European rock audiences have more patience for technical proficiency and earnest, capital-R Rock music without irony.

Kennedy's side gig as Slash's vocalist has probably raised Alter Bridge's profile by association, though it's also meant longer gaps between their albums. Tremonti has his own band, also called Tremonti, because subtlety has never been the goal here.

They put out "Pawns & Kings" in 2022, their seventh studio album, continuing their run as one of the more reliable acts in modern hard rock. They sound like themselves, which at this point is kind of the point. If you like meticulous guitar work, soaring vocals, and rock songs that take themselves seriously without being insufferable about it, Alter Bridge has been doing that for two decades now.

Tremonti's guitar work anchors everything—fans watch his hands more than the stage lights. Kennedy commands attention through sheer vocal presence; the crowd sings 'Blackbird' back to him in unison. High energy throughout, not mosh-pit chaos but engaged and present. Shows run long.

Known for Open Your Eyes, Blackbird, The Other Side, Metalingus, Addicted to Pain

See Alter Bridge Live