Alter Bridge - One Day Remains Review
Posted by Brandon Ratliff on 09.11.2004
Creed alum form together for this new band, but how does their album stack up?
This is my first review for 411mania. Recently a bunch of the hard rock reviewers moved on to other affairs, and after much begging, I got hired on to work for 411mania. I have been reading here myself for about two years (since my senior year in high school), and I always come here for the latest in music, movie, wresting, and sports news.
Well, to start this off, for those of you that don't know, Alter Bridge is comprised of Creed alums Mark Tremonti (guitars), Brian Marshall (bass), and Scott Phillips (drums). It also includes former Mayfield 5 vocalist Myles Kennedy (duh...vocals). So, is this just Creed all over again except with a diferent singer this time? Absolutely not. Alter Bridge is something familiar, yet still fresh and new. With Creed, the band began to fall apart following the tour in support of Human Clay, yet no one really knew because all of the band members would always just grin and bare it. But up in the middle of the tour (actually near the end I believe) bassist-extrodinaire Brian Marshall had had enough, and decided to leave then band. So Creed soldiered on, using Marshall's bass tech to play in his play until a suitable replacement could be found. Then, they finished the tour, and decided against finding a replacement. Tremonti could play guitar, so he could play bass. They then went to record Weathered. Trouble plauged the band during the recording process, but they made it through. One November 20th, 2001, Weathered was released to practically instant sucess. But the story started to sour once the band got back on tour. Several shows were cancelled and others were butchered due to Stapp's drinking. Phillips and Tremonti still went on with it. They stayed on until the end of the tour, and then for about a year none of the band members had any contact with one another. Tremonti and Phillips then decided to leave Creed. They notified Stapp, who took it well, as he was planning to do the same thing. So Phillips and Tremonti wanted to move on, and first they wanted to complete the musical corps of the new band. They called former Creed bassist Brian Marshall, who wasn't having much luck with his new band. So, the former Creed musical members knew the next thing they needed was a singer. I don't recall how they met Myles Kennedy, but he was an instant match for the band. So, they wrote an album. Yep, just like that. The former Creed members announced the split to the world, and the existance of Alter Bridge (probably for the better that they waited, as to avoid the pressure), and that they had an album almost ready. So you wanna know about the actual album right? Is it any good? Lets see.
Find The Real: Solid opener, nice and crunchy, yet still graceful. The chorus guitar riff shines bright, much brighter than the vocals actually. I really didn't notice the vocals at all until listening to it the third time. pretty straight forward song with some great guitar riffing by Tremonti.
One Day Remains: Obviously, the title cut. Starts out with a sort of marching drumming pattern, with some random guitar feedback thrown in for good measure. The verse is nice, with a fast muted part and a solid bass riff. The chorus is decent, definently leaves the song open for single potiential. Where this song shines though in the pre-verse. It sounds like a solo that would rival anything Kirk Hammit has ever played, but it is a pre-verse...hmm...interesting...
Open Your Eyes: I can understand why they had this as the first single, but I think this song gave too many people the idea that Alter Bridge was just another Creed with a different singer. The music sounds very Creed, with maybe a bit more maturity. Decent song, but I think I maybe have just heard it a bit too much so I am not huge into it at the moment.
Burn it Down: The intro riff once again is very Creed, but the notes that Kennedy hits on his hums I really don't think Stapp could have hit. Maybe he could though...I don't know. Slower song mostly throughout, but it picks up a bit at the chorus. The chorus acoustic overdub does sound really good though. Quite the long song clocking in at 6:11, but at three minutes Tremonti kicks on the distortion, which is good because the song would only be mediocre at best had he not simply due to repetition.
Metalingus: This song, music-wise cannot be described an any other way except calculated madness. This is by far the best song on the album, and I will be quite surprised if it doesn't become a single. The chorus has a really catchy vocal hook, and Mark Tremonti's riffing in so spastic you have to wonder if he was on a major caffine buzz while writing it. This song also exemplifies the band itself at it's absolute finest. These guys have seriously never written a better song together than this. Marshall's bass riffing is just as insane as anything he did with Creed, and Myles Kennedy adds something here that Scott Stapp never could. I honestly couldn't tell you what that is, but it is definently there. Mad props to the guys of AB for writing this song. The song even ends in an incredibly awesome way.
Broken Wings: The intro guitar riff is something that sounds like B.B. King could have wrote. Very bluesy. The whole song, despite the distorted chorus, is another really soft song. This very much sounds like a song that would play during the credits of some sort of dramatic movie. Great song though nonetheless.
In Loving Memory: Just like Broken Wings, this is another slower song...with soft vocal melodies combined with a hard chorus guitar. The songs are quite similar actually, but contrast enough to make them fit perfectly back to back.
Down To My Last: This is one of the songs that sounds nothing like anything Creed would have ever done. For some reason this sounds like something Bush would have done from their Sixteen Stone album. Interesting song, great chorus. Another song that it wouldn't surprise me if it became a single.
Watch Your Words: Hmm...I wonder who the title might be refering to? Meh...doesn't matter. Aside from Metalingus, probably the hardest song on here. The music is kind of Creed-ish, but the vocals are nowhere near it. What's kinda interesting is the pre-chorus, which is slightly reminescent to Creed's "Is This The End" from the Scream 3 soundtrack.
Shed My Skin: The intro to this song is deceptive. It makes it sound like the whole thing will be a slow, no distortion, acoustic-esque song. Nope. The vocals stay basically the same throughout, but the...pre-chorus (?)...picks up quite a bit with the music...I don't know what else to say...pretty good song though.
The End Is Here: Usually albums done by Tremonti have that one song as the second-to-last or last track serving as the one with absolutely no distortion, so vocals, et cetera. Not this album. This is one of the harder songs on the record as well, great guitar playing, great bass playing, great drumming, great vocals. All around kick ass song. That's all i'm gonna say.
The 411: So, as you can see, a Creed fan or true Creed hater could tell the same musicians are here, but like I said before, this is something familiar, but yet still fresh. For all of you Creed haters, do not write off this band. At least give it a listen first. Alter Bridge is NOT Creed, they are a better band. The 3 musicians have never worked together better, and Kennedy brings something to this band that Stapp never could. There are no Pearl Jam rip-offs here, and there is no any other band rip-offs either for that matter. Alter Bridge are here now, and they ain't going anywhere. Learn to like it if you don't somehow anyways. Solid debut for a new old band in Alter Bridge. Look for a bright future for the band of former Creed members Tremonti, Phillips, and Marshall and new singer Kennedy.
