Alter Bridge - Fortress Album Review

Oh boy!

As I'm writing I just so happen to be giving Alter Bridge's latest album its first listen. Why I've left it so late I have no clue. What I am listening too, however, is an absolute behemoth of an album.

Alter Bridge are a hard rock act from Orlando, Florida formed out the ashes of the controversial disbandment of arena rock masters Creed. Former Creed bandmates: guitarist Mark Tremonti, Bassist Brian Marshall and drummer Scott Phillips decided to continue making music with a different vocalist of which they chose former member of The Mayfair Four, Myles Kennedy. Myles' journey through the rock world is well documented and the rest is history...

This, their fourth record, followed up the critically acclaimed concept album ABIII. The gap in between said albums was filled up with (deep breath) a Creed reunion, a Mark Tremonti solo album and one colossal collaboration with Slash for Myles.  

First off, Alter Bridge are back with a more polished sound than ever. Which is surprising given just how well ABIII was produced. An acoustic intro to start of the whole album during Cry Of Achilles is very reminiscent of the way Metallica would open a belter of a song back in the 80's. That's what this intro does but in terms of the whole album. What you're going to find is a snarling beast of an album packed with dark, moody and down right virtuoso playing from all members.

Lead single off the album showcases this perfectly. The main riff bursts out of the blocks early Judas Priest style and drums pound away in impeccable timing. The chorus cements the bands trademark of being a seriously heavy band but with the most beautiful swathes of melody. Myles Kennedy's voice always elevated above the downtuned madness of Tremonti's guitar below, he is gaining more recognition by the album but come on, the man should have been a super star years ago. His voice is, to put bluntly, unique and timeless. See for yourself...

  

Unlike previous records, this one is punctuated only twice by ballads, signalling a preferred musical direction the band now opt to take. It seems like these quieter, more focused tracks are implemented purely to showcase Myles' raw emotion and vocal ability, just like his majestic falsetto in Lover. Many tracks also tackle odd and unused keys which as you imagine are masterfully handled in what can only be an amazing writing environment between Kennedy and Tremonti.

There is room here for other subtle experimentation. Whether that be the disjointed, dirty and slightly unsettling breakdown in The Uninvited or Tremonti's vocally fronted track Waters Rising which works an absolute charm. Myles' and Mark's voices interlink at multiple points during the record and compliment each other brilliantly. Mark Tremonti needs to get more kudos himself as his guitar and vocal work are just stellar. His metal influences really do shine in this record and he was damn keen to show it. Also, a decade of writing Creed hits means he's not to shabby delivering stunningly good solos either. A personal favourite from the multitude I could choose from is a solo that dominates final track epic Fortress.

Alter Bridge have far gone past the point of delivering just "solid" records. This is naturally the level at which people of this musical talent will produce. And it wasn't a "playing it safe" album by any stretch. The dark, brooding world Alter Bridge have created will only continue to grow. With more bass. And double-kick pedals. Perfect.

9/10

Seb Wainwright

R.I.P Lou Reed

News has filtered through the rock world today of the passing of influential singer/songwriter Lou Reed. He was 71.

Reed's literary agent said he died of a "liver-related ailment".

While his original band The Velvet Underground did not achieve much commercial success whilst in action, the influence he and the band had on future generations was unparalleled. The Velvet Underground achieved its greatest success with their collaborations with artist Andy Warhol. The band were eventually inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. Their mix up of music and art spurred Lou's career on and in turn inspired many future artists to take music and art in the same career. Misfits? Sex Pistols? Lady Gaga? Most likely all fans I'd say...

After splitting up The Velvet Underground in 1970 he went on to carve an illustrious solo career spanning 20 albums. It was during this time he wrote his most famous songs like Walk On The Wild Side and Perfect Day, all on the David Bowie produced album Transformer. Always up for new slants on his music, his last studio offering was a controversial one featuring Metallica with Lulu in 2012.

A self confessed drug user and binge drinker, he went through a liver transplant this year after previously cancelling tour dates.

He is survived by his second wife, Laurie Anderson.

R.I.P Lewis "Lou" Reed (March 2 1942 – October 27 2013) 

Seb Wainwright

New Upon A Burning Body Music Video!

Texan metallers Upon A Burning Body have released a music video for their awesome single Texas Blood Money taken from 2013's RED.WHITE.GREEN. out now on Sumerian Records.

Filmed at this years Warped Tour at the (you guessed it) Texan dates, this song is a face melter. Not only is it filled with the biggest, thickest guitar riffs but also the types of sing-alongs many bands can even dream of getting the crowd involved in.

This band have something not many bands capture quite as well as they do. A personal recognition of who they are and where they come from. Seldom seen the metal world especially, where everyone supposedly hates their hometown with a passion, right? This San Antonio identity translates perfectly onto record too. El Mariachi is a song on this record that is a genuine, acoustic and brilliantly executed mariachi song. It feels neither out of place or useless. The band set themselves apart by doing just this.

I don't think I've set you up for just how heavy this is...

Check out the music video bellow by clicking on the link. DON'T FUCK WITH TEXAAAASSSSSSS:

                                    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCxcMgt_YQ0  

The Grand Daddy Of Them All

Yesterday I visited UCA in Epsom. They are the university I am using the reviews on this blog to apply for. On the way back from said university, my family and I diverted into a suburb of London called Kingston-Upon-Thames. Now, anyone that has ever visited Kingston before will know where I went. A music fanatic in the middle of Kingston, just add two and two together, right? That's right, I took my first trip to Banquet Records.

Hallowed ground for many fans of up and coming music, it is what was formerly Beggars Banquet Records. Taking care of 80's greats like The Cult and, more recently The Strokes, Beggars Banquet faced bankruptcy in the early 2000's. After an ownership change, they bounced back to the nation leading record store that they are today. With regular in-stores, club nights and hosted gigs, they really are more than your local record shop. Whilst there I managed to get my hands on this...

Just a vinyl of a little band called The Wonder Years. You know them? Of course you do! If you don't, shame on you! A copy of Suburbia: I've Given You All and Now I'm Nothing was my purchase. Perhaps considered their defining moment, the band that started out as a joke then 6 years into their career turn out a sophomore concept album so dense and full of meaning, it rocked the underground music scene. The clever, perceptive and story telling lyrics from Dan "Soupy" Campbell struck a nerve with many who felt like "this generations Morgan Spurlock". Whether that be Morgan the innovative director or Morgan the chronic fast food eater (if you haven't seen Super Size Me, do. Truly eye opening.) was up to them. But that's the beauty of it. You will find a reference you can pick out as your own. The DIY recording sound and attitude to the band itself has earned the respect of fans the world over too. Their brand of emotive and leveled pop-punk truly changed the landscape of the scene. 

Not only was this album a talking point for many people, the way in which it was released was certainly a major talking point too. I collect vinyls as you can see and this was an essential piece to put in my collection. For the simple, this record was in such high demand. The first pressing of around 2500 in various colours have disappeared into the midst of people's collections only to re-emerge on eBay for obscene prices. The second pressing, the clear variation which I now own, only had 30 left in stock in Banquet after 2 weeks of being on sale out of 1500. This record was a big deal. 

                                                    

This explosive trend continued with their latest record The Greatest Generation (my review of The Greatest Generation can be found by clicking here). 

I shall be seeing TWY live for a double header spectacular next month when I see them in Cardiff for a Matinee show and evening show in the same day! Obviously, as you're all such nice people I'll do a lengthily feature on that. I personally can't wait and I hope you'll be smart enough to catch them live sometime in the future. 

                                                            

Seb Wainwright

Architects News!

Architects have been busy holed up in Gothenburg, Sweden recording their sixth album at Studio Fredman. Well, today they announced it is scheduled for release in Spring of 2012 and according to the band is "sounding splendid - ya gonna love it."

But that's not all. They also announced they have put ink to paper on a new deal with none other than legendary punk label Epitaph Records! Simultaneous to this they have also singed with UNFD in Australia and New Damage Records in Canada!

ON TOP OF THAT in the same announcement they revealed a UK/Europe wide tour in support of the new album starting March 7th in Manchester. Who said good things come in small bunches!

Great to see to see the guys in Architects still working their asses off to put music out. expect a monster of a new album. Nothing less.

Architects UK & Ireland Tour Dates are as follows

Fri March 7th 2014 - MANCHESTER Academy 2
Sat March 8th 2014 - GLASGOW O2 ABC
Sun March 9th 2014 - SHEFFIELD Leadmill
​Tue March 11th 2014 - CARDIFF Solus
Wed March 12th 2014 - BIRMINGHAM Institute
Fri March 14th 2014 - LONDON KOKO

Architects Tickets are on sale from 10am on Monday October 21.

Seb Wainwright

The Story So Far Live!

So, I saw The Story So Far at Bristol's The Fleece last night. I got headwalked on and screamed lyrics in my friends face in an intimate venue. What could be better, right?

Openers Save Your Breath are on point more than ever before in their career. Being from South Wales myself like Save Your Breath, I have grown up the last four years watching this band grow themselves. The straight up, no nonsense pop-punk they now effortlessly generate is impossible not to like. Singer Kris Richards is now better at his live performances than ever too. Closer Nothing Worth Having Comes Easy you haven't already heard it is a must listen!

Main support Seahaven bring a wholly different atmosphere but thoroughly appreciated by a vast majority of the audience. The simple grooves and complex overlaying melody compliment each other in a live setting so well. Lead singer Kyle Soto's eerie vocals, sometimes lost in the mix, captivates many a listener, especially second song Black and White. Keeping a close eye on these guys for a new release soon.

Now then, The Story So Far. It seems to be a focal point of TSSF's music to be as effective played live as it is catchy and gritty on record. I tell you what, it works a charm. Right from the first line of opening song Right Here the band had a roomful of 400 people feeding off the palms of their hands. I'm not just talking about the gig I attended either, this happens universally. With the What You Don't See album tour cycle still running on all cylinders, "new" songs are dropped in the set list with a reception from the crowd like they were 5 years old. The band sound as tight as the day they left their garage and there's certainly not going to be a let up soon of that. Drummer Ryan Torf gets a personal kudos for the physical performance he has to put in every night behind that drum kit. Awesome stuff.

The crowd just go nuts at these gigs. Every lyric is sang right back to singer Parker Cannon's face. Crowd favourites like Quicksand and Mt. Diablo, I don't think I heard Parker's voice over the overbearing crowd raucously singing through every song. Stage dives and crowdsurfing left, right and centre, which is a given, you knew that? I wouldn't go as far as to so say that TSSF are a unique live band, there are many like them, but they certainly will be talking point with your friends for many months to come.

I'm not going to rate these, there's no need to. Just given you an insight what what these gigs are like, innit. Hope you liked my first live review, tell me if you did on twitter, yeah?

Next live gig for me is Heart Of A Coward (gulp) but one may pop up in between, I'll let you all know.

COOL! 

Seb Wainwright
Twitter: @Get_WhatYouGive

Single Review: Volumes - Vahle (pre-production demo) Review

Volumes are back!

Loads of you probably already know that, though. Oh well, Volumes return right where they left off with new single Vahle but with an important topic to get off to get off their chest.

Volumes are an LA metalcore-meets-djent outfit that with their 2011 debut VIA turned all of heads their way. This single picks up where VIA left off, a barrage of charged, heavy-but-melodic music that makes you want to headbang... 24/7.

Vahle touches on the tragic circumstances in which they lost a close friend of the band, James Vahle. It's the reason I want to focus on the lyrics first. The lyrics are not metaphoric or clever. They are the blunt, unrelenting truth. Duel frontmen Michael Barr and Gus Farias lay down the lyric multiple times during the song "and I should have pulled you out of that truck". Lyrics don't get more real than that. Musically it's the same beautiful cacophony of sounds: chugging seven-string guitars, soaring electronics and vocals that can pin you down such is the force. Drumming- wise too the effortless double-bass grooves never let the others get too carried away with speed. They even fancy a little complicated breakdown every now and then... I joke, when they drop, they are huge.

Mediaskare like to release pre-production singles (don't really know why) but anyone would be forgiven for thinking this was a mixed album track. If anyone has ever listened to VIA it means you'll excited to see what Volumes producer and their guitarist Diego Farias does to this track to further the track. If anything like VIA, expect a polished, slick and bass-y as hell mix!

Scheduled for release early 2014, Vahle in it's full produced glory will feature on the record. You'd be mad to miss it, seriously.

8/10

Seb Wainwright