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The thought of Alter Bridge changing it up, and trying something new on ‘Walk The Sky’ is enough to send shivers down the spine of any self-respecting AB fan. But thankfully the changes are kept to the song-writing process, and not the de rigueur flirtations with an Imagine Dragons-like sound which are starting to blight the modern rock scene. Nope, for the first time, Myles Kennedy and Mark Tremonti wrote on their own, and came to each other with fully fleshed out ideas for the 14 songs that make up ‘Walk The Sky’. With their busy schedules it must have been nigh on impossible to get them together anyway.
So, with the “wait until you hear what I have” emails flying between them, did this fresh approach work? Yes, yes it did. It will take a few listens to fully appreciate ‘Walk The Sky’, and although it is sixty minutes in length, you shouldn’t feel as exhausted as you might have done after consuming previous album, 2016’s ‘The Last Hero’. It’s less of a bludgeoning experience for starters, but then again ‘The Last Hero’ was a heavy album for heavy times.
‘Walk The Sky’ still has its fair share of heavy moments, after a false intro, ‘Native Son’ pulverises, with Scott Philip’s drum work particularly standing out (as it does throughout the album). Then there is Mark Tremonti’s buzzsaw riffage on ‘Forever Falling’, where he takes lead vocals. Another false intro that coaxes you in, only for Tremonti to blast the song to life with some Slayer-esque riffs. Somewhat surprisingly, the song changes again and settles into a highly polished slice of commercial rock, one that comes with killer riffs though. ‘Clear Horizon’ soars while the distorted riffs boil over in the background, there is a cinematic quality to the last few minutes, as in an uber-cool Michael Mann soundtrack.
Keeping on the cinematic theme, ‘Walk The Sky’ features lashings of John Carpenter inspired synths, and the Horror Master himself would have a wry chuckle at the influence he still has on so many musicians today. Close your eyes during the intro to ‘Pay No Mind’ and Carpenter is onstage in front of you, behind his synths, dark glasses on, cooler than ice cold. The gorgeous ‘Godspeed’ also features some incredible synth arrangements, but less eerie than ‘Pay No Mind’, maybe more of a lighter, Giorgio Moroder feel. ‘Indoctrination’ is another cinematic ‘epic’, sweeping arrangements, skull crushing bass from Mr Reliable – Brian Marshall, it has it all really.
In amongst the heavier moments and the synth moments, are some pretty potent goddam slices of arena-rock. I once came across a very apt description of Alter Bridge – “music that makes you want to stand on a clifftop, with your arms spread wide out, as the wind blows your hair back” – in other words, music to make you feel glad to be alive. Moments such as ‘Wouldn’t You Rather’, ‘In The Deep’ and the soaring chorus on ‘Take The Crown’ should have them queuing up on clifftops everywhere.
Like a fine piece of art, the more time you spend on ‘Walk The Sky’, the more you discover, and the stronger the connection becomes.
Available now on Napalm Records.
Alter Bridge UK Tour dates – special guests Shinedown and Sevendust.
14 December 2019 – Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham
15 December 2019 – Manchester Arena
17 December 2019 – The SSE Hydro, Glasgow
18 December 2019 – Arena Birmingham
20 December 2019 – Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff
21 December 2019 – The O2, London
Tickets – here
Review – Dave
