Written by J. Dylan White

After more than 20 years of heavy, melodic riffs and scorching anthems, Alter Bridge proves that they are still capable of churning out their signature sound on their self-titled release. 

The hard rockers’ eighth studio album bursts with the trademark high-octane energy that defined Alter Bridge’s 2004 debut, “One Day Remains.” Joined by Creed members, guitarist Mark Tremonti, bassist Brian Marshall and drummer Scott Phillips, Myles Kennedy, lead vocalist, guitarist and frequent Slash collaborator, blazes a trail of thoughtful, insightful lyricism on each track.

“Alter Bridge” is an ambitious, 12-song behemoth that might feel familiar to longtime fans, but it also creates a unified narrative arc with thematic connective tissues stretched across the entire hour-long runtime. The album is an emotional listen that has a great amount of depth and intricacy that will gain new meaning on each listen.

For newcomers, it’s an accessible entry point into the band’s catalog, showcasing their blend of post-grunge heaviness, melodic hooks, and reflective songwriting without being overwhelming.

The opener, “Silent Divide” is a driven, sonic sampler with electric guitar prowess that sets the expectations for listeners to kick off the album. An exploration of self-control and discipline, Kennedy belts “Keep your head down / Ride out the silent divide.”

Following is “Rue The Day,” which possesses one of the catchiest melodic hooks in the chorus on the record. Reinforcing the reoccurring idea on the album of standing your ground and remaining strong, “Rue” holds a blistering Van Halen-esque guitar solo that is one of the most intense on the record.

“Power Down” has a solid, steady rhythmic guitar behind the scenes to help drive the song forward. This track focuses more on Alter Bridge’s fundamentals of composition and less on catchy riffs.

“Trust In Me” and “Disregarded” share a similar theme of betrayal and the hurt associated with it. While this motif appears later in the album, these two tracks are some of the most explicitly intentional explorations present on “Alter Bridge.” This idea dovetails with the aforementioned theme of standing your ground and not giving up, pointing listeners to find strength through the pain and harm suffered in life.

“Tested and Able” has some of the heaviest guitar riffs present on the album contrasted with arguably the cleanest vocals Kennedy presents. The duality creates a memorable entry and elevates the track to one of the best on the album.

A gritty, grungy tone returns on “What Lies Within,” which explores feelings of anger, hate and resentment. Urging listeners to let go of their negative emotions rather than storing them up, the music becomes the outlet of frustration and rage on this track.

“Hang by a Thread” is an acoustic-based ballad that slows the pace down considerably to provide a small respite from the rapid-fire frenzy of its predecessors. Increasing in weight as it progresses, the song maintains a lightness to it that is more at home with alternative rock, and Kennedy’s vocals strongly emulate recent solo work from Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder.

Following is “Scales Are Falling,” which begins with a choppy, staccato guitar riff and a menacing opening verse, “This is a tale so dark and dim / Of wicked hearts, the minds of men.” Embracing a darker, more sinister tone that coincides with the subject matter of pain and loss, this track is an immediate tone shift from its predecessor.

“Playing Aces” pulses with urgency, echoing the recurring theme of self-reliance and betting on oneself. It’s a concise burst of energy at just over four minutes and features tight interplay between Phillips’ kick drum and another shredding guitar solo, elevating the song a bit from just rehashing what came before it.

The album loses some steam in the back half and could have been trimmed down to around 10 tracks, especially given the length of its sprawling, progressive rock-inspired closer that’s more than nine minutes. 

Specifically, track eight, “Waiting,” solidifies the slight loss of momentum that began to present itself in “Playing Aces,” as the pair represent some of the weakest entries on “Alter Bridge.”

While not a huge detriment to the release, these bog down the listening experience a little and underscore how strong the front half is.

Ultimately, Alter Bridge’s self-titled, eighth album is a declaration of identity, encapsulating more than two decades of evolution into a record that’s unapologetically Alter Bridge. The release solidifies their place as hard rock veterans who know exactly who they are, delivering a cohesive collection that refines rather than reinvents their sound.