Review: Alter Bridge – Alter Bridge

Napalm Records (January 9^th, 2026)

Reviewer – David Brighouse

Just over three years on from their last album, Alter Bridge return with their 8^th studio album, appropriately self-titled it’s a celebration of the unchanging line-up of the band, over 20 years of working together and examines modern society and our interactions with it.

First track ‘Silent Divide‘ was the lead single from the album and starts with a grinding guitar riff before exploding into life as the rhythm section join the party, as always there are songs on the album that deal with challenging themes with lyrics that are some of the most thoughtful you will find anywhere in rock music, and this song advocates the use of silence to deal with negativity that comes your way, but there’s nothing negative about this great opening song.

‘Rue The Day‘ is a song about a toxic relationship, delivered in a typical Alter Bridge manner of driving rhythm underpinned by some stunning guitar work. ‘Power Down‘ is an intense full-on rocker whereas ‘Trust In Me‘ is a more sensitive song with Myles Kennedy at his most vulnerable. ‘Disregarded‘ is an urgent, angular track with a stuttering riff and a Nu Metal feel and is a song of defiance. ‘Tested And Able‘ is a straight forward mid-tempo song with Mark Tremonti taking lead on the vocals and Myles carrying the refrain of the chorus giving it an anthemic quality.

‘What Lies Within‘ is about the difference between a persons’ public and private persona and has a wicked groove which swoops and dives to great effect. ‘Hang By A Thread‘ is the ballad and opens with acoustic guitar, before developing into the emotional tale of positivity that Myles Kennedy and the band do so well. ‘Scales Are Falling‘ starts atmospherically with acoustic guitar before the riff is picked up and run with into a twisted tale of slowly realising that what you thought was reality was false, with some really interesting guitar work right through to the outro.  

We are back into full on rocker mode with ‘Playing Aces‘, a song to really get the crowd going, and ‘What Are You Waiting For‘ carries on in a similar vein blending engaging vocals with great rock musicianship. Final track ‘Slave To Master‘ is a finely crafted epic, the longest ever AB composition which unfolds over nine minutes, takes on the subject of AI and contains the longest ever AB guitar solo.

Alter Bridge have consistently produced great rock records and this one is up there with their best, so set an hour aside to give it a good listen and you won’t be disappointed.

Tracklisting:

1. Silent Divide (5:06)
2. Rue The Day (4:46)
3. Power Down (4:08)
4. Trust In Me (4:48)
5. Disregarded (3:55)
6. Tested And Able (4:36)
7. What Lies Within (5:07)
8. Hang By A Thread (4:11)
9. Scales Are Falling (5:54)
10. Playing Aces (4:05)
11. What Are You Waiting For (5:00)
12. Slave To Master (9:03)

 Line-up:

Myles Kennedy (Vocals, Guitar)

Mark Tremonti (Guitar, Vocals)

Brian Marshall (Bass)

Scott Phillips (Drums)

Web Links:

Official Website

Facebook

Instagram

X

YouTube

TikTok

Spotify

Apple Music