Alter Bridge's 'Pawns & Kings' - Album Review

When it comes to hard rock bands that have been formed since the turn of the millennium, Florida's Alter Bridge are probably one of the most successful. Whilst the band are yet to break through in a big way in their home country, here in Europe they are big business - and have been for about a decade at this point. They made the transition to arenas, at least here in the UK, part-way through the touring cycle for 2010's AB III - and the four-piece are certainly not showing any signs of slowing down. Whilst they may have had a bit of head start in terms of promotion thanks to the success which three-quarters of the band found previously with Creed - 2004's One Day Remains soon put paid to any notion that the band were Creed 2.0. The expressive and far-reaching vocals of frontman Myles Kennedy allowed guitarist Mark Tremonti to embrace his metal side in a more significant way and much of Creed's post-grunge sound did not make the transition over to Alter Bridge's songwriting - with such comparisons likely being a millstone and possibly why the band have slightly struggled in America compared to here in Europe where Creed were never as popular. Alter Bridge's success, though, is down to their consistency. They established their sound pretty early on, and have largely stuck to since. They have gotten heavier over the years, but they rarely cross over into genuine metal territory in my opinion - even though Tremonti as a guitarist is very comfortable operating in such a realm, as his solo albums show. Alter Bridge are just an ultra modern and sleek hard rock band, then, although there are influences throughout from metal - as well as progressive rock, especially on 2013's Fortress (which I reviewed here). The band's first four albums, culminating in Fortress, are still my favourite releases of theirs - and there is not much to separate them, although 2007's Blackbird is generally held up by many as their greatest work. It is hard to disagree with that, but AB III is likely my favourite overall - and I have great memories of seeing the band on that tour in Hammersmith. Since Fortress, though, the band have not been quite as good in my opinion - at least for one album. 2016's The Last Hero (which I also reviewed here) was a definite step down in quality, and it is easily my least favourite of the band's albums. It felt bloated, and the over-loud production fatigues the ears. Thankfully, though, 2019's Walk the Sky (which, again, I reviewed here) got the band back on track. It might not be quite as good as the first four, but it was a real shot in the arm following The Last Hero, and I listened to it a lot around its release - including it in my best albums of 2019 list, too. Wanting to maintain their three-year release cycle, last month the band released their seventh studio album Pawns & Kings - which has been a slow burner for me. If I had written this piece a couple of weeks ago I would have likely been more negative about the album, but it has opened itself up more to me recently. For me, it is definitely less hooky than usual - but its overall leanness and an increased heaviness makes it have an impact in a different way. It is not a huge shift in sound, but it certainly feels like the band wanted to operate in a heavier territory this time - and Pawns & Kings is the closest thing to an out-and-out metal album that Alter Bridge have released to date.

One thing the album definitely gets right, though, is the production. Long-time producer Michael 'Elvis' Baskette has worked with the band again here, but the overcooked sound that plagued The Last Hero, and even Walk the Sky to an extent, has gone - and Pawns & Kings is the cleanest-sounding Alter Bridge album for a while. This allows the heaviness to shine, and the metal credentials here are evident immediately thanks to This Is War. The song builds up from the off, with some stop-start drumming from Scott Phillips and some snaking guitar riffing setting the tone - before the first of the album's many big riff kicks in. The song is a mid-paced stomper, and never really speeds off into the distance, but the occasional double bass drum patterns and the wordless vocal ad-libs which back the main riff create a strong atmosphere. The verses are similar, although the grooves overall a bit simpler - allowing Kennedy's voice to shine. He sounds as good as ever throughout this album, and the chorus soon takes off in a very typical Alter Bridge way. It is one of the hookiest choruses here, and Kennedy's powerful vocals drive it - whilst some big bass slides from Brian Marshall add a depth that would otherwise be absent. The chorus melodies are later used to create the song's guitar solo, too, and the shredded licks throughout it are packed full of notes. There is little let up at all throughout the song, and it opens the album well as a result - creating a strong atmosphere which is generally retained. Dead Among the Living is a bit more dynamic, and somewhat more typical of Alter Bridge arrangement-wise. There are still lots of riffs here, but the band's classic mix of a more atmospheric verse and a big chorus is present this time. The opening riff is another mid-paced groove-fest, but soon the big guitars drop out to be replaced by fuzzy clean guitar melodies and a punchy drum groove. Alter Bridge songs often build in such a manner, moving towards a big chorus, and this style has served the band well over the years. It works again here, and when the chorus hits it hits hard due to how the song has built towards it. They have written hooker choruses, but the melodies have started to lodge themselves in my brain at this point - and there is still an atmospheric and mournful vibe throughout the chorus, which helps the song overall to have a consistent tone. Returning to the heavier vibes of the album's opening, Silver Tongue is one of the strongest songs here in my opinion - and it really benefits from the riff-heavy, tougher sound that has been forged throughout this album. The opening riff is quite fast, but the song is still generally fairly mid-paced. Parts of the song do pick up the pace, though, and the opening riff does hint at this - but there are other riffs which are in-keeping with the style of the previous two songs. The verses are crunchy, with rhythm guitars sitting nicely behind Kennedy's deeper vocal performance and Marshall's bass pounding through the mix. The chorus up the pace, though, and it is one of the hookiest here. It has a classic Alter Bridge sound melody-wise, and it brings the best out of Kennedy. The song has the feel of an anthem as a result, and it is great to hear the band's traditional sound mixing so well with some riffs that are somewhat heavier than is typical.

Sin After Sin slows the pace again, and the song opens with some percussive drumming from Phillips - which is soon joined by some chiming clean guitars and Marshall's busy bass playing. This intro seems to signal that the rest of the song is going to be more low key and atmospheric - but this does not turn out to be the case on the whole. Whilst parts of the song are indeed murkier and less heavy, there are also some powerful, riff-driven moments which are very much in character with what has come before. Following the intro, a big riff kicks in - and it is one of the most inventive riffs here in my opinion. It has a bit of a tech metal groove to it, and it feels very modern. It is quite different for Alter Bridge, but it works well - with Kennedy and Tremonti teaming up well for the knotty rhythm. The verses return to something similar to the intro, with an emotional Kennedy vocal and some effects-heavy guitar lines - before the techy riff kicks back in to form the basis of the chorus. It is another strong chorus, although it is perhaps the riff that makes it stand out rather than the vocal melodies. Stay also opens slowly, but the song on the whole is more typical-sounding for Alter Bridge - and actually harks back to the sound of their debut album for me. It features Tremonti on lead vocals, and it is the fourth Alter Bridge song to do so. Tremonti has established himself as a great singer on his solo albums, but I also like the fact that he sings a handful of Alter Bridge songs to allow for a change of pace. Kennedy adds harmonies, especially during the chorus, but the spotlight is on Tremonti throughout - with his richer, deeper voice allowing the old-school song to come alive. As has been typical for the band, the verses here feature clean guitar melodies alongside a rocking groove - with the chorus then sounding somewhat more expansive and harder rocking. It is less heavier overall than much of the album, though, but it still packs a punch - largely thanks to Tremonti's strong vocal performance. Holiday opens with a strangely bouncy riff, and overall it sounds quite different for the band. This bounce continues throughout, and parts of the song have something of a boogie quality - which sounds strange, but it works better than it should. This feel is generally reserved for the instrumental sections and the chorus, but generally the song is quite fast-paced so it continues the feel-good factor as a result. It is the shortest song here but its energy allows it to make an impact - despite sounding a bit like Alter Bridge covering Status Quo at times. Fable of the Silent Son gets back onto more familiar ground, though, and the lengthy track feels like a good representation of the band's core sound. It opens slowly, with some clean guitars and Kennedy's mournful vocals - and this more downbeat vibe sets the tone for the rest of the track. It does build as things progress, but in general the track is atmospheric and dense - lacking some of the razor-sharp riffing found elsewhere on the album. This murk works well, though, and it helps the atmospheric side of the band to shine. Even when some heavier riffs kick in after a few minutes, they are more Black Sabbath than Judas Priest - with dirty overtones and a sludgy feel, which is somewhat countered by some of Kennedy's most soaring vocals here. The mellower and heavy sections sit well together, though, but perhaps the best part for me is the lengthy guitar solo spot - where Kennedy and Tremonti trade licks and leads back and forth in an explosive manner.

Following the epic length previous song, Season of Promise returns to something a bit more compact, and it seems to hark back to the band's first couple of albums with a very melodic overall approach and less heavy riffing. Chiming guitar melodies are pretty much ever-present throughout, and the riffing is much more classic rock inspired than metal in nature. Fans of Blackbird will immediately recognise the style at work here - as the band's second album is packed full of songs of this nature. There is a simplicity to the arrangement as a result, and the more progressive sound which the band have generally been pursuing of late is pretty much absent. A big chorus brings the listener in from the off, too, and Kennedy's vocal lines are that great mix of anthemic and emotional which he has managed to channel over the years. It is an easy song to enjoy, then, and the inclusion of a great closing guitar solo helps to bring everything together in an organic way. Last Man Standing takes a darker path, but arrangement-wise is not hugely different. The sound very much reminds me of AB III, though, which took a darker turn following Blackbird and laid the groundwork for the more progressive Fortress. The riffing throughout the song is bigger than it was on Seasons of Promise, and the heaviness definitely recalls the 2010 release. Songs like Fallout from that album are definitely channelled here, with the riffing and the ever-present guitar leads creating a very similar sonic tapestry. The song also builds towards a big chorus in a very satisfying way. What at first feels like the chorus turns out to only be a pre-chorus, and when the chorus proper explodes the song really comes alive. I really like the darker tones used throughout the song - and the cleaner production allows the clean guitar melodies early on the and the riffing that kicks in later to sound suitably sharp. The production choices here also remind me somewhat of AB III, and the mix of sounds really harks back to what I consider to be the band's golden period - making Last Man Standing a personal highlight here. The album then comes to a close with its title track, which is similar to many of the songs that have preceded it here. It is riffier on the whole than the previous couple of numbers, but it still retains a strong atmospheric side. It opens fairly slowly, with Kennedy singing against some delicate clean guitars, but much of the rest of the song is weightier. The riffing throughout is tight, going from heavy blues patterns to something more overtly metal in tone - with the metal riffing becoming more important as the song moves on. Following a couple of choruses, which are suitably catchy despite there being some better ones here, a riffy instrumental section kicks in - which takes some grooves similar to those in Sin After Sin and creates something of a progressive-sounding mid-section. Knotty riffing and a lengthy guitar solo characterise this section, before a reprise of the murky chorus brings the album to a close. Whilst Pawns & Kings is not an immediate album, or at least it has not been for me, there is still a lot to enjoy here. Even listening to it again today whilst writing this I enjoyed it more than I did previously, so I imagine it will only grow further in time. I like the heavier approach taken here, but I do miss the strong emphasis on hooks - despite many of the songs here still being memorable melodically. It is good to see the band shaking things up a little, though, and there are a number of songs here that will no doubt work really well live.

The album was released on 14th October 2022 via Napalm Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Silver Tongue.