Tremonti's 'The End Will Show Us How' - Album Review

Despite his last year or so consisting of an extremely successful Creed reunion tour, the post-grunge band's first since 2012, Mark Tremonti still found time to write and record his sixth solo album. I have said on this blog before that both Tremonti and his Alter Bridge bandmate Myles Kennedy are some of the most prolific songwriters in the modern hard rock and metal scenes. They are always working on something new, either together or separately, and generally what they put their names to is excellent. Alter Bridge are scheduled to record a new album this year, too, so I imagine that 2026 will see them back on the road, but 2025 also sees Tremonti return to his self-titled solo band whilst also remaining on Creed duty. It could well be that Creed also end up writing and recording some new material, too, and Kennedy has already said that he plans to record another album with Slash this year - so the next couple of years are likely to be stacked with new releases from the duo. The End Will Show Us How, then, Tremonti's sixth solo album, could be seen as the first release of this upcoming glut - although it should also be noted that Kennedy released his third solo album The Art of Letting Go (which I reviewed here) late last year, which was probably the true start of this on-going series. The point that I am trying to make is that there is a lot of good music to look forward to - and The End Will Show Us How is another strong slab of heavier songwriting from Tremonti. It is his first solo album since 2021's Marching in Time (which I reviewed here) and it maintains the core sound he has been injecting into his solo work since he debuted as a solo artist back in 2012 with All I Was. The End Will Show Us How, though, does feel different to what has come before. Whilst it is still very much a metal record, some of Tremonti's grungier influences from the past have crept into the songwriting and arrangements this time. Having spend much of last year playing those Creed classics again for the first time in over a decade, it is perhaps unsurprising that elements of that sound have crept back in his writing. That is not to say that The End Will Show Us How sounds like Creed, as it does not - and the album's overall sound still sits within that alternative modern metal sound which has served him so well. There are just tones throughout the album which feel dirtier - and there is less of a razor-sharp sheen to the overall production. Michael 'Elvis' Baskette produced the album as he generally does when Tremonti or Kennedy are involved. I can be a bit lukewarm on him as he has been known to brickwall albums, but I actually think that this album's oppressive sound actually works in its favour. There is a good balance of clean-sounding riffing and a dense murkiness which helps to set the album apart from the rest of Tremonti's solo work. It sounds pretty heavy as a result, then, but generally there is less of the fast-paced approach heard previously - with more of a mid-paced feel and less of a thrash influence which sets it apart from its heavier predecessor. It is the second album with his current solo band line-up, too, with guitarist Eric Friedman, bassist Tanner Keegan, and drummer Ryan Bennett all returning.

This grungy sound establishes itself right from the off. The album opens with The Mother, the Earth and I - a pretty anthemic piece overall, but one that is packed with snaking 1990s grooves and less of the typical thrashiness as mentioned. The opening clean guitar melodies feel somewhat Alice in Chains-esque, and the main riff that later kicks in is not too far removed from that band's style either - with the track generally being a mid-paced effort with Bennett's punchy drum grooves and Keegan's pulsing bass playing. The guitars are less metallic than usual, with snaking and surprisingly bluesy riffs and leads building on the grooves of the rhythm section - whilst Tremonti's rich vocals sound as good as ever. He has, wisely, not leaned into a grungier vocal approach, though. His melodic and powerful delivery is present and correct - with a later bridge section featuring some soaring vocal hooks, whilst the slow-burn of the song's chorus is brought to life by his lower tones and some screaming guitar leads. The closing guitar solo is a bit different from the norm too, despite some high-octane runs, and it often fades into the riffing behind it - leaning into that grungy approach further. Upping the heaviness, though, One More Time feels a bit more typical for Tremonti. Despite the more metallic sound, though, there remains a grungy edge - and the riffing throughout has more of a southern feel than is typical - with Pantera certainly referenced at times. The opening guitar barrage is tight and oppressive, with Bennett's fast double bass drumming matching up nicely with Tremonti's riffing, whereas the verses feel more roomy - with a strong mid-paced groove and heroic vocal melodies. Whilst some of the songs here feel a bit more involved, this track feels like it was written to be a live favourite. The chorus packs a real punch as a result, and there are a few pretty overt guitar leads throughout which act as build-ups to the next key part of the track - whilst the guitar solo is more typical and shreddy. It is a sing-a-long piece, then, and one which will feel pretty familiar to fans of Tremonti's previous work. Just Too Much is another riff-heavy piece - and it is another song which is pretty mid-paced overall. Despite some faster riffing during parts of the previous song, the album's first three tracks are generally pretty mid-paced. This is a bit of a surprise given the pace of much of Tremonti's previous work as mentioned - but the core approach does not feel all that different. His riffing is still just as strong, even if it feels bluesier, and his vocals are given plenty of opportunity to shine during these mid-paced pieces. The chorus is another which is easy to latch onto, which will likely see the song becoming a live favourite, whilst the riffing is packed full of headbanging grooves alongside a hint of grunge and even stoner rock at times - leading to another strong effort.

Nails is also pretty mid-paced, but it has more of an urgency to it overall - and it feels much more like an old-school Tremonti track as a result. The main riff is less grungy this time, with some screeching harmonics throughout, whilst the drumming of Bennett is hard-hitting and full of the all the punch which characterised older Tremonti releases. There are some effects-heavy guitar leads, which return to some of those stoner-esque sounds previously referenced, and the verses are a little more atmospheric, but generally the track feels much fatter overall - and there is more pace in the riffing and drumming despite it not picking up speed for much of the song's duration. As things move on, though, the speed does increase - with the guitar solo taking place over a pretty thrashy backing which is the album's highest-octane moment up to this point. Throw in a really hooky chorus, though, and some juddering riffing towards the end, and the track becomes something of an overall highlight for me. It's Not Over opens much more slowly, with Tremonti's rich, emotional voice sitting atop some chiming clean guitar melodies. Following the ever-present riffing up to this point, something more slow-burning is welcome - and an unsettling tone remains behind the clean guitar melodies thanks to some strange bass additions and a cold use of synths. Parts of the song feel warmer, though, as the overall soundscape expands somewhat - opening up during the song's chorus to feel like sunlight shining down on the bleakness which came before. As a ballad, then, the song works well. Tremonti has always written strong ballads, in whichever context he is operating, and this song is no different - with its evolving arrangement that gradually grows in scope. It does feel heavier as it moves on, with the rest of the band adding some weight - but it never feels truly heavy, with a grungy harder rock sound instead rearing its head briefly. It is shame that there is no centrepiece guitar solo, but not every ballad needs to have one. The title track follows, which also opens quite slowly. The clean guitars which open The End Will Show Us How feel busier, though, and it is clear that the track is going to be one of those growing rock tracks which Tremonti has written many of over the years - and with which Alter Bridge has essentially made a career out of. A tight drum groove sits behind the hypnotic clean guitar melodies during the verses, which feature some more excellent Tremonti vocals - and the song generally moves through a couple of different verse iterations with subtle tweaks in guitar melody, with a slow-burning chorus feeling less anthemic than might be expected also providing a point of difference with a little warmth. The song keeps threatening to explode, though, and it later does with a big guitar solo - and it somewhat maintains this heavier approach for the rest of the song with a strident closing section with screaming guitar leads and a bigger version of the previous chorus.

Tomorrow We Will Fail opens with a percussive drum groove, which is soon built upon by Keegan and his bass playing, before the guitars kick in and the song becomes another slightly cleaner-sounding piece. It feels tougher and more hard-hitting than the previous song, though, and it is one that grows a lot more as it moves along - with more variety in general in the arrangements. Some of the riffing here feels a bit bigger, but it still is not all that metallic - despite some more chugging moments acting as part of a chorus as the song moves along. Bluesier guitar moments and a slightly psychedelic feel characterise parts of the track, too, which only adds to the grungy and stoner vibes which has already been present on the album up to this point. The chorus does hit harder, with some bigger riffing, but elsewhere this album's core sound dominates more and adds to that strange warmth the album can sometimes have. Those missing the heavier Tremonti of old, though, will love I'll Take My Chances. This is a much faster and thrashier piece, with perhaps the album's most venomous riff - and the much more overtly metallic approach is certainly welcome following a few more restrained pieces overall. There has been plenty of riffing on the album up to this point, but the riffing here is much different to that of most of the rest of the album - with crunchier tones overall and a really tight rhythmic style which reminds me a little of the style of Jon Schaffer (and this is not the first time I have compared Tremonti to Schaffer). The chorus is pretty anthemic, too, in classic Tremonti fashion. It is perhaps not as fast as the rest of the song, but it still feels pretty urgent overall - and there is a great guitar solo here, too, which is pretty lengthy and filled with a lot of different feelings. It is the sort of song that just kicks in and does what it needs to with little fuss - and it is great to have some no-nonsense metal here given the overall vibe the album sets. The Bottom somewhat sits half way between the heaviness of the last song and the songs which preceded it. In some ways, the track is similar to the more anthemic approach of songs like One More Time earlier in the album. There are more organic moments, with cleaner guitars and something of an atmospheric feel, but there is plenty of heaviness, too - with one of the album's best choruses that recalls Tremonti anthems of the past. It is an easy song to latch onto melodically, then, with many of the hooks and vocal arrangements harking back to All I Was in style - which was a much more straight up anthemic metal album. It is great that Tremonti's overall sound has evolved over the years, and he has not really sat still despite his core sound generally remaining true, but this more old-school piece is certainly welcome. I do like this album quite a bit for its differences, but I do miss some of Tremonti's riffing prowess this time - so hearing a track like this with a massive chorus and some big guitars reminds me of the best of his work.

Those who want big guitars, though, will love Live in Fear. There is very little of the grungy side of Tremonti's playing here - with the song instead being overtly metallic with lots of knotty double bass drumming from Bennett and some guitar tones which are not too far removed from those used by Tool. There is something fat and mechanical about some of the riffs utilised throughout this track - and the pace is generally upped, too. It is not as thrashy as some of his work, but there is an urgency and energy to the piece - with a fast-paced chorus and riffy sections sitting nicely alongside some more mid-paced and organic verses. It might not be as hooky vocally as some of Tremonti's best songs of the past, but the chorus still feels memorable and the guitar riffing is a big overall highlight. There is a lot of headbanging which can be done to this track - so I imagine that it will feature in the set for the album's tour. Returning to the album's grungier core sound, though, Now That I've Made It is more of a cinematic and bluesy piece. It returns to the mid-paced sound which generally characterises the album, with clean guitars dominating during the verses, aching leads sitting atop them at times, whilst Tremonti sings with all the gravitas he can muster. The chorus feels heavier, but it does not really up the pace - although there is a strong, slow-burning guitar lead which sits atop the riffing as Tremonti sings which gives the track a bit of a strange overall feel. It works well, though, and there is some heaviness later on thanks to a more strident vocal-led bridge section before a final reprise of the chorus. The album then comes to a close with the slightly lengthier All the Wicked Things. Whilst not exactly an epic, it is a song which feels like it has a bit more time to stretch out - and it crosses a number of bridges that the album up to this point has crossed. It opens slowly, with chiming guitars and a somewhat cold atmosphere, before Tremonti starts to sing - his bluesy voice sitting nicely against this calm. Much of the song is more up-tempo, though, and when the rest of the band kick in things really get going - and there a pretty big chorus here which is backed by some strident guitar chords, alongside some chugging instrumental sections with really staccato guitar stabs. The riffing here is not as consistently heavy as it has been during the album's toughest moments, but there is still plenty of weight here - alongside another pretty expressive guitar solo, which is also quite lengthy. The piece generally rocks out pretty hard, then, but it does slow down towards the end, though, which means that the song finishes out as it started. Given that the album itself started quite slowly, too, this fade out is fitting - and it suits the overall more restrained feel of much of the album. Whilst I do miss some of the more overt heaviness of Tremonti's best solo work throughout The End Will Show Us How, I do like the album for its somewhat different approach. The change is not drastic, but it is enough to stand out - and I think the grungier approach works well for the most part. Artists need to evolve to stay fresh and this is certainly a fresh-sounding album for Tremonti - even if it feels more of a slow-burner and a grower than some of the more anthemic releases of the past.

The album was released on 10th January 2025 via Napalm Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Just Too Much.