One of the most talented duos in the whole spectrum of rock is back, and of course dual leadership, from Jagger/Richards to Hetfield/Ulrich, doesn’t work that bad in terms of songwriting. In this case, Myles Kennedy and Mark Tremonti sign the fifth Alter Bridge record, once again with exceptional results. ‘The Last Hero’ manages to keep all the group’s virtues; Kennedy’s amazing voice, the big melodic choruses and the great guitar work, while simultaneously adding a couple of new tricks in the band’s sleeve, mainly concerning the arrangements.
Alter Bridge is one of the last bands that does it all: Looking for singles that stick in your brain at first listen? Here’s ‘Show Me A Leader’ (the whole thing, not the radio edit). Mid-tempo epics? ‘The Other Side’. Ballads? ‘Cradle to the Grave’. Heavy riffs? ‘Crows on a Wire’ with Tremonti’s solo albums serving as back-up.
There’s a couple of less impressive songs on the album, but one or two tracks in a whole of 13 songs and 66 minutes of music is not much. ‘The Last Hero’ leaves you fulfilled and satisfied, and I’m guessing its material will sound huge live.
