AB III

[Virgil.]

Anyone getting Alter Bridge's new album 'AB III'? I didn't like Blackbird all that much, so I'm looking to see if anyone else has purchased it and what you think of the songwriting, production, etc. Thanks!

 

[Line666]

It's definitely different compared to Blackbird.

I liked Blackbird though and I generally thought the solos on that were better than on III. There are some standout songs on III though I didnt find myself liking it as much as both the previous two.

 

[Virgil.]

Thanks Owen. I have been looping samples and youtube rips and the production seems pretty cool from what I can tell. The kick drum sounds great... very snappy and deep and punchy. The snare seems buried in the mix though and very thin. But I would agree with you about the solos (or lack thereof) compared to Blackbird and One Day Remains. I like the low end on this album much more than Blackbird though. The bass and the rhythm guitars are pretty rad.

 

[kramer1309]

I kinda liked their riffing style on one day remains better, blackbird had more 'rhythm'-ic stuff incorporated imo but still had some rad, driving riffs but sounded miles better.
This one seems like another step in the same direction.. It sounds great but i'd love a little more riff-love

 

[Virgil.]

It does sound a bit like the "if it aint broke, don't fix it" mentality, and is sort of a stagnant album compared to the others -- in that it doesn't set itself apart from the others in a good or bad way.

 

[kramer1309]

...it doesn't set itself apart....

exactly!
though, the thing is, I felt similar about blackbird after one day remains, like nothing was jumping out at me.
but it ended up growing on me and it gets a spin quite regularly..

offtopic: Played a show last week where we opened with find the real, using lecto live and maaan did that song set the groove!

 

[Jordon]

I absolutely loved Blackbird all the way through. Grabbed me straight away from the first listen. I've listened to ABIII a few times now, and something just seems off about it.

I keep thinking that there are parts that are "wrong" melodically, but they aren't. I don't know exactly what it is, but I find it hard to enjoy the album. It's by no means a bad album, but it's not one that reeled me in and makes me want to come back to it again and again.