Fortress (Alter Bridge album)
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2013}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Fortress
| type = studio
| artist = Alter Bridge
| cover = Alter_Bridge_-_Fortress_album_cover.jpg
| alt =
| released = September 25, 2013
| recorded = April 26 – July 2, 2013
| venue =
| studio = Studio Barbarosa (Orlando, Florida)
| genre = {{flatlist|
}}
| length = 62:52
| label = {{Flatlist|
}}
| producer = Michael Baskette
| prev_title = Live at Wembley
| prev_year = 2012
| next_title = The Last Hero
| next_year = 2016
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| artist = Myles Kennedy
| type = studio
| prev_title = Apocalyptic Love
| prev_year = 2012
| title = Fortress
| year = 2013
| next_title = World on Fire
| next_year = 2014
}}
{{Singles
| name = Fortress
| type = studio
| single1 = Addicted to Pain
| single1date = August 12, 2013
| single2 = Cry of Achilles
| single2date = April 22, 2014
| single3 = Waters Rising
| single3date = June 2, 2014
}}
}}
Fortress is the fourth studio album by American rock band Alter Bridge, released by Roadrunner Records on September 25, 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.alterbridge.com/news/2013-07/alter-bridge-fortress-drops-september-30-uk.aspx |title=Fortress – Drops September 30 (UK) |publisher=Alter Bridge |access-date=September 5, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140204092143/http://www.alterbridge.com/news/2013-07/alter-bridge-fortress-drops-september-30-uk.aspx |archive-date=February 4, 2014 }} Michael Baskette, who produced Alter Bridge's previous two albums, Blackbird (2007) and AB III (2010), returned as the producer. It was released by Roadrunner Records worldwide except in the United States, where it was self-released on October 8, 2013, through Warner Music, Roadrunner Records passed to be a subsidiary of Warner Music, after EMI disappear a year before. It is their only album since their debut album One Day Remains not to be released in October. The lead single, "Addicted to Pain", was released on August 12, 2013. The album was widely acclaimed, with several critics calling it the band's best album to date and giving praise to each of the band members' musical skills displayed on the record.
Background
Fortress was recorded between April 26 and July 2, 2013, at Studio Barbarosa in Orlando, Florida. The album was written over the three previous years while the band toured, as well as during Alter Bridge's hiatus due to singer Myles Kennedy touring with Slash, guitarist Mark Tremonti releasing his debut solo album All I Was, and drummer Scott Phillips recording with his band Projected. Later in the month, Tremonti announced the band had approved the cover art and had mastered the new album.
In July, in an interview with MusicRadar.com Tremonti revealed that he would sing lead vocals on one track called "The Waters Rise",{{cite web|author=Total Guitar |url=http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/mark-tremonti-talks-new-alter-bridge-album-tour-and-rig-580252 |title=Mark Tremonti talks new Alter Bridge album, tour and rig | Interview: Mark Tremonti talks new Alter Bridge album, tour and rig |publisher=MusicRadar |date=July 17, 2013 |access-date=September 5, 2013}} which appears on the album as "Waters Rising". The official track listing and cover art for Fortress was revealed on July 31, 2013, along with the track listing, consisting of twelve songs. The artwork was designed by Dan Tremonti.{{cite web |url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.co.uk/page/News?news_id=121961 |title=Alter Bridge // Reveal 'Fortress' Album Artwork & Tracklisting! – Roadrunner Records Uk |publisher=Roadrunnerrecords.co.uk |date=July 31, 2013 |access-date=September 5, 2013 |archive-date=October 29, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029200731/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.co.uk/page/News?news_id=121961 |url-status=dead }}
On August 4, 2013, the cover art for the lead single "Addicted to Pain" was revealed,{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/alterbridge?fref=ts |title=Alter Bridge |publisher=Facebook |date=September 1, 2013 |access-date=September 5, 2013}} and a day later the band confirmed that the lead single "Addicted to Pain" would be released on August 12, 2013 in Europe, and on August 20, 2013 in the US.{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/alterbridge/posts/10151635476973558 |title=Alter Bridge – Our first single from Fortress, Addicted To... |publisher=Facebook |access-date=September 5, 2013}} The single was made available for streaming a few days before release.{{cite web|url=http://loudwire.com/alter-bridge-addicted-to-pain/ |title=Alter Bridge Unleash Single 'Addicted to Pain' |publisher=Loudwire.com |date=August 7, 2013 |access-date=September 5, 2013}} On September 5, the official video for "Addicted to Pain" was released.{{cite web|author=alterbridge |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7M9QxzpTjec |title=Alter Bridge – Addicted To Pain (Official Video) |publisher=YouTube |access-date=September 5, 2013}}{{cite web |url=http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/news/alter-bridge-premiere-addicted-to-pain/ |title=Alter Bridge premiere: Addicted To Pain | Video | Classic Rock |publisher=Classicrockmagazine.com |access-date=September 5, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130908124207/http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/news/alter-bridge-premiere-addicted-to-pain/ |archive-date=September 8, 2013 |df=mdy-all }} The official video was shot by award-winning director Dan Catullo.{{cite news|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/alter-bridge-addicted-to-pain-video-due-in-september/ |title=Alter Bridge: 'Addicted To Pain' Video Due In September |work=Blabbermouth.net |date=August 20, 2013 |access-date=September 5, 2013}}
On September 23, the band streamed the album in its entirety for a limited time on the Metal Hammer website as a UK exclusive.{{cite web |url=http://www.metalhammer.co.uk/news/uk-exclusive-hear-the-new-alter-bridge-album-right-here/ |title=Alter Bridge Fortress Full Album Stream |publisher=Metalhammer.co.uk |date=September 23, 2013 |access-date=October 6, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131006133046/http://www.metalhammer.co.uk/news/uk-exclusive-hear-the-new-alter-bridge-album-right-here/ |archive-date=October 6, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}
During an interview with Bravewords on October 24, Myles Kennedy stated that the Best Buy B-side track, "Outright", had been incorrectly titled. During production, the working title of the song was "Outright Two" because it featured parts of an unreleased song previously recorded by the band called "Outright" during the Blackbird recording sessions. When it went into the mastering stage, the title of the new song was never changed and was incorrectly listed on the album as "Outright". The song is actually titled "Never Say Die" and was listed with the correct title on later printings.{{cite web |author=bravewords.com |url=http://www.bravewords.com/news/212569 |title=> News > ALTER BRIDGE – "Addiction Is A Very Nasty Animal" |publisher=Bravewords.com |access-date=October 25, 2013 |archive-date=October 27, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131027113443/http://www.bravewords.com/news/212569 |url-status=dead }}
Critical reception
{{Music ratings
|rev1 = AllMusic
|rev1score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web|title=Fortress – Alter Bridge – Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards – AllMusic|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/fortress-mw0002569317|date=October 6, 2013|author=Gregory Heaney|publisher=AllMusic}}
|rev2 = Classic Rock
|rev2score = {{rating|8|10}}{{cite journal|title=Classic Rock Magazine|date=October 2013|author=Sian Llewellyn|page=90|publisher=Team Rock}}
|rev3 = The Guardian
|rev3score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite news|author=Dom Lawson |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/oct/03/alter-bridge-fortress-review |title=Alter Bridge: Fortress – review | Music |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=October 6, 2013}}
|rev4 = International Business Times
|rev5 = Kerrang!
|rev5score = {{rating|5|5}}{{cite journal|title=Kerrang! Magazine|issue=#1484|date=September 21, 2013|author=James Hickie|publisher=Bauer Media Group}}
|rev6 = Loudwire
|rev6score = {{rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web|title=Alter Bridge, 'FORTRESS' – Album Review|website=Loudwire |date=October 8, 2013 |url=http://loudwire.com/alter-bridge-fortress-album-review/|access-date=October 8, 2013}}
|rev7 = Melodic
|rev8 = Revolver
|rev9= Total Guitar
|rev9score = {{rating|5|5}}{{cite journal|title=Total Guitar|author=Rob Laing|date=August 2013|publisher=Future plc}}
|rev10 = RTÉ
|rev10score = {{rating|4.5|5}}{{cite news|title=Alter Bridge, 'FORTRESS' – Album Review|url=http://www.rte.ie/ten/reviews/music/2013/1016/480730-alter-bridge-fortress/ | work=RTÉ News | date=October 16, 2013}}
}}
Fortress received critical acclaim upon its release. It currently holds a score of 81 out of 100 on the review aggregator Metacritic, indicating "universal acclaim". AllMusic gave the album 4 out of 5 stars, saying, "Fortress is a driving album that not only doesn't feel tired or stale, but is a monster of an album that makes a pretty solid case for being some of Alter Bridge's strongest and most dynamic work to date." In their review, International Business Times proclaimed the album "a delight to the ears". Melodic said, "[Alter Bridge's] ability is undeniable at this point, and Fortress proves they are one of the best rock/metal acts of today's generation and only moving forward." Rock Sins stated that "Alter Bridge are the hard rock band the world needs and with Fortress they have their invitation to the top table of rock music" and gave the album a 9/10 score.{{cite web|url=http://www.rocksins.com/reviews/alter-bridge-fortress-18227/ |title=Alter Bridge – Fortress Album Review |publisher=Rocksins.com |date=September 23, 2013 |access-date=October 6, 2013}} Kerrang! gave the album a perfect 5/5 score, saying that "on Fortress, with Myles [Kennedy] and Mark [Tremonti] both operating at the peak of their powers, there may be no limit to where Alter Bridge can go from here." Classic Rock also praised the album, ending their review with "Myles Kennedy says he never wants to be the guy who says each record is the best thing they've ever done. But in this case he should probably make an exception. Because it really is." Loudwire said of the band and album that "the substance and technicality that they have immersed into their music have elevated them to a whole new level. Fortress proves to be the next impressive chapter in an epic adventure that shows no sign of ending any time soon."
However, Revolver were not as impressed by the album, feeling that although it showed off the band's skills, the album became "predictable and monotonous".
Commercial performance
The album entered at number 6 in the UK album chart, making it the band's highest-charting album in the UK to date.{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/_/alter%20bridge/ |title=Alter Bridge | Artist |publisher=Official Charts |access-date=October 9, 2013}} It entered at number 1 in the rock chart.{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/rock-and-metal-albums-chart/ |title=Rock & Metal Albums Top 40 – 12th October 2013 |publisher=Official Charts |access-date=October 9, 2013}}
The album also opened at number 1 in the US, Canada, and Sweden in sales on iTunes.{{cite web|author=Apple Inc. |url=https://www.apple.com/euro/itunes/charts/top10rockalbums.html |title=iTunes – iTunes Store – Charts – Top 10 Rock Albums |publisher=Apple |access-date=October 9, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140414193008/http://www.apple.com/euro/itunes/charts/top10rockalbums.html |archive-date=April 14, 2014 }}{{cite tweet|user=TheABNation|author=TheAlterBridgeNation|number=387586581168939008|date=8 October 2013|title=Today is the day USA! #FORTRESS has smashed the US iTunes Rock chart straight to No.1! Well done @alterbridge!}} Fortress debuted at number 12 on the Billboard 200 and sold 30,000 copies in its first week of release.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200 |title=200 : Page 1 |magazine=Billboard |access-date=October 25, 2013}}{{cite news|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/alter-bridges-fortress-lands-in-u-s-top-15/ |title=Alter Bridge's 'Fortress' Lands In U.S. Top 15 |work=Blabbermouth.net |date=October 16, 2013 |access-date=October 25, 2013}} The album has sold 101,000 copies in the US as of August 2016.{{cite web |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160829210341/http://hitsdailydouble.com/new_album_releases |archive-date= August 29, 2016 |url=http://hitsdailydouble.com/new_album_releases |title=Upcoming Releases |website=Hits Daily Double |publisher=HITS Digital Ventures }}
Track listing
{{Track listing
| all_writing = Alter Bridge
| title1 = Cry of Achilles
| length1 = 6:30
| title2 = Addicted to Pain
| length2 = 4:16
| title3 = Bleed It Dry
| length3 = 4:44
| title4 = Lover
| length4 = 5:17
| title5 = The Uninvited
| length5 = 4:47
| title6 = Peace Is Broken
| length6 = 4:40
| title7 = Calm the Fire
| length7 = 6:04
| title8 = Waters Rising
| length8 = 5:39
| title9 = Farther Than the Sun
| length9 = 4:07
| title10 = Cry a River
| length10 = 4:00
| title11 = All Ends Well
| length11 = 5:12
| title12 = Fortress
| length12 = 7:36
| total_length = 62:52
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Best Buy exclusive
| title13 = Never Say Die
| note13 = erroneously titled "Outright" in early pressings
| length13 = 3:44
| total_length = 66:36
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Japanese edition
| title13 = Zero
| title14 = Home
| length13 = 4:39
| length14 = 3:29
| total_length = 74:50
}}
Personnel
;Alter Bridge
- Myles Kennedy – lead vocals, rhythm and lead guitar, co-lead vocals on "Waters Rising"
- Mark Tremonti – lead and rhythm guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Waters Rising"
- Brian Marshall – bass
- Scott Phillips – drums, percussion
;Production
- Michael Baskette – production, mixing, string arrangements
- Jef Moll – engineering, digital editing
- Ted Jensen – mastering
- Dan Tremonti – cover art
Charts
Release history
class="wikitable" |
Region
!Release date !Label |
---|
Japan
|September 25, 2013 |
Ireland
|September 27, 2013 |Roadrunner |
Australia
|Roadrunner |
Netherlands
|September 27, 2013 |Roadrunner |
Europe
|September 30, 2013 |Roadrunner |
United Kingdom
|September 30, 2013 |Roadrunner |
United States
|October 8, 2013 |Alter Bridge/Warner Music/Capitol |
Canada
|October 15, 2013 |Roadrunner |
Appearances
- The songs "Addicted to Pain" and "Cry of Achilles" were featured in the 2015 video game Guitar Hero Live.
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- [http://www.alterbridge.com Official Alter Bridge website]
{{Alter Bridge}}
{{Authority control}}