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Live Music, Live Reviews

LIVE REVIEW: Alter Bridge North American 2023 Pawns & Kings Tour

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New Jersey legendary Rock Radio stations WDHA 105.5 FM 40 (something) Anniversary

The 30-city tour that is split into two legs, in support of bands seventh studio album Pawns & Kings that was released last year on October 14th via Napalm Records, kicked off on January 25th in Tampa, FL and yesterday came to New Jerseys pristine Wellmont Theatre venue in Montclair. The show was sold out already for the weeks, with anticipation and excitement building as the date drew closer. On this night Alter Bridge was accompanied by Nashville rock band Red and Mammoth WVH founded and fronted by Wolfgang Van Halen, son of the late Eddie Van Halen.

Written by Andris Jansons

First up were Red, an American Christian rock band from Nashville, Tennessee, formed in 2002 by brothers guitarist Anthony Armstrong and bassist Randy Armstrong, with lead vocalist Michael Barnes. Currently, the line-up has consists of the core trio of the Armstrong brothers and Barnes, along with touring drummer Brian Medeiros.

Band came on the stage, I would say, five minutes too early, and some fans had to scramble to their places. Or maybe my watch was off. And I must say that for the opening act the venue was already full. Band brought the energy needed to get into Rock’n’roll spirit. Opening song was Death Of Me from their sophomore album Innocence & Instinct. Others were Faceless, Let It Burn, Already Over and Feed the Machine. All songs came from earlier albums as the band is working towards new record that will be called Rated R and is slated to be released sometime in spring this year. They wrapped up set with Breath Into Me taken from their debut album End Of Silence. At the end of the song band Michael, Antony and Randy jumped off in sync from the pedestals providing exclamation point of their performance, which was full of energy and excitement.

Photo by: Andris Jansons

See full Red performance photo gallery here.

The nicely warmed up crowd got much louder as Mammoth WVH took the stage. An American rock band founded and fronted by Wolfgang Van Halen, and initially was as a solo project. Their self-titled debut album Mammoth WVH, was released on June 11, 2021.

Mammoth WVH was introduced to concertgoers by Terrie Carr from New Jersey rock radio station WDHA 105.5. This concert also was part of the radio stations 40 Something Anniversary Show. As Terrie said, after 40 you don’t really count your years. I know what she meant, I’m 40 something too. Terrie’s kind words were later returned by Wolfgang (or as he said Wolf), thanking Terrie for all support and love.

Ok, so what can I say about Mammoth WVH performance. For me it was a first experience, and I was completely blown away. Wolf is amazing. His guitar playing and singing were exceptional and his down-to-earth demeanor very refreshing. While I can keep praising Wolf, I must say that his whole band was great. All songs are complex compositions of guitars, and everybody collectively made these songs sound as one symphony. All songs from the band’s set came from their debut album release in June of 2021. The crowd really got into this, and I think WVH gained a LOT more fans this night.

Photo by: Andris Jansons

See full Mammoth WVH performance photo gallery here.

The stage was set for the main heroes of the night. Alter Bridge is an American rock band from Orlando, Florida. After their former band Creed became inactive in 2003, Mark Tremonti and Scott Phillips formed a new band with former bandmate Brian Marshall and later added vocalist and rhythm guitarist Myles Kennedy.

Opening song was a Silver Tongue. It is second single from the bands latest album Pawns & Kings. Energy went way up with a follow up song Addicted To Pain from bands 2013 album Fortress. During the song there was a situation in the front row as fan had to be helped for medical assistance. Myles kept an eye on the situation during the song, in the case if they would need to pause. Thankfully staff helped fast, and everything seemed to be under control. Band followed up with slower tempo Ghost Of Days Gone By.

All together from the latest album played all singles – Holiday, This Is War and title song. The set itself was quite immersive into the whole bands discography with six of the seven albums represented. The band also performed Burn It Down where Mark did the vocals.

This was my second time seeing the band live. On both occasions the sound and performance was immaculate. From the fans perspective this was one of the finest hard rock music sets you can see.

Photo by: Andris Jansons

See full Alter Bridge performance photo gallery here.

Pawns & Kings Tour just started few days ago and you will have plenty of the time to catch up with performances as it will go on until the end of March. Check the listings below to see if your city is on the list. Tickets are available and more information on tickets and VIP experiences can be found at https://alterbridge.com/pages/tour.

Feb 2 – HUNTINGTON, NY – The Paramount *

Feb 4 – SILVER SPRING, MD – The Fillmore Silver Spring *

Feb 5 – PHILADELPHIA, PA – Franklin Music Hall *

Feb 7 – WALLINGFORD, CT – The Dome at Toyota Oakdale Theatre *

Feb 8 – BOSTON, MA – Roadrunner *

Feb 10 – WATERLOO, NY – Del Lago Casino Resort (On sale soon) ^

Feb 11 – TORONTO, ON – HISTORY ^

Feb 14 – DETROIT, MI – The Fillmore *

Feb 15 – INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Murat Theatre at Old National Centre *

Feb 17 – PRIOR LAKE, MN – Mystic Lake Casino Showroom *

Feb 18 – CHICAGO, IL – The Riviera Theatre *

Mar 10 – QUAPAW, OK – Downstream Casino Resort #

Mar 11 – KANSAS CITY, MO – Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland #

Mar 14 – CHESTERFIELD, MO – The Factory #

Mar 15 – OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – The Criterion #

Mar 17 – HOUSTON, TX – 713 Music Hall #

Mar 18 – DALLAS, TX – South Side Ballroom #

Mar 20 – DENVER, CO – Mission Ballroom #

Mar 21 – SALT LAKE CITY, UT – Union Event Center #

Mar 23 – SEATTLE, WA – The Paramount Theatre #

Mar 25 – AIRWAY HEIGHTS, WA – Northern Quest Resort & Casino ^

Mar 26 – AIRWAY HEIGHTS, WA – Northern Quest Resort & Casino ^

Mar 28 – ANAHEIM, CA – House Of Blues #

Mar 29 – TEMPE, AZ – Marquee Theatre #

Mar 31 – RENO, NV – Silver Legacy’s Grande Expo Hall #

Apr 1 – HIGHLAND, CA – Yaamava Theater at Yaamava Casino Resort

^ Alter Bridge – Mammoth WVH

* Alter Bridge – Mammoth WVH – Red

# Alter Bridge – Mammoth WVH – Pistols At Dawn

Terrie Carr from WDHA 105.5 FM. Photo by: Andris Jansons
Music News

ALTER BRIDGE Releases Music Video for New Single “Holiday”

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With 2023 less than three weeks old, acclaimed rockers Alter Bridge are back with a new single and music video to launch the new year. The song “Holiday” has been a fan favorite since it was made public with the release of Pawns & Kings last October and is currently one of the most added songs at Active Rock radio. The “Holiday” video marks the return of longtime video collaborator  Dan Sturgess of Sturge Media – known for capturing the band’s iconic performance with the Parallax Orchestra on Alter Bridge: Live At The Royal Albert Hall. The song is currently impacting US radio and the video for “Holiday” can be seen here:  

Pawns & Kings – the band’s seventh studio album – was released worldwide on October 14th via Napalm Records. From the opening riffs of “This Is War” to the title track album closer “Pawns & Kings,” Alter Bridge returns with an album of intense tracks that were born after the cycle for their last album was cut short by the global pandemic. Songs like “Dead Among The Living,” “Holiday”  and “Last Man Standing” showcase the signature songwriting the band is known for. The album offers numerous epic adventures, with three songs clocking in over six minutes each. The opus “Fable Of The Silent Son” clocks in at 8:29 and is the longest recorded song in the band’s catalog – a distinction held by “Blackbird” until now. Mark Tremonti steps out of his backing vocal role to take the lead on “Stay,” an introspective ballad that is sure to become a fan favorite live. The band have released lyric videos for the title track “Pawns & Kings,”  the now fan-favorite “Sin After Sin” and album opener “This Is War.” These songs all found their way into the band’s set list during their European tour. Known for its signature dual-guitar attack backed by a driving rhythm section, the album’s debut single “Silver Tongue” shot up the charts around the globe and is currently still in the Top 25 in Canada. Its animated music video was created and directed by Ollie Jones of Better Feeling Films (Myles Kennedy, Prodigy, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets) and has garnered over 1.4 million views and counting. Pawns & Kings found its way on numerous 2022 year-end lists around the world and was produced by longtime collaborator Michael “Elvis” Baskette. 

The track listing for Pawns & Kings is:                                 

1)   This Is War                                                             

2)   Dead Among The Living

3)   Silver Tongue

4)   Sin After Sin

5)   Stay

6)   Holiday

7)   Fable Of The Silent Son

8)   Season Of Promise

9)   Last Man Standing

10) Pawns & Kings

Alter Bridge’s Pawns & Kings is now available for streaming via all digital service providers and for order in various physical configurations here: https://lnk.to/PawnsAndKings.  

Alter Bridge will  continue to tour extensively in support of Pawns & Kings. The band wrapped a tour of Europe last month that had the band making 25 stops over the course of six weeks. The tour will continue throughout North America this year  – their first in the market in almost three years. The 30-city tour – split into two legs – kicks off on January 25th in Tampa, FL and wraps up April 1st in Highland, CA, making stops in Nashville, TN (January 30th); Toronto, ON (February 11th); Kansas City, MO (March 11th) and Seattle, WA (March 23rd). Mammoth WVH will join them as direct support on the entire tour, with rockers Red playing on the first leg of the tour and newcomers Pistols At Dawn playing on the second leg. Tickets for all shows are now available and more information on tickets and VIP experiences can be found at https://alterbridge.com/pages/tour. 

North American Tour Dates

Jan 25 – TAMPA, FL – Seminole Hard Rock * (Low Ticket Alert)

Jan 27 – ORLANDO, FL – Hard Rock Live * (Low Ticket Alert)

Jan 28 – ATLANTA, GA – Coca Cola Roxy *

Jan 30 – NASHVILLE, TN – Ryman  Auditorium * (Sold Out)

Feb 1 – MONTCLAIR, NJ – The Wellmont Theater * (Sold Out)

Feb 2 – HUNTINGTON, NY – The Paramount * (Low Ticket Alert)

Feb 4 – SILVER SPRING, MD – The Fillmore Silver Spring * (Sold Out)

Feb 5 – PHILADELPHIA, PA – Franklin Music Hall *

Feb 7 – WALLINGFORD, CT – The Dome at Toyota Oakdale Theatre *

Feb 8 – BOSTON, MA – Roadrunner *

Feb 10 – WATERLOO, NY – Del Lago Casino Resort (On sale soon) ^

Feb 11 – TORONTO, ON – HISTORY ^ (Sold Out)

Feb 14 – DETROIT, MI – The Fillmore *

Feb 15 – INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Murat Theatre at Old National Centre *

Feb 17 – PRIOR LAKE, MN – Mystic Lake Casino Showroom * (Sold Out)

Feb 18 – CHICAGO, IL – The Riviera Theatre * (Low Ticket Alert)

Mar 10 – QUAPAW, OK – Downstream Casino Resort #

Mar 11 – KANSAS CITY, MO – Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland #

Mar 14 – CHESTERFIELD, MO – The Factory #

Mar 15 – OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – The Criterion #

Mar 17 – HOUSTON, TX – 713 Music Hall #

Mar 18 – DALLAS, TX – South Side Ballroom #

Mar 20 – DENVER, CO – Mission Ballroom #

Mar 21 – SALT LAKE CITY, UT – Union Event Center #

Mar 23 – SEATTLE, WA – The Paramount Theatre #

Mar 25 – AIRWAY HEIGHTS, WA – Northern Quest Resort & Casino ^ (Sold Out)

Mar 26 – AIRWAY HEIGHTS, WA – Northern Quest Resort & Casino ^ 

Mar 28 – ANAHEIM, CA – House Of Blues #

Mar 29 – TEMPE, AZ – Marquee Theatre #

Mar 31 – RENO, NV – Silver Legacy’s Grande Expo Hall #

Apr 1 – HIGHLAND, CA – Yaamava Theater at Yaamava Casino Resort ^

^ Alter Bridge – Mammoth WVH 

* Alter Bridge – Mammoth WVH – Red

# Alter Bridge – Mammoth WVH – Pistols At Dawn

Music News

Alter Bridge Release Epic Track “Sin After Sin”

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As the band’s current single, “Silver Tongue,” moves up the Active Rock radio charts and its music video crossed a million plays in less than a month, acclaimed rockers Alter Bridge are back with another track from their upcoming album, Pawns & Kings. “Sin After Sin” is the latest epic track released by the quartet comprised of Myles Kennedy on vocals/guitars, Mark Tremonti on guitars/vocals, Brian Marshall on bass and Scott Phillips on drums. The song clocks in at 6:43 and is the second longest song on the new album. The lyric video was created by Alter Bridge visual collaborator Wayne Joyner and can be seen here: 

Pawns & Kings – the band’s seventh studio album – is scheduled for worldwide release on October 14th via Napalm Records. From the opening riffs of “This Is War” to the title track album closer “Pawns & Kings,” Alter Bridge returns with an album of intense tracks that were born after the cycle for their last album was cut short by the global pandemic. Songs like “Dead Among The Living,” “Holiday”  and “Last Man Standing” showcase the signature songwriting the band is known for. The album offers numerous epic adventures, with threesongs clocking in over six minutes each. The opus “Fable Of The Silent Son” clocks in at 8:29 and is the longest recorded song in the band’s catalog – a distinction held by “Blackbird” until now. Mark Tremonti steps out of his backing vocal role to take the lead on “Stay,” an introspective ballad that is sure to become a fan favorite live. Known for its signature dual-guitar attack backed by a driving rhythm section, the album’s fast-rising chart-climber “Silver Tongue” is one of the harder songs in the band’s recent catalog. Its animated music video was created and directed by Ollie Jones of Better Feeling Films (Myles Kennedy, Prodigy, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets). Pawns & Kings found Alter Bridge reuniting with longtime collaborator and producer Michael “Elvis” Baskette to create a collection of memorable new additions to the band’s impressive catalog.

The track listing for Pawns & Kings is:

1)   This Is War                                                             

2)   Dead Among The Living

3)   Silver Tongue

4)   Sin After Sin

5)   Stay

6)   Holiday

7)   Fable Of The Silent Son

8)   Season Of Promise

9)   Last Man Standing

10) Pawns & Kings

Music News

ALTER BRIDGE Release Debut Single “Silver Tongue” From Upcoming Album Pawns & Kings

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 On the heels of their recently-announced seventh studio album Pawns & Kings, acclaimed rockers Alter Bridge have released the debut single – the metal-leaning track “Silver Tongue.” Known for the signature dual-guitar attack that is backed by a driving rhythm section, “Silver Tongue” is one of the harder songs in the band’s recent catalog. The quartet comprised of Myles Kennedy on vocals/guitars, Mark Tremonti on guitars/vocals, Brian Marshall on bass and Scott Phillips on drums have delivered an infectious metal song and an instant classic in the Alter Bridge canon. The song is currently available via all digital service providers and all digital pre-orders will receive an instant download of the single along with the previously released album closer “Pawns & Kings.”  The music video for “Silver Tongue” follows two characters who fall under the spell of a painting that comes to life. The painting drags the characters into a dark world and forces them to fight for survival in a classic battle of good versus evil. The animated music video for “Silver Tongue” was created and directed by Ollie Jones of Better Feeling Films (Myles Kennedy, Prodigy, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets) and is now available here:

Pawns & Kings – the band’s seventh studio album – is scheduled for worldwide release on October 14th via Napalm Records. The album is comprised of 10 all-new epic tracks that are sure to garner the band new fans around the globe while satiating their fervent supporters that have been patiently waiting for new music from the band. The band released a lyric video for the title track that was released and spawned over 250K views in less than 5 days. Pawns & Kings found Alter Bridge reuniting with longtime collaborator and producer Michael “Elvis” Baskette to create a collection of memorable new additions to the band’s impressive catalog.

From the opening riffs of “This Is War” to the title track album closer “Pawns & Kings,” Alter Bridge returns with an album of intense tracks that were born after the cycle for their last album was cut short by the global pandemic. Songs like “Dead Among The Living,” “Silver Tongue” and “Holiday” showcase the signature songwriting the band is known for. The album offers numerous epic adventures, with three songs clocking in over six minutes each. The opus “Fable Of The Silent Son” clocks in at 8:29 and is the longest recorded song in the band’s catalog – a distinction held by “Blackbird” until now. Mark Tremonti steps out of his backing vocal role to take the lead on “Stay,” an introspective ballad that is sure to become a fan favorite live. 

The track listing for Pawns & Kings is:

1)   This Is War                                                             

2)   Dead Among The Living

3)   Silver Tongue

4)   Sin After Sin

5)   Stay

6)   Holiday

7)   Fable Of The Silent Son

8)   Season Of Promise

9)   Last Man Standing

10) Pawns & Kings

Alter Bridge will be touring extensively in support of Pawns & Kings. The band has already announced a tour of Europe for November and December that will make 25 stops over the course of six weeks. The tour kicks off November 1st in Germany and will make stops in Denmark, Sweden, Spain and others before it wraps on December 12th at O2 Arena in the United Kingdom. Longtime friends Halestorm and Mammoth WVH will lend their support on the upcoming European tour. More information on all tour dates and links to tickets can be found at www.alterbridge.com.

Nov 1 – HAMBURG, GERMANY – Sporthalle

Nov 2  – COPENHAGEN, DENMARK – Falconer

Nov 4  – PARTILLE, SWEDEN – Partille Arena

Nov 5 – OSLO, NORWAY – Sentrum Scene

Nov 7 – KATOWICE, POLAND – MCK

Nov 9 – ESCH-SUR-ALZETTE, LUXEMBOURG – Rockhal

Nov 11 – BERLIN, GERMANY – Columbiahalle

Nov 12 – HLAVNÍ MĚSTO PRAHA, CZECH REPUBLIC – O2 Universum

Nov 14 – BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – Budapest Arena

Nov 16 – PARIS, FRANCE – Palais Des Sports

Nov 18 – MADRID, SPAIN – Vistalegre

Nov 20 – BARCELONA, SPAIN – Razzmataz1

Nov 22 – MUNICH, GERMANY – Zenith

Nov 23 – ZÜRICH, SWITZERLAND – Samsung Hall

Nov 25 – ASSAGO, ITALY – Mediolanum Forum

Nov 26 – ZAGREB, CROATIA – Dom Sportova

Nov 28 – VIENNA, AUSTRIA – Wiener Stadthalle

Nov 30 – KÖLN, GERMANY – Palladium

Dec 1 – AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – Ziggo Dome

Dec 5 – NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND – Motorpoint Arena

Dec 6 – GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – OVO Hydro Arena

Dec 8 – DUBLIN, IRELAND – 3 Arena

Dec 9 – MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – AO Arena

Dec 11 – BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – Resorts World Arena

Dec 12 – LONDON, ENGLAND – O2 Arena

Music News

ALTER BRIDGE Announce New Album “Pawns & Kings”

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Release Title Track

Since 2004, acclaimed rockers Alter Bridge have been known for their memorable riffs, infectious vocal melodies and dueling guitar attack that has garnered them critical and fan acclaim around the globe. Now the quartet comprised of Myles Kennedy on vocals/guitars, Mark Tremonti on guitars/vocals, Brian Marshall on bass and Scott Phillips on drums are back with their most-aggressive collection of songs to date. The band’s seventh album Pawns & Kings is scheduled for worldwide release on October 14th via Napalm Records. 

Pawns & Kings is comprised of 10 all-new epic tracks that are sure to garner the band new fans around the globe while satiating their fervent supporters that have been patiently waiting for new music from the band. Pawns & Kings found Alter Bridge reuniting with longtime collaborator and producer Michael “Elvis” Baskette to create a collection of memorable new additions to band’s impressive catalog.

From the opening riffs of “This Is War” to the title track album closer “Pawns & Kings,” Alter Bridge returns with an album of intense tracks that were born after the cycle for their last album was cut short by the global pandemic. Songs like “Dead Among The Living,” “Silver Tongue” and “Holiday” showcase the signature songwriting the band is known for. The album offers numerous epic adventures, with three songs clocking in over six minutes each. The opus “Fable Of The Silent Son” clocks in 8:29 and is the longest recorded song in the band’s catalog – a distinction held by “Blackbird” until now. Mark Tremonti steps out of his backing vocal role to take the lead on “Stay,” an introspective ballad that is sure to become a fan favorite live. The epic closing title track “Pawns & Kings” will be available via all digital service providers around the globe.

The track listing for Pawns & Kings is:

1)   This Is War                                                             

2)   Dead Among The Living

3)   Silver Tongue

4)   Sin After Sin

5)   Stay

6)   Holiday

7)   Fable Of The Silent Son

8)   Season Of Promise

9)   Last Man Standing

10) Pawns & Kings

Alter Bridge will be touring extensively in support of Pawns & Kings. The band has already announced a tour of Europe for November and December that will make 25 stops over the course of six weeks. The tour kicks off November 1st in Germany and will make stops in Denmark, Sweden, Spain and others before it wraps on December 12th at O2 Arena in the United Kingdom. Longtime friends Halestorm and Mammoth WVH will lend their support on the upcoming European tour. More information on all tour dates and links to tickets can be found at www.alterbridge.com.

Nov 1 – HAMBURG, GERMANY – Sporthalle

Nov 2  – COPENHAGEN, DENMARK – Falconer

Nov 4  – PARTILLE, SWEDEN – Partille Arena

Nov 5 – OSLO, NORWAY – Sentrum Scene

Nov 7 – KATOWICE, POLAND – MCK

Nov 9 – ESCH-SUR-ALZETTE, LUXEMBOURG – Rockhal

Nov 11 – BERLIN, GERMANY – Columbiahalle

Nov 12 – HLAVNÍ MĚSTO PRAHA, CZECH REPUBLIC – O2 Universum

Nov 14 – BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – Budapest Arena

Nov 16 – PARIS, FRANCE – Palais Des Sports

Nov 18 – MADRID, SPAIN – Vistalegre

Nov 20 – BARCELONA, SPAIN – Razzmataz1

Nov 22 – MUNICH, GERMANY – Zenith

Nov 23 – ZÜRICH, SWITZERLAND – Samsung Hall

Nov 25 – ASSAGO, ITALY – Mediolanum Forum

Nov 26 – ZAGREB, CROATIA – Dom Sportova

Nov 28 – VIENNA, AUSTRIA – Wiener Stadthalle

Nov 30 – KÖLN, GERMANY – Palladium

Dec 1 – AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – Ziggo Dome

Dec 5 – NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND – Motorpoint Arena

Dec 6 – GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – OVO Hydro Arena

Dec 8 – DUBLIN, IRELAND – 3 Arena

Dec 9 – MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – AO Arena

Dec 11 – BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – Resorts World Arena

Dec 12 – LONDON, ENGLAND – O2 Arena

Alter Bridge have steadily climbed to the forefront of hard rock worldwide. They’ve exceeded all expectations and benchmarks with over a billion streams, millions of units sold, glowing critical acclaim, real estate on the covers of Classic Rock Magazine and Guitar World, and storied sets at Royal Albert Hall, the O2 Arena and Download Festival. On this journey, 2004’s debut LP One Day Remainsbowed in the Top 5 of the Billboard Top 200 and went gold. In 2007, Blackbird’s title track took flight on the wings of the “Greatest Guitar Solo of All Time,” as voted in Guitarist Magazine, while countless fans etched its lyrics and logo onto their bodies. That album also recently went gold in the United Kingdom. Critical plaudits surrounded the 2013 opus Fortress with “5-out-of-5 stars” from KERRANG!and Total Guitar, as well as Eddie Trunk’s declaration of, “A Top 10 album of the last 10 years.” 2016’s The Last Hero saw them return to the Top 10 on the Top 200. Maintaining this momentum, Walk The Sky made impressions around the globe when it reached #1 on the US Billboard Top Albums, Top 200 Alternative Albums, Top 200 Hard Rock Albums and Top 200 Rock Albums charts, as well as #1 on Canada’s Top Hard Music Albums chart. The album also hit #1 on the Swiss Album charts, landed in the Top 5 on the Canada, UK, Germany, Austria, Scotland and Switzerland charts and closed out the year on Loudwire’s “The 50 Best Rock Albums of 2019.” These musicians have unassumingly done all of this with a quiet dedication to writing meaningful songs and performing unforgettable shows (and they’ve delivered both with almost alarming consistency). Still, the influential quartet—Myles Kennedy [vocals, guitar], Mark Tremonti [guitar, vocals], Brian Marshall [bass], and Scott Phillips [drums]—ascend to yet another level on 2022’s Pawns & Kings[Napalm Records]. It is the culmination of almost two decades together soaked in blood, sweat, tears, and the triumph earned through never giving up. It represents the bandmates’ dedication to one another and their collective devotion to a devout fanbase.