WikipediaIt's no secret that any regular reader of WhatCulture.com's music section has come across an Alter Bridge article or two, as thanks in no small part to the phenomenally sky-high vocal talents of one Myles Kennedy and the thundering powerhouse of a guitarist that is Mark Tremonti - along with an incredibly tight rhythm section in Brian Marshall and Scott Phillips - the band have gone from strength to strength over the last few years. Speaking of Tremonti though, the man is absolute machine on and off stage, creating a style that's all his own by cherry-picking hugely enjoyable techniques from the likes of Kirk Hammett, Dimebag Darrell, Paul Gilbert and more, along with his own take on the instrument to really become one of the best guitarists currently working today. From searingly fast shredding leads to slower bluesy note-progressions and screaming high notes that whip Alter Bridge fans into a frenzy, Tremonti is the twin driving force behind some of the band's biggest singles, as well as assembling a body of riffs that would give modern-day Metallica a run for their money. But what of the solos? Those epic moments in any great rock song that can sweep in and take the entire progression to another level entirely? Some say the very idea of a guitar solo has died out, but Alter Bridge and Tremonti himself would definitely have you believe otherwise if these entries are anything to go by.
10. Cry A River
Starting out with one of the most complete works Tremonti has ever put together, comprising not only of some of his signature legato runs ending the piece, but also the first on-record showcase of his sweep-picking ability. Definitely one of the last techniques you'll ever learn on guitar, and one that very few can get right and apply to more advanced scales, here Mark not only sweeps up and down the strings with his right hand, but the pattern itself actually slides up and down the neck, as well as across the strings. Now that might sound incredibly complicated - and it is - but you can hear exactly which part we're talking about at around the 3:07 mark on the video. All those years of waiting for just the right song to include such a technique definitely pays off, as the song ends on a scorching descending lick on the high E string that lands on a Zakk Wydle-esque pinched harmonic for good measure.