2. Alter Bridge
My favourite band. Their inclusion in this list is not the result of my bias but because I truly believe they are amongst the best bands on the planet. They might not be the biggest or best-known band but Alter Bridge have a very loyal following and they have achieved a lot, both critically and commercially. Next year is the 10th anniversary of Alter Bridge and theyre releasing their fourth studio album, Fortress, in September (2013), 4 great albums in 10 years. Rising like a phoenix from the ashes of Creed Mark Tremonti, Scott Phillips and Brian Marshall started a new band with Myles Kennedy from the Mayfield Four. Their debut album, One Day Remains, was a great album but was criticised for sounding a little like Creed, possibly because it was their first non-Creed foray and frontman Kennedy had no lyrical input. That changed with their second album Blackbird when Kennedy and Tremonti shared lyrical creation and lead guitar, making for a fantastic album that completely broke any ties to Creed. Blackbird was a dark album with heavier guitar and a bigger sound than One Day Remains. It made for a tough act to follow but they did just that with their aptly named third album, ABIII. Again it was darker and bigger but also more diverse, emotional and simply epic than their previous records. Myles Kennedy is one of the best singers in the industry, one of few singers ever to have a four-octave voice, his pitch is awe-inspiring and he can evoke incredible emotion. Mark Tremonti is also one of the greatest, and most underrated, guitarists of all time, with mind-boggling shredding and epic solos that can be both insanely-fast or slow and building. For examples of his ranging guitar skills listen to Ties That Bind and Blackbird.
Without drawing things out I want to say Marshall is a great bassist and Phillips is also a great drummer. They often get overshadowed by Tremonti and Kennedy but they are intricate parts of the Alter Bridge machine and the four come together to make an incredible band that is vastly underrated. In between ABIII and the upcoming Fortress, Mark Tremonti made his long-awaited solo-album. The famous guitarist took centre stage and sang, previously only having provided backing vocals for Alter Bridge and Creed, besides singing half of one Alter Bridge song. His solo album was nothing short of awesome, proving he can sing as well as play guitar, the album was dark, heavy and addictive, the man can truly do it all. On the upcoming AB album Tremonti will be singing lead on one song, tentatively-titled The Waters Rise. If you missed his solo album, All I Was, go get it. Right now. Seriously. Some of the best Alter Bridge songs include Isolation, Blackbird, Metalingus, Slip to the Void, Watch Over You, One Day Remains, I Know It Hurts, Save Me, White Knuckles, Ties that Bind, Find the Real, Wonderful Life and Words Darker than their Wings. Alter Bridge haven't even been around 10 years but they've made a real impact and their 3 albums have been great, dare I say rock epics. They are living prood that rock is very far from dead.