Alter Bridge: Ranking All 5 Studio Albums
2. The Last Hero
As with Fortress, the introductory Show Me a Leader develops into one of the strongest tracks on the album.
At the height of the Presidential election in America in 2016, this song - and the album as a whole - dealt with being united, staying together and staying strong in the face of uncertainty, alongside the need for a strong leader to guide the people through the tough times ahead.
The band have spoken of a trio of songs that they see as a trilogy. Starting with Show Me a Leader, which is built on by This Side of Fate, a song about living with decisions that have been made, followed by The Last Hero. This kind of sub-context throughout the album puts it ahead of Fortress.
In terms of the emotional song on this album, you could argue between three; My Champion, You Will Be Remembered and Cradle to the Grave. The only slight disappointment comes from no lead vocals for Mark. The last two albums featured this in some way, and it would have been a nice touch here.