After Creed came to an end in 2004, members Mark Tremonti (lead guitar), Brian Marshall (bass) and Scott Phillips (drums) joined forces with ex-The Mayfield Four singer and guitarist, Myles Kennedy. Forming Alter Bridge, the band quickly got to work on their debut album, "One Day Remains," which found great success, eventually being certified Gold. The virtuosic guitar talent of Tremonti and the powerful vocals of Kennedy helped the album stand apart from Creed's discography.
After touring globally in support of the album, the band left their label, Wind Up, and moved to Universal imprint, Republic. Returning to the studio for their second effort, 2007's "Blackbird," Alter Bridge found success with the lead single, "Rise Today," finding widespread positive critical acclaim, displaying a greater songwriting influence of Kennedy.
In 2009, Creed reformed and Alter Bridge was put on the back burner by the members, with Kennedy joining Slash's touring band. Yet a year later, Alter Bridge was back in full force, returning with the album, "AB III." A live album of their stadium-sized performance, "Live at Wembley: European Tour" soon followed, which displayed their anthemic abilities. Praise continued for Alter Bridge with their fourth record, "Fortress," which was released to positive acclaim in 2013.
The original members of the band, Lajon Witherspoon, John Connolly, Clint Lowery, Vince Hornsby and Morgan Rose, came together in 1994 and worked constantly on their sound for a few years before releasing any material. In 1996 the band released the track “My Ruin” which was featured on videogame soundtrack, “More Kombat”.
The band’s heavy riffs and thrashing drum lines proved popular with fans and, after extensive touring to support the release of their debut album, “Sevendust”, in 1997, the album was finally certified gold despite only getting to 165 on the US Billboard chart.
With a legion of fans in their corner after their extensive touring for the album “Sevendust”, the band released their second studio album “Home” in 1999, which shot to the number 19 spot in the US Billboard chart. Like it’s predecessor, the album was eventually certified gold.
To widen their audience, the band toured extensively worldwide alongside huge bands such as Metallica, Korn, Limp Bizkit, Nonpoint, Kid Rock and Creed. With this exposure the band achieved their biggest success to date in 2003 with the album “Seasons”, which peaked at the number 14 position on the US Billboard chart. The band’s first top 10 single also came from this album, with “Enemy” hitting the number 10 spot on the US Mainstream Rock chart.
It was seven years before Sevendust was able to outdo the success of “Seasons”. In 2010, the band released “Cold Day Memory” which shot to number 12 on the US Billboard chart. The album’s lead single, “Unravelling” also performed well, getting to number seven on the US Mainstream Rock chart.
When asked to describe their genre of music, Sevendust has struggled to define their style. Instead, they explain that their music has evolved through a number of sub genres including nu metal, heavy metal and rock. Sevendust claim their influences as Twisted Sister, Anthrax and Ministry.
Reports that straightforward, no-frills hard rock is dead have been greatly exaggerated; if you need proof of that, Alter Bridge would be more than happy to provide it. They’ve only been going for a decade, and they’re hardly household names, but they’re already veterans of the UK arena circuit, and were second only to the mighty Aerosmith on the bill for this year’s final day of Download Festival. Frontman Myles Kennedy has a prodigious work ethic; his other job, if you can call it that, is fronting Slash’s band, and he tours extensively with both outfits. Despite everything he puts it through, though, his voice remains as fierce as ever; he has one of the finest deliveries in modern rock, with the kind of classic sound that allows him to pull of Guns n’ Roses classics with Slash as well as sound genuinely aggressive and forward-thinking on Bridge material. Last year, the band’s fourth record, Fortress, met with superb reviews, with an average of 81 on Metacritic; it also saw them solidify their reputation as one of the finest live acts in rock, with a UK arena tour enjoying a rapturous reception in October of last year. Kennedy will be back on Slash duty in those same huge rooms later this year, putting Alter Bridge temporarily on the back burner; rumour has it, though, that they’re already lining up UK dates for 2015.
Whether a small or big concert hall or festival stage, Sevendust delivers the goods and well at that! The first time I saw 7D, I arrived at a moderate size arena they were playing at just at the tail end of their set. Much to my dismay I also missed an autograph session they held in the lobby after that by a hair's breadth. Since then, however, I saw them rock the afternoon concert stage electric fashion at Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar three years ago. Singer Lajon Witherspoon's voice is nothing short of amazing as his impressive vocal range and style can morph from loud and gravelly to quiet and melodic, making for a great sing-along! Just recently during the end of the first leg of their current tour, they played a more intimate concert, namely an acoustic set at a Knights of Columbus Hall in my home state. It put the music in a whole new perspective and with a catered lunch and open bar, made for a true party atmosphere. Drummer Morgan Rose provided a hypnotic back beat with his bongo drum set and guitarists Clint Lowery and John Connolly along with Vince Hornsby's bass playing created melodies that were nothing short of intricate and infectious. In addition, I was finally able to get closure on a missed meet&greet from four years ago, something I told Witherspoon I had been angling to do since then when I spoke with him after the concert and was gracious about taking a picture with me for posterity as well. A grand day out!