You say you like it heavy? How about skull crushing? Heart pounding? Riffs that punch you in the gut and solos that make your head spin? Can you hang with the thundering “Flying Monkeys,” or keep up with the speed of “Wish You Well?” I hope so, because this is Mark Tremonti’s world and we’re all just here to sing along.
For those who don’t observe the sacred occasion of Tremonti Tuesday, some background: Mark Tremonti brings the riffs for rock powerhouse Alter Bridge, and he was melting our faces in the early 2000s as part of a little band called Creed. (Don’t pretend you didn’t like Creed…we all liked Creed.) When he started Tremonti, Mark decided to step up to the mic, while serving an even heavier version of that sweet, sweet Tremonti tone. He’s joined by Eric Friedman bringing even more thunder on guitar, Garrett Whitlock, who absolutely murders on the drums, and Tanner Keegan holding it down, commanding stage right on the bass.
You could feel the adoration in Atlanta’s “Heaven” venue at the Masquerade as the guys walked on stage. “Brains” kicked off 90 minutes of relentless metal, followed by “Another Heart.” The latter’s bridge and solo are metal perfection. Do yourself a favor and check it out.
The crowd was full of fanboys and fangirls, hanging on Mark’s every word, and trying to take in every note he played. The thing that makes Mark Tremonti’s playing so special: there’s plenty of soul woven into that technical talent.
The band will release its fourth album, A Dying Machine, on June 8th. The lead single, “Take You With Me,” was definitely a highlight of the show. This tune should be a huge hit. It’s a catchy, driving anthem that just makes you smile. “A Dying Machine” was pretty epic live, thanks to Mark’s passionate performance. I’ve been a fan from the beginning, and I can tell you his voice just keeps getting better and better. Aside from those 2 new songs, the show was heavy on material from the band’s first album, All I Was, and album #3, Dust.
I Could tell the guys were happy to be playing together again, and they looked like they were having a blast. Mark roamed around the stage, making those “guitar faces” we all love to meme…headbanging, smiling, and nodding to the crowd. It was honestly overwhelming to be in the presence of a band with that much talent. The blistering riffs and blazing solos kept the energy going the whole time. The night really found its groove with “Dust,” then “Radical Change,” a favorite from Cauterize. “You Waste Your Time,” and “Wish You Well” was the perfect way to close out the show.
Can we just crown these guys the new kings of thrash? We’re not worthy!
Shaman’s Harvest warmed up the crowd with some solid, groovy, country-flavored rock. Opening with the bad ass “Dangerous,” taking us to church with “In Chains,” and putting a gritty spin on “Dirty Diana.” Their short time on stage closed with an intense version of their hit “Dragonfly.”
Tremonti will be touring in Europe through the summer.
