Episode 84: "AlterBridge" New Album Review

• Alter Bridge - Alter Bridge
  • The band's 8th studio album is a "grower" that improves with repeated listens.
  • Vocal Performance (Miles Kennedy):
    • Critique: Most tracks feature a "showing off" style that lacks authenticity and makes songs sound interchangeable.
    • Exception: "Slave to Master" is raw and emotional, with vocals perfectly serving the song's narrative.
  • Guitar Performance (Mark Tremonti):
    • Praise: Top-tier riff-making with unique, nuanced phrasing (slides, bends) that avoids straight-ahead clichés.
  • "Scales Are Falling":
    • The vocal cadence in the chorus is nearly identical to Judas Priest's "Turbo Lover."
  • "Slave to Master" (9-minute epic):
    • Praise: A career-best song with a powerful, emotional solo compared to David Gilmour's work.
    • Rationale: The solo is purpose-driven, not just flashy, making it the song's "emotional heartbeat."
  • Self-Titled Album:
    • Interpretation: A statement of confidence, declaring "this is who we are" eight albums in, rather than a debut.
• Other Metal Bands:
  • Gojira: New album rumored for 2026 release.
  • Angus McSix: New album coming with a new singer after Thomas Winkler's departure.
  • Amon Amarth: Praised for their unique blend of power and death metal, and their impressive live show (Viking boat).
  • Sabaton: Also praised; the drummer is partnered with singer Floor Jansen.

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Thanks for listening and keep on rocking

Chapters

• 0:00 cold open
• 13:10 intro
• 17:22 Album Review

Transcript

@0:00 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

And just for the point spread, for the 10.5. Because it was 10.5.

@0:05 - Sebastian

You would won, I think.

@0:06 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

would have won.

@0:08 - Sebastian

Rams are the favorites, though, right?

@0:09 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Oh, yeah. Rams were minus 10, 10.5 point favorites. And I'm like, well, last time they played, Carolina beat them by three.

It's going to be closer than I think what people think. And, well, I guess not. Oh, the Canucks lost again.

Nice. Well, that's a shock.

@0:25 - Sebastian

We want the tank.

@0:26 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

We want the tank. But every time I put the bet down, I'm like, yes.

@0:30 - Sebastian

You know, you get all these, like, from all over the internet people saying, yeah, this is a good one, blah, blah, blah.

I put it down, that team loses. I feel the same way.

@0:39 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

just like, oh, heck. I picked the Ravens at the beginning of the season to win the AFC. They didn't even make the playoffs.

@0:45 - Sebastian

Yeah.

@0:46 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

And I picked the Packers to win the NFC, right?

@0:49 - Sebastian

I also don't think anyone had Jacksonville or the Patriots on their bingo card to make the playoffs at the beginning of this year, either.

@0:55 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Or Chicago, or...

@0:56 - Sebastian

Chicago's a good story.

@0:57 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Probably Pittsburgh, and...

@1:00 - Sebastian

Paul, maybe Seattle, dude, I sat, I sat down to watch the Patriots game last night because I'm like, this is going to be, you know, it's such a great weekend for, for football.

Like every game was a banger. And then the one I actually choose to watch is like the most boring game.

@1:14 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

turned it off. Cause I'm like, whatever this game sucks.

@1:18 - Sebastian

Yeah. ended up actually watching half of it on my computer because I'm like, this is so boring.

@1:23 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

The fourth quarter was good, but. Well, especially coming off that bears game, like wherever.

@1:28 - Sebastian

Yeah. It's such a low point of the weekend.

@1:31 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Like lead change, lead change. All the games were close for the most part. They were actually, you know, and the 49ers winning.

I don't understand.

@1:37 - Sebastian

They don't even have a team left. They got nobody. Oh, they're not, they're not beating Seattle at all. Or Kittle's out too, right?

I hope they do.

@1:43 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

I think they, I think they might. The 49ers? Yes.

@1:47 - Sebastian

I would love it.

@1:49 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

I think it'd be cool. Get those Seahawks out and their stupid quarterback.

@1:53 - Sebastian

And. Sam Darnold.

@1:55 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Good old Sam Darnold. I, I don't know. It's kind of like, and it's funny, the 49ers. And you still have a chance to host the NFC Championship game.

No, no, they don't. No, they don't. I'm wrong.

@2:06 - Sebastian

They don't. They don't?

@2:07 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

No. Because they were the six and Green Bay was the seven. That's right. I'm wrong.

@2:12 - Sebastian

So it would be, if it would. If Green Bay won, they would have had a chance.

@2:14 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Yeah, they would have. Yeah. They would have had a chance, but Green Bay did not. And did you see after the Chicago game where Caleb had the cheese grater out and he's great cheese?

@2:23 - Sebastian

No, I didn't see that. Yeah. So good.

@2:26 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Oh my God. It was amazing. And, uh, and I got watched. I that game and I'm kind of a, a closeted bears fan.

Cause I love the Cubs. So I don't know why I've never liked the bears. I just don't, whatever. I like loser teams.

So the bears should fit right in.

@2:39 - Sebastian

You definitely do like that.

@2:40 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Yeah. Oh God. Um, it's the bears are fun. So I thought, you know, let's, let's, they're my team for this year.

I'm going to cheer for, I'm going to cheer for the bears. And, uh, it's just, they're just hilarious. They had like cheese graters and you know, like the cheese heads, but they had cheese graters on their heads and then they had like cheese.

Like they're literally grating cheese onto a table.

@2:58 - Sebastian

That's so funny.

@3:00 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Oh, my God. It's amazing.

@3:01 - Sebastian

I think it's pretty good.

@3:02 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Yeah, it's so cool.

@3:05 - Sebastian

I do like the 49ers. That would be a team I'd cheer for.

@3:08 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

You've always liked Brock Purdy, right? You're a big Purdy guy.

@3:10 - Sebastian

Well, I've had him in fantasy for a while, so that's why I liked Detroit back in the day because I had Stafford as my keeper quarterback for like five years.

@3:19 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

He always puts stats up.

@3:20 - Sebastian

They never won games, but he always puts stats up. That's what you want as your quarterback. You want 30 to 40 points on the high end every week from your quarterback, and Stafford would always get like at least 20 points.

@3:30 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

a week, so it's guaranteed.

@3:31 - Sebastian

Always.

@3:32 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Guaranteed.

@3:33 - Sebastian

I just cannot stand the Seahawks fans because the entitlement of them is just bananas. It's like...

@3:40 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

is.

@3:40 - Sebastian

Especially in BC and stuff because it's like, oh, it's our home team. It's our team.

@3:45 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

like, no, it's It doesn't have to We have nothing to do with them.

@3:48 - Sebastian

Just because it's two hours away.

@3:49 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Stop it. Just stop it. So anyways.

@3:54 - Sebastian

I just, anyone but Seattle. I don't want Seattle to win. but Seattle. But it's honestly good for business if Seattle is relevant.

@4:00 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Well, that's the thing.

@4:01 - Sebastian

Like, with your line of work, you will... I is so criminally boring until you watch a playoff. It is.

And then it's just like, for... And I know the reason, every pitch, you're hung on every pitch. Yep, absolutely.

It's just, it's so mind-boggling how that transition happens, right?

@4:46 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

It's not like any other sport.

@4:48 - Sebastian

Like, it's... You go from, like, this boring, like, grueling watch to, like, I'm hung on every pitch.

@4:54 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

And is grueling because it's 162 games. It goes on forever. But then all of a sudden, you know, the end is in sight.

I find that too in soccer that way.

@6:05 - Sebastian

When I watch soccer, I watch it because I can see how teams are trying to break down the opposition, whereas the average soccer fan doesn't see that.

We've played soccer for many years of our lives. I was lucky enough to play on some decent stuff, and just to see it play out, I'm like, oh, I know exactly what they're doing here before they're even doing it, how they're breaking the defensive part where this pass is going to go.

So it's just fascinating to see the matchups, right?

@6:34 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

And I like that with baseball. I it. I know what pitch is coming. I know where it's going for the most part, and it's fun to see if I'm actually right.

@6:43 - Sebastian

The other interesting thing too is that hockey for me this year has been the worst thing to watch.

@6:48 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

I just cannot watch hockey.

@6:50 - Sebastian

Maybe it's because the Canucks are so bad.

@6:52 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

I was just going say, is it a product of the home team that they are going awful?

@6:55 - Sebastian

Well, it's a disaster from the top end all the way down. Yeah. Like, I don't know what they're trying to do in Vancouver, but you're giving contracts out to players that don't deserve him.

Like, hey, guess what? Demko's on the IR again. And we just extended his contract by another three years. Like, why?

You know he's going to get injured and not be a factor for your season.

@7:16 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

What did he hurt now?

@7:18 - Sebastian

I don't know. He got pulled up on Saturday against the Leafs. Whatever. He saved. He was pulled in the first period after making like three or four saves in this.

They are saying a lower body injury, which probably means his knee because it's probably his knee again. Yeah. And then they put him on the IR the next day.

So he's out for at least two weeks. I was like, oh, look, we gave him a fat contract. EP40s.

I think I guess he's back now, but he's he's a disaster, man.

@7:46 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Like, needs to get traded.

@7:47 - Sebastian

Who wants him, though? What are you going to trade for him? He's 11, almost 12 million dollars a season.

@7:54 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

You could send him to a really bad team that has a lot of. I don't know enough about Halle.

They don't want a Rex Celebrini. That's all I would. I wouldn't do it.

@8:08 - Sebastian

He's a stud, man. Oh, man. He's good. You know the Canucks might have three first-round picks this year?

@8:14 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

I'm sure they'll be 27, 28, 29.

@8:16 - Sebastian

Well, they're the worst team in the league, so their pick right now is number one. At the worst, they can go fourth.

But, you know, they have Minnesota's pick, and because of all the trouble that Ottawa's in, I don't even know the full story there, but they got their first-round pick revoked.

So the Canucks would pick 32nd, which would still be in the first round. Oh, wow. I mean, what does a 32nd pick really get you?

I don't know. Yeah, it's a hope and a prayer when you're down there, right? Absolutely. I don't think they're done either.

I think they're trying to load up on picks this year. Don't be surprised if they trade Kiefer Sherwood either, which has been our best Canuck.

But, like, you have to trade him because he's never going to have a year this good ever again.

@9:00 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Yeah. Trade them all. Yeah. Just trade the whole team. Just bring up the young guys and just let them play.

@9:06 - Sebastian

That's what Manchester United is trying to do and they're a disaster. Do you know what's going on with Manchester United?

Do you have any idea what their drama is?

@9:13 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

I heard they're they're really bad.

@9:14 - Sebastian

That's all I Okay. I'll try to give you the Coles notes about it. Ever since Sir Alex Ferguson left, over 20 years ago, Man United has been a terrible shell of themselves, right?

Okay. And they're a terrible team. The organization is a disaster from the top end all the way down to the bottom.

There's too many chefs that are trying to run the kitchen in there. Totally. So you have this board of directors that basically want Man United to be a certain way.

And then they headhunted this manager named Ruben Amaran from Portugal. They headhunted him. So he didn't even want any to come to Man United, but they seeked him out and said, come to Man United, be our coach.

You're going to be the next coach. And he's like, okay. Okay. So, Here's the thing. I play a three-in-the-back system.

Man United traditionally plays a four-for-two or at least four backs.

@10:07 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

He goes, I don't play that way. That's not the system I believe in.

@10:10 - Sebastian

So I will only go to Man United if I can implement the systems that I want. And they're like, yes, of course.

@10:18 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Of course you can.

@10:19 - Sebastian

And he put them on blast a week ago, basically saying, I was brought in to manage Man United, and I'm treated like a coach.

I have no say in what players are brought in.

@10:28 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

You basically put the ownership on blast. You get fired the next day for doing that.

@10:33 - Sebastian

Of course. Right? But you hire a guy that plays a certain way, that coaches a certain way, and in your contract talks, in the talks of you bringing him on and you seeked him out, you agree to his terms, and then you don't give him any of the players he's asking for in terms of the transfer windows to play that system that he wants.

And to boot, it's not like Man United was doing poorly. Sixth place, which is better than the first year.

They've been 15th after the first year.

@11:04 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

they're almost getting relegated.

@11:05 - Sebastian

And he coached them the first year to 15th spot, but everyone's like, trust in the system, we're adjusting, blah, blah, blah.

This year, they're in sixth spot, so he's improved them quite a bit. He gets let go. Because the ownership group says, well, you need to play your academy players, you need to play all these players.

Well, their academy players suck, and the system that they want to play does not work for the players that he brought on to the team.

So there's this big drama going on. And the other thing with Man United is just like, everyone thinks that everybody is blessed to play for Man United.

It's like, I guess a comparable would be like the Leafs, where every one of the Leafs fans thinks that the Leafs are the most important thing happening at any given time, even if they're terrible.

And it's just like, you're saying all these things. So they're like, the pundits and the Man United people are saying, oh, we should just get this coach to come

@12:00 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

He would be a great fit for Man United, but he doesn't want to come to Man United to coach.

@12:05 - Sebastian

You do realize that. And they're like, well, it's Man United.

@12:07 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Of course he wants to come.

@12:08 - Sebastian

Like, no, your team is terrible. Why would he come to a dumpster fire to try to, like, wreck his career, right?

And so this is the terrible thing, or not the terrible, but the thing that just mind boggles me about Man United fans is that they just, they have no, they have such a disillusionment of how their team is in comparison to other.

Other teams. If you're a top tier player, why would you go to Man United when you have your choice to go to Barcelona, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Arsenal, Man City, PSG?

was going to say, not to mention any of the French teams either. Like, come on. You have a whole bunch of teams that you would, that you'd better fit for you than going to Man United.

Yet Man United thinks that they're the most important team ever at all times. So just like Leafs fans, just like Cowboys fans.

@12:55 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Just like Seahawks fans in Vancouver. Yeah, that's right. I've been recording the whole time. Of course you have.

@13:00 - Sebastian

Not the whole time.

@13:02 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Most of it.

@13:03 - Sebastian

Well, I'm prepared for that.

@13:04 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

I know now. You know now.

@13:06 - Sebastian

We'll see how much he edits out, but probably No, no, I know. I'm not editing anybody.

@13:10 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Oh, good. Good evening. Hello. Or Mandatory Music.

@13:13 - Sebastian

Hi, Seb. Yeah. Mandatory Music with a little bit of sports intro.

@13:17 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

A little bit of sports tonight. And, you know, I didn't turn it on for the video game talk or any of the personal stuff, so that was...

Okay, appreciate that.

@13:24 - Sebastian

No, no, no.

@13:26 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

I know to give it a couple of minutes to see where the conversation's going. Amazing. yeah, so that's funny.

Anyways. Oh, before we get into it stuff. The bulk of today's stuff. The bulk of today's stuff, which we are going to talk about the new Alter Bridge album, simply titled Alter Bridge.

But there's some breaking news in the metal world today.

@13:47 - Sebastian

I do not know this.

@13:49 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Coming out March 27th, Black Label Society's 9,000th album. Oh, interesting. Hold on. We were talking, so I'm not prepared.

I just wanted to...

@14:00 - Sebastian

I assume that the two that we've covered, Lord Humongous and the other one, are going to be on that album, or are they standing on tracks?

@14:06 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Let's see here. What is the album called? Oh, boy. It's not even on Apple Music yet. Love of God.

@14:15 - Sebastian

I'm going to look it up.

@14:16 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Seb, you can help me out here. I saw it on Facebook.

@14:21 - Sebastian

It's got to be true.

@14:22 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Demolition. Yes. Engines of Demolition.

@14:25 - Sebastian

13 songs.

@14:26 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

great name. It really is. Engines of Demolition.

@14:31 - Sebastian

Yeah, Lord Humongous is for sure going to be on that, because it just fits with that theme.

@14:34 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

was another song released recently, and the name escapes me, but it's really good.

@14:39 - Sebastian

Black Label Society's new album, Engine of Demolition, to include Ozzy's song.

@14:43 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Yes, it's just called Ozzy's song. It's the last track on the album. I saw that, so I'm assuming...

@14:48 - Sebastian

The Gallows. That's a good song. Yeah. Okay, so I'm just reading it from blabbermouth.net, which is a good thing.

So Black Label Society will release a new album, Engines of Demolition. On March 27th, the follow-up to Doom Crew Inc., which was out in 2021, contains 15 tracks, including the three previously released singles, Broken and Blind, The Gallows, and Lord Humongous, as well as a tune titled, Ozzy Song, which is an apparent tribute to Black Global Society, guitarist, vocalist, Zach Wilds, longtime bandmate, the iconic Black Sabbath singer, Ozzy Osbourne.

I have a track listing if you want to hear them. Sure. Okay, so first song, Name in Blood. Second song, Gatherer of Souls.

Right. The Hand of Tomorrow's Grave. That's a great title. Oh, that's cool. Better Days in Wiser Times, Broken and Blind, The Gallows, Above and Below, Back to Me, Lord Humongous, Pedal to the Floor, Broken Pieces, The Stranger, Ozzy Song.

And then there's two remixes, I guess. Oh. It says Name in Blood, in brackets, unblackened, and Lord Humongous, in brackets, unblackened.

@15:58 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Oh, so that'll that'll mean. They're probably a semi-acoustic, because they did...

@16:04 - Sebastian

That makes sense.

ACTION ITEM: Review Black Label Society - Engines of Demolition on release - WATCH

@16:05 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Black Label Society on Black End would be acoustic. Yeah, it'll be a semi-acoustic, if not all acoustic, but it'll be at least, there'll be some acoustic guitars.

ACTION ITEM: Review Black Label Society - Engines of Demolition on release - WATCH

There might be some lead work, but fun.

@16:16 - Sebastian

The way of reviewing that album, for sure.

@16:18 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Yes, absolutely. But yeah, I didn't know if you knew, so I just thought I'd...

@16:21 - Sebastian

I had no idea. I had literally no idea.

@16:24 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Thanks for...

@16:25 - Sebastian

You know what is one of my favorite Zach Rawls songs, is when he remixed No More Tears, the Black Label Society version.

It's so cool, man, because he completely changes the tone of the song.

@16:39 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

It's been a long time.

@16:40 - Sebastian

Well, because the bass part, which is iconic for No More Tears, is played on guitar in Black Label Society.

Now it's all coming back to me. Yeah, and it's super distorted, whereas the Aussie version is just a really cool bass line.

Yeah, it's super clean and crisp and just... Yeah, it's not like that on the Black Label.

@16:59 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

It's very distorted. A lot of fuzz in a Black Label Society song.

@17:02 - Sebastian

Come on, man.

@17:02 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

You got it. You're telling me. You're telling me. You got it.

@17:08 - Sebastian

So.

@17:09 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Alter Bridge. Alter Bridge. Now, I'll get this disclaimer out there. I've probably listened to four Alter Bridge songs in my whole life.

@17:17 - Sebastian

Okay.

@17:18 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Interesting. So I am a huge Mark Tremonti fan, but I just, just modern hard rock and metal just sometimes, sometimes doesn't do it for me.

And I think that was my issue in the past with Alter Bridge. I just get through a couple of songs.

I'm like, yeah, this is great. But I'm just like, nah, I just like, whatever. It's just that sort of Sirius XM, Octane Channel stuff.

@17:43 - Sebastian

many times have you listened to the album? Three. Okay. I've done about the same, actually. Two full listens. And then I made the mistake of putting it on while I was at work for the first time.

So I was a little distracted, but usually that is kind of a measuring stick for me. It's because I kind of test it while I'm working to see what song pulls me out of working to go, oh, you know, to like pique my interest.

Yes. And I will say this. It's definitely an Alter Bridge album. Absolutely. Like it's Alter Bridge. Right. And my, I'm just going to say it, my issue is I think Miles Kennedy knows he's a great singer.

And he lets you know that he's a great singer by his singing style. Yes, he does. And so for me, there's a little bit of missing authenticity in his voice for a lot of the tracks because he's like showing off that he can sing.

Would you agree or would you disagree?

@18:44 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

I, not so much on this album.

@18:47 - Sebastian

Okay. All right.

@18:49 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Yeah. In the past, I think I would 1 million percent agree with you that sometimes it was the vocals that, same with when he's with Slash and Conspirators.

@18:57 - Sebastian

It's just like, it's like he's trying. We to be this great front man with a great voice. We get it.

We know that you are that.

@19:05 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Just sing.

@19:06 - Sebastian

Just sing. And I know we'll get to the last track further, but man, was he connected and authentic in that last track.

@19:15 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Yes. Oh, without a doubt. But you're right. Like for the majority of the record, there's what?

@19:19 - Sebastian

How many songs there is? There's 12.

@19:22 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Yeah. So for 11 of the 12, not 11, there's some, like the first song, Sound of Eyes is an absolute, absolute banger.

@19:32 - Sebastian

It's good. Yeah, the bookends are great. Oh, yeah. The bookends are fantastic. There's nothing wrong with the first song.

I love it. I'll tell you this, though.

@19:39 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

I like the album a hell of a lot more, a heck of a lot more the second time I listened to it versus the first time.

Actually, I like it even more the third time.

@19:47 - Sebastian

So it's a grower.

@19:49 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

It's actually growing on me, which is surprising. There's some fun influences that I've heard in some of the songs.

@19:58 - Sebastian

There's a lot of Gojira influences. Also, it can't be denied that Tremonti's riff making is top tier. He's a good songwriter in terms of a guitar standpoint, right?

@20:14 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Oh, and it's not just like straight up, like I'm going to write some heavy riffs. I don't want to rip on Black Lobe Society, but a lot of their riffs are just straight ahead.

@20:23 - Sebastian

Yeah, right on the nose.

@20:25 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Right on the nose, and Tremonti's kind of, if you've got the nose at the center of your face, he's kind of hitting you in the cheeks and maybe the ears, and he's kind of going all over the place.

And then he gets down into the lane, and then it goes choruses, everything all goes weird again. Then the vocals, it centers itself back again.

@20:46 - Sebastian

A lot of the songs do that, and I think it's pretty Well, some of the riffs that he's written for Creed has been so freaking good, man.

Yes. Like, so good.

@20:54 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

And he just can't, let's do it because it's Creed. And you're just like, seriously?

@20:57 - Sebastian

Stop.

@20:58 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Yeah. Scott's the app, go away.

@20:59 - Sebastian

away.

@21:01 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

But, like, okay, there was one song that I skipped.

@21:04 - Sebastian

It was the ballad. Which one is the ballad? It was Hanging by a Thread?

@21:08 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

I believe so.

@21:11 - Sebastian

And... You know, it's funny.

@21:12 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

It sounds too Creed to me, and I'm like, I'm out.

@21:15 - Sebastian

I don't even care.

@21:16 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Honestly, three listens, I'm like, I can't do it.

@21:19 - Sebastian

I'm like, I'm just out. Yeah, and I mean, I feel the same way about Chasing Light on the Metallica, the 72 seasons.

@21:24 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

I'm like, don't skip a lot of Metallica songs, but I skip that one every time. What is this, 72 Seasons you talk about?

Was that a thing?

@21:33 - Sebastian

It's fine. It's fine. Yeah, it definitely grew on me. Like, so the second time I listened to the album, I liked it better.

Third time, I liked it better. I listened to the last song, like, so many times.

@21:47 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

So many times. How many times can you say that the best song on a record is the final track of the album?

@21:52 - Sebastian

Well, it's like that with the Metallica album. With the last Metallica. With the Load Reload, with 72 Seasons. Jetzt.

Ich wari.

@22:00 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Hardwired, last song on the album.

@22:02 - Sebastian

Yep.

@22:02 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Like they saved the best for last almost. my God. And it's a nine minute epic. Like, cause every other song is three minutes, four minutes, five minutes, standard, standard songs.

@22:11 - Sebastian

You know?

@22:11 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Yeah.

@22:12 - Sebastian

And then there's like a big, like two or three minute intro. And then there's like a, kind of like a silent pause for the guitar solo is incredible.

Oh my God. Like it's incredible. Yeah. I mean, let's just talk about the last song, I guess, cause we're already talking about, it's called Slave to Master.

@22:28 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

It's, it's so good. I mean, I'll put on a few seconds of it and, uh, like I do, actually, I do want to dig into the song.

Cause it's, it's like, it kind of goes to my theory and on my theory, but my, my thought of, um, the guitar is like little Van Halen-esque, but it's also like Alison Chainsy.

@22:47 - Sebastian

And it's like, it's different than any other song on the album.

@22:52 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Creed.

@22:52 - Sebastian

then, yeah, like it's, it's diverse. And he's so, he's so in it. Miles Kennedy.

@23:00 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Like, when he's singing, like, he's singing from this deep place inside of him. Like, you can tell.

@23:05 - Sebastian

It's layered. Like, he doesn't show off. His vocal lines fit perfectly with what he's trying to convey emotionally. Like, the solo is incredible.

@23:18 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

But when it kicks into the heavy part, because this is what I mean about Tremonti sort of aiming for everywhere but the center when he gets, when I'll let it go for a bit.

And I watched him play the solo on TikTok today. Oh, really? Yeah, and he's just sitting at home just, like, playing.

I'm pretty sure that it was this, like, the ending solo to the song. I don't know the solos, like, off by heart yet, but just watching him play.

Like, you know, I don't watch Mark Tremonti play, and he's fun to watch.

@23:46 - Sebastian

He's so good. Yeah.

@23:47 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Yeah. So here is, yeah, a nice, and I like the silence, the pause, the space.

@23:52 - Sebastian

Yeah. This is a banger riff, though. It is. It's so good.

@23:57 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Oh, my God. It's, when it first came on, I was like, okay. I slow.

@24:00 - Sebastian

I was ready to hit.

@24:02 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

I'm of into it, but yeah, like I was ready. Then this kid, I'm like, okay, I'm going to leave it and see where this goes.

And it kind of blew my head off.

@24:09 - Sebastian

Like it really did.

@24:12 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Like this, this riff is off. This is like for me, best riff of this decade.

@24:18 - Sebastian

It's so good. I don't want to mean or anything, but it kind of loses me when the vocals start.

Yes. Yeah. This, this part here is the weakest. Part in terms of like, um, his singing, but near the end, it gets so much better.

@24:36 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Cause I noticed a lot of, Oh, this is a perfect example. A lot of the songs in this album have the same vocal line.

Like that sort of, it goes up and then down and then it goes into the chorus.

@24:48 - Sebastian

Yeah. There's a lot of interchangeable songs where it's just like, I don't know which song I'm listening to. Yeah.

Like there's no diversity in terms of like musical. Yeah.

@24:56 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

journeys in a lot of the songs.

@24:58 - Sebastian

Yeah. You know, I do like a you

@25:00 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

couple of them, like Silent Divide, Rue the Day is good.

@25:02 - Sebastian

I like this one. Playing Aces is good.

@25:05 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Yeah, there's probably about eight really good songs on this album. But there is one, I'm going to sort pivot for a second, there was one song that kind of really...

When I first heard it, I was like, that's something. That is something. Oh, go on. It was Scales Are Falling.

Interesting. And it's... I would like to say it's a... Homage might be the wrong term to Judas Priest, but the...

@25:37 - Sebastian

Honoring Judas Priest maybe?

@25:40 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Or maybe...

@25:41 - Sebastian

Emulating them?

@25:44 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Stealing? Borrowing? Using?

@25:47 - Sebastian

Well, that's a...

@25:48 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Yeah. Like it's literally... Okay, I want to... I'm going to put it on. I'm going to fast forward, so see if I can...

Sure. I sing. I updated my stupid iOS and it's all different now. Okay, because...

@26:00 - Sebastian

because it changes everything, don't they?

@26:04 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

But this is... So just wait for the... I'll tell you when to see if it reminds you of anything.

@26:13 - Sebastian

I mean, there's a connection with the movie Rockstar and him.

@26:16 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Yep.

@26:17 - Sebastian

Which is filmed about Judas Priest.

ACTION ITEM: Compare Alter Bridge - Scales Are Falling vs Judas Priest - Turbo Lover side-by-side - WATCH

@26:18 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

This. Now listen. Now think Judas Priest. I don't know how well Rob Halford? It's very Rob Halford, but it's literally...

that the way he's singing is literally Turbo Lover by Judas Priest.

@26:35 - Sebastian

I don't... I'll have to listen to that side by side. Okay. Hold on. Interesting. Hold on. I'm gonna... We'll keep talking, I'm gonna pull up Turbo Lover.

Talk amongst yourselves, people. Turbo Lover, what a name.

@26:47 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Oh my god, that's... and it's like not very good Judas Priest.

@26:51 - Sebastian

You're in your library.

@26:52 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Yeah, thank There you go.

@26:53 - Sebastian

I appreciate it. Yeah, no worries.

@26:55 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Okay. So...

@26:57 - Sebastian

We're gonna go... Oh,

@27:00 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

I love the synth. Oh, who doesn't love some sweet synth, baby? I love synth. I'll turn that up. But anyways, I'm going to just fast forward a bit.

We've got to get to the core. When you sing it, I'm your Turbo Lover. This is so Judas Priest.

So great. But can you hear the same cadence?

@27:21 - Sebastian

totally.

@27:22 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

It's literally Turbo Lover. And it's not that it's a bad thing. But maybe it's because I'm old and I noticed this and younger Alter Bridge fans will not know, you know, that song.

@27:37 - Sebastian

Yeah, I don't think there's a lot of Alter Bridge fans that are like deep diving Judas Priest.

@27:40 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

That like cheesy 80s Judas Priest. But anyways, so wait till he gets to the chorus. It's too much.

@27:48 - Sebastian

Yeah, those singles.

@27:49 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Yeah. Yeah. So it's getting there. Come on, Rob. You can do it. Yeah. Like same cadence. Yeah, literally the same.

Yeah, you're right. Yeah. So, you know, do I want to take them to plagiarism court? No, because it's not like that's one of Judas Priest's.

@28:08 - Sebastian

can't really make a truly original song anymore. You can't.

@28:10 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

It's all been done. And I think that goes back now to Tremonti's guitar playing. It is so original and so...

Yeah, he's an incredible guitarist, It's so unique that he turns a straight ahead riff into something that is on its axis weird.

@28:26 - Sebastian

It's the nuances of his choices that he makes in terms of, like, how he holds the notes and, like, the little slides and, like, the little fillers that he...

There's lots of little bends in there. Yeah, you can play the riff straight away, but it's all the nuance that he puts in that just makes it so much more interesting.

Absolutely. Right? And you can tell in the Slave to Master, like, it's the burnout... Like, it's not a complicated riff, right?

No. Like, it's just... But it's those little slides.

@28:50 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

And then when it's in the middle, when it's going up to that high stuff, right after the part. Yeah.

And it's like, what?

@28:55 - Sebastian

It was incredible. incredible song, man.

@28:57 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Like, to me, it's a 5 out of 5 song.

@28:58 - Sebastian

Yes. I...

@29:00 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

This is one I'm going to listen to for many, many, many listens. What do you think of the fact that they self-titled this record?

@29:07 - Sebastian

I believe it's their eighth studio album.

@29:09 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

You self-title a record.

@29:10 - Sebastian

So usually, that's a good question. mean, Metallica did the Black Album. Sure. And I think they feel like this is their...

Like, yeah, why do they self-title the record? Do they feel like this is the one?

@29:25 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

This is the record? feel that this one most represents who they are? Maybe.

@29:30 - Sebastian

Right?

@29:30 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

This is a statement album. Because even look at the cover.

@29:32 - Sebastian

The cover is... It's just A-B.

@29:34 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

But it's like on sort of like a... I don't want to call it taupe, but kind of like not an off-white background with a little couple of dirt marks.

And it says Alter Bridge up very small on the A. And the rest of it is that it's just clean.

@29:48 - Sebastian

It's simple. It's super minimalistic. Like, it's just a white cream, like an off-white background with just their initials. And then part of the A is there's

@30:01 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

And it's hard to read with my glasses on my eyesight, the state of my life. Well, you're not going to notice that unless you like stare at it and go, oh, that actually says Alter Bridge.

And I didn't notice until about 10 minutes ago. I'm like, what is that? And I'm like, oh, it's Alter Bridge.

But it sort of exudes confidence, right?

@30:21 - Sebastian

Do you think that the last song maybe stands out a little bit because it's so substantially different from the rest of the songs?

@30:29 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Oh, yeah, it's not even.

@30:30 - Sebastian

I mean, that's why it stands out is because you get lost in the sauce of the other songs, kind of, sort of, because there's a lot of similar songs on the album.

@30:37 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Because you're like, swimming in the Alter Bridge pool.

@30:40 - Sebastian

Yeah. And then then you get out the hot tub.

@30:44 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

That's the song.

@30:46 - Sebastian

Basically, yeah, it's the ultimate hot tub. But yeah, that's sorry to get back to your point. Yeah. Why do you why do you think bands self-title albums?

@30:54 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

What is the reasoning? I know there's a lot of like one hit. Wonder bands that come out. They must know this is their only attempt.

This is their only shot. And we're just going to call it whatever. Whatever the band. I can't think of any examples off the top of my head.

But a lot of new bands come out and say, oh, it's our self-titled debut.

@31:11 - Sebastian

Why are you self-titling it now? Well, traditionally with a lot of bands, they name their band after a song, right?

So Black Sabbath, Black Sabbath, the song.

@31:23 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

album, Black Sabbath. Iron Maiden, the song, Iron Maiden.

@31:25 - Sebastian

Off the album, Iron Maiden. Off the album, Iron Maiden, right? So, but usually they do that with their first album for some reason.

@31:32 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Or at least that was the trend back in like the 80s and 70s and stuff. Where you have like Led Zeppelin where you numbered them.

And then, and then four was their self-titled.

@31:41 - Sebastian

Well, we talked about it with Days of the New where they just, they did color variants of.

@31:45 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

It was just Days of the New and it was just.

@31:48 - Sebastian

Slight, similar album cover, but the tree was always like in a different position or a different.

@31:54 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

I'd like to look at those trees again and see if it's like a tree that's degrading over time.

@31:58 - Sebastian

Just like, well, that's a good. That's a good mental state, right? I just thought of that now.

@32:03 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Yeah. But I think why I think why this is I don't know nothing because I'm just a guy, an old guy.

Why they I think with an album covered like this, no title. It's just like they're like, you know what?

you all. This is who we are. Like, it's like you said, it is an Alter Bridge album. But I think there's yeah, like, there's a confidence in this album.

There's a bit of more aggression in this album. Miles, he tones it.

@32:32 - Sebastian

He's toned down or he's just getting older and his voice is just sort of naturally sitting in a really good spot.

Do you think this might be their last album?

@32:41 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

No, God, no.

@32:43 - Sebastian

But you make a statement in the musical world by self-titling an album. So what statement are you trying to say?

Is that like, this is our best work that we've done.

@32:51 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

So here's a self title. Forget the other seven. This is this is it. Or this is who we are.

This is Alter Bridge. Bridge. get the pool, and then you get the hot tub.

@33:03 - Sebastian

But reading about it, a lot of people are like, if you self-title an album, I expect it to be your best album.

@33:11 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

See, this is where I don't know. Is this their best album? Because like I said, I listened to four songs.

I don't know. I think some would say there was maybe some back in the beginning that were probably received better, but...

Yeah, I'm not sure. Like, it's unapologetically Alter Bridge, but every band, especially eight albums in, you can't have 12 songs that are different.

@33:36 - Sebastian

Did you know what their most famous song is?

@33:40 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

No. Please tell me. Is it higher? Oh, that's Creed.

@33:43 - Sebastian

My bad. No, it's Metalingus. It's Edge's theme music for WWE, or when he was in the WWE.

@33:50 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

That's right.

@33:52 - Sebastian

So they wrote that song, and then he used it as his entrance. It's a great song.

@33:56 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

But you cannot hear that song and not think of Edge.

@34:00 - Sebastian

From wrestling at this point, because it's synonymous with his character, right?

@34:04 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

The Raider R Superstar. Kind of like Triple H and Time to Play the Game.

@34:09 - Sebastian

But the other good songs that they have is Addicted to Pain and Blackbird is probably one of their most famous songs too.

Yeah, it's... I just can't get over Slaves and Master. It's honestly the best Alter Bridge song in my mind that I've heard.

I love it so much.

@34:27 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Alter Bridge, Creed, Mark Tremonti, Solo stuff, which I haven't heard a ton of. It's awesome. It's like this transcending.

It's like this maturity where it's, I'm going to use a pool or maybe I'll use a bowl of soup where he throws in the Allison Chains, Van Halen, some Led Zeppelin.

@34:45 - Sebastian

But you can tell that it means a lot to them, the song. It's got a totally different feel. They're so connected in the playing of it.

It just works. All the parts work together. The solo is fantastic. It's so connected. It's so emotional. It's like a David Gilmour solo.

It is. It's got its flashy bits, but it's controlled. It's very controlled. It's not just like, here's a bunch notes.

There's purpose for every single note that he chooses in that solo. And like I always say, the solo is like the heartbeat of the song.

It's like that emotional heartbeat of what you're trying to convey without words. So, fantastic song. Let me know if you guys disagree or agree with me, but I think that's, I'm going to say it.

think Slave to Master is probably the best song they've ever written.

@35:37 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Would you certify this album mandatory to listen to?

@35:41 - Sebastian

I see what did there. You like that? Yeah.

@35:45 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Yeah. Not overwhelming, but just, yeah.

@35:49 - Sebastian

It's not like, it's not, I mean, like what, the last, I'm sure there's- album that blew your mind? Like legitimately?

You're not kidding.

@36:00 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Okay.

@36:01 - Sebastian

Tool album, Fear Inoculum. No, it's not on the same level.

@36:06 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

But having said that, though, I don't listen to half of the songs on that album. No, I'm down to two.

@36:12 - Sebastian

Well, I listen to like four, like the four big ones, like Fear Inoculum, Pneuma, Descendants, and I'm missing another one.

Tempest?

@36:21 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Tempest, yes. You know what?

@36:22 - Sebastian

I've never listened to the whole song of Tempest. It's 14 minutes long.

@36:25 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

I just turn it off.

@36:26 - Sebastian

I'm like, I'm done. I'm like, I don't care. It's too much.

@36:29 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

should one day. No, it's too much guitar solo. I can't do it. I can't. I just don't like it.

I've never have.

@36:35 - Sebastian

That's an it. But having said that, I can't listen to that album all the time. Like, it's just sometimes I'm just not in that space of like listening to 13 minute songs.

@36:43 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

And I'm just like, it's over it. But album is a little easier to digest. Yeah. And Slave the Master is just like a...

@36:49 - Sebastian

I would say that there's, that song is mandatory to listen to.

@36:53 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Slave the Master, you should listen to that song.

@36:55 - Sebastian

Absolutely. You can probably throw, like, I would say the first like... Two songs and like the last three songs, four songs, maybe, and everything in the middle, but I think it's pretty common for a lot of albums.

@37:11 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Like it's hard to write and create 12 amazing. Like, you know what I mean? Like they, I'm sure they're passionate about them.

They love them, but it's, every band is, has this, like not every album is like, okay, there's 12 songs and these are all absolute.

We're going to play all 12 live.

@37:28 - Sebastian

No, you're not. But the other thing to consider too, that like when you're listening to an album for the first time, it's very dependent.

How are you going to react to a certain song is very dependent on what's going on in your psyche in the moment that you're listening to that album, right?

So you may be connected to a certain wrong for, for a song for a certain reason because of your emotional state or whatever's going on in your life.

You may connect with certain words or certain riff lines because it speaks to you in that moment, right? Like, you know, I always go back to Ghost Love Scores.

It's one of my favorite songs I've ever listened to, but when that. And to me, I was in such a state in my life that I just immediately connected to that song for whatever reason, right?

Because, yeah, so, and the same with like Metallica songs, it's like, why did Bleeding Me connect with me on such a level when that first came out, right?

So, you know, I...

@38:19 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Inamorata make me cry?

@38:21 - Sebastian

Because... Exactly the same point, right?

@38:23 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Inamorata, like, spoke to you on such a level. Sure did.

@38:26 - Sebastian

Absolutely. Because it connected you to vulnerabilities of your past that you could safely express through that song.

@38:33 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

And it just sort of made me realize, oh, , I got some issues.

@38:40 - Sebastian

But that's also a good awareness. So, metal music has been scientifically researched, and people that listen to metal are some of the most balanced people in mental health in the world.

Obviously, there's some... There's some outliers. metal people, outliers. Mm It will be I that in every genre of music or whatever, but there's been scientific papers written on the release of negative emotion through metal, and it's like metal is there to safely, and rock for that matter too, to safely release all this pent-up aggression and negativity, and you're allowed to just go, why do people listen to metal when they work out?

Because it's energizing. It pumps you up. Yeah, I don't know. Definitely the album has grown on me from my first listen.

was just kind of like, yeah, it's just Alter Bridge. This all sounds like Alter Bridge songs. There's nothing that really slapped me in the face until I got to the last song, and I was like, wow.

@39:41 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Like, if you put on the headphones you're wearing, and listen to a couple songs, and kind of turn it up, get some good noise-canceling headphones in your ears.

@39:49 - Sebastian

And that's what I always say, and I think you say the same thing.

@39:53 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

It's just like, don't just listen to your album in one space.

@39:56 - Sebastian

No.

@39:56 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Like, listen to it in the car. Listen to it in the car. Aren't I had it on the gym today, and then I was at home yesterday, and I had it on yesterday, and I think I listened to it, maybe it's four times, but I had it on Saturday as well, and it was all different, like I had it in my AirPods.

You different things, right? Yeah, like my AirPods are tinny, and I'm like, eh, and then I had it in some bigger ones that I wear at the gym.

@40:16 - Sebastian

And sometimes the songs are compressed, it doesn't work for certain headphones properly, and so it's just a big wall of noise, and then when you get really good headphones on, and you're like, oh, I can hear the differences in the instruments, and I missed that the first time I listened to it.

@40:30 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Yeah. But go listen.

@40:31 - Sebastian

It's a great album. It's great to work out to.

@40:34 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

I agree. I do to drive to. It might not be for every occasion, but you know what? I certify it mandatory as well.

Yeah. I got two last tidbits of somewhat news.

@40:48 - Sebastian

Send it.

@40:49 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Send it. Rumor is, Gojira's new album is coming out this year sometime. Oh, nice. Yes. They're just about to embark on a huge tour of France, their biggest tour of France.

Biggest, best tour of France. Gojira. Aww. Gojira. Gojira. Um, so I'm, I'm, I would guess probably in the fall, hopefully summer, fall, we'll get new, new Gojira music, which is always exciting.

And then, uh, one of my fantasy metal bands that I love.

@41:12 - Sebastian

Oh boy. Oh boy. Angus McSix, who actually, Angus McSix, who was Angus McFive. Glory Hammer, right?

@41:17 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

He was in Glory Hammer and then he got kicked out of Glory Hammer and he was Angus McSix. He's actually left his own band because he had a baby and he's taken time away from wielding the hammer or the sword of destiny or whatever it is.

And then they got a new singer, but they got a, they got a new record coming out and it's got the guys, dude, of course, dude's got pipes.

And I don't know. I didn't see the data when it's coming, but it, uh, if you like sort of, if you like fantasy metal, Angus McSix is right up your alley there.

@41:45 - Sebastian

specifically, if you like flying dinosaurs in space that shoot lasers out of their eyes, then you, this is right down there.

@41:51 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Laser shooting dinosaur, one of the greatest songs of all time. Um, but it's too bad, uh, Thomas had, had to leave his own band, but I'm sure maybe one day he'll be back.

@42:00 - Sebastian

Yeah, that happens.

@42:02 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

You know, life gets in the way, and I'm assuming it probably, you know, it was just a side thing anyway, but, and what else did I have?

Oh, and I've been listening to Sabaton a lot too.

@42:17 - Sebastian

Yeah, Sabaton's great.

@42:18 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Sabaton is great.

@42:20 - Sebastian

Do you know who the drummers are married to?

@42:21 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

No.

@42:23 - Sebastian

You? Flory Anson.

@42:25 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Really?

@42:26 - Sebastian

Yeah, Flory Anson's partner is, I don't know if they're actually married She's but I know they're, they're together. Yeah, she's dating, or they're, like, they live together, they have children together.

But yeah, the, the drummer for Sabaton is, is Flory Anson's partner.

@42:39 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

I don't know if they're still together or not. I haven't looked, researched her in many years.

@42:43 - Sebastian

That's That doesn't matter.

@42:44 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

That's not our business. Yeah. I was watching some live stuff of Sabaton. Man, I'd, I'd love to go to one of these metal shows in Europe.

@42:51 - Sebastian

Just, oh, we should go to Valken one, one year. I'd love to go to Valken. That's a bucket list thing, man.

@42:57 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Valken, the Valken vessel. Because I think Valken would be good because... It's not like it's the one, it's not Hellfest where there's 400 billion people there, like Valken's big, but it's not, it's not like too big.

@43:09 - Sebastian

sustainable for us, right? Yeah. Hellfest is just a big onslaught of metal.

@43:13 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Like, I couldn't imagine even going there. You get up to the front, you're there. You're not leaving. Yeah.

@43:18 - Sebastian

I just watched, I can never say this name properly. I'm on Amarth.

@43:24 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Amon Amarth?

@43:25 - Sebastian

Yeah. I just watched them on YouTube in their Valken, they're like a 15 minute Valken festival.

@43:30 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

I think I might've seen that too. Dude, they're so good. And they got the boat. Yeah.

@43:35 - Sebastian

They got the Viking boat on stage. like they were, they were playing on top of, like, cause Valken has the, the little bull logo.

Like it reminds me of The Rock for some reason, because it looks like the drama bull logo, but they were playing on top of the logo.

@43:50 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Yeah.

@43:51 - Sebastian

I love Amon Amarth, man.

@43:52 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

They're so good.

@43:52 - Sebastian

They're amazing. What is their one song that's like Thunder God or something?

@43:56 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Something like that. a lot of, you know, they have a lot of cool songs.

@44:00 - Sebastian

Yeah. They're old, too. They're not young.

@44:04 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

And, of course, my daughter said she would go see Amon and Marth with me.

@44:07 - Sebastian

Would she?

@44:08 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

She said she would.

@44:10 - Sebastian

What is it?

@44:10 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Twilight of the Thunder God.

@44:12 - Sebastian

That's like their main song. It's so good.

@44:15 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Yeah. She's a hoot, that kid.

@44:19 - Sebastian

So Amon and Marth, it's funny, though, because they're a power metal band, but they're also not.

@44:26 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

No, they're. Yeah, they are.

@44:28 - Sebastian

They are metal. But, you know, when you when you think of power metal, you think of like Sabaton, Dragon Force.

Sure. But they're more death metal.

@44:35 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Yes. It's tuned down as far as it goes.

@44:38 - Sebastian

between power metal and death metal.

@44:40 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

And it's like it's a good space for them to be in.

@44:43 - Sebastian

Absolutely amazing.

@44:45 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

No, I love I love Amon and Marth. They are. They're the goods.

@44:50 - Sebastian

Yeah, he's a good singer, too.

@44:51 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Well, know, yeah. And their stage presence is absolutely amazing.

@44:57 - Sebastian

Yeah. Some great.

@45:02 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

So we'll leave you guys, we'll play out some Amon Amarth on our way out. And if you like viking metal, you know, with iron bait and guitar type stuff, Amon Amarth is your band.

Also Sabaton too. Yeah, he looks like a crazy viking.

@45:19 - Sebastian

He looks like Zeus. Or Odin or whatever, but yeah.

@45:26 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

It's screaming, that's okay. So yeah, so that's our show.

@45:30 - Sebastian

We'll be back next week. We will.

@45:33 - Mandatory Music (mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com)

Bye. We'll see you on the next time.