Guitar great Mark Tremonti is best known for his work in the rock hit making machine Creed and for the success of his current band Alter Bridge. In recent years, Mark has taken a walk on the heavier side with some really terrific solo albums that really show off his thrash metal side. His latest album “Dust” is out on his own label Fret 12 and features 10 new tracks that are a fantastic combination of speed metal and melody.
For this project, Mark of course takes on guitar duties as well as lead vocals. Joining him are Eric “Erock” Friedman on guitar, Garrett Whitlock on drums, and Wolfgang Van Halen on bass. The band sounds tight, as if they have been playing together forever, and Tremonti’s guitar skills are unquestionable. What really blew me away on this record was the songwriting skills and vocal performance of Mark. Working with producer Michael “Elvis” Baskette, Mark offers up Slayer type thrash with a more melodic metal vibe for a really unique sound that works hand in hand with his vocal style. Being in bands with some of the best modern day rock vocalists in Scott Stapp and Myles Kennedy, it’s been easy to overlook Tremonti’s own set of pipes. His voice really shines on the first single “Dust” with an easy feel and some poignant guitar work as well as “Tore My Heart Out” which focuses on the pain of a breakup. Don’t miss the out of this world thrash riff of “My Last Mistake” and the stellar fret work as Mark lets it rip on “Rising Storm.”
With “Dust,” Tremonti shows he can do it all. He’s not only a guitar hero but a great vocalist and extraordinary songwriter too. This is definitely his strongest solo album to date and one you’ll want to add to your rock collection.
