All I Was (2012) reveals another side of Mark Tremonti. The Grammy Award-winning guitarist's style remains instantly recognizable. It's nearly impossible to forget his riffs in Multi-Platinum rock juggernaut Creed or his scorching fretwork with the critically acclaimed fan favorite Alter Bridge. Having sold over 40 million records worldwide, this is the man behind massive hits like "My Own Prison," “Higher," and "Isolation," just to name a few. There are myriad reasons why Guitar World dubbed him "Guitarist of the Year" three consecutive years in a row, and why he ranked as the "fourth greatest heavy metal guitarist ever" in Total Guitar. You might think you know him from all of that, but you haven't heard Tremonti unleashed like this.
Assuming both vocal and six-string duties on his long-awaited solo debut, released this past July, Tremonti thrashes with a fierce intensity that's remarkably heavy and instantly infectious. Flanked by rhythm guitarist Eric Friedman and drummer Garrett Whitlock, Tremonti engages in an incendiary metallic assault that's relentless from the first moment until the last, burning down all expectations in its path. In many ways, Tremonti returned to his roots for All I Was. Growing up on the likes of Pantera and Metallica, heavy metal has always had a very special place in his heart. However, he never had the avenue to truly follow those impulses to the fullest until now.
"From day one in Creed, I'd pull out metal riffs and the guys would remind me that we weren't Slayer," Tremonti laughs. "Over the years, our sound got heavier. Then, Alter Bridge became even heavier than Creed. That's my foundation. It's a style that I'm really comfortable with. Now, there are no holds barred. I figured the solo album was my opportunity to get that part of myself out there without losing the sense of melody I've worked so hard to achieve." That's exactly what he's done on All I Was. Ultimately, the album remains as pure as the guitarist's love for music. "I hope people have fun listening to All I Was and want to see it live," he concludes. "This record is heavier than anything I've done, but it's still a fun record. I hope it makes people want to go out, face the world."
