The End Will Show Us How
Tremonti
Mark Tremonti's name on an album gives you a fairly good idea of where the guitars will sit. The End Will Show Us How has plenty of large riffs and demanding playing, but some of its strongest moments come from the way he uses his voice around them.
The Mother, the Earth and I is a good opening choice. It gives the music room to develop, with a more reflective mood than a simple heavy introduction would have offered. The guitar still has weight, but the song makes space for uncertainty and melody too.
One More Time brings the more immediate attack. The fast opening guitar figure gives it a strong sense of purpose, and Tremonti's vocal turns the aggression into something with a clear emotional shape. Just Too Much is another highlight, built around a forceful low riff and a melody that feels firmly connected to it.
Nails pushes the thrash influence further. The lead guitar has a sharper edge, and the rhythm gives the song plenty of drive. Tremonti can clearly make this material difficult to play, but the parts are arranged so the listener can still find the centre of the song.
The title track is more interesting for its restraint. The cleaner opening and the later solo give the music a different way to build, while It's Not Over allows the singing to carry more of the feeling. Those songs help the album move beyond a collection of heavy guitar parts.
There are some familiar choices in the writing. The balance between a hard riff and an emotional chorus is well established by now, and several tracks stay close to that pattern. All the Wicked Things offers a useful change through its keyboard-led opening, suggesting another direction worth exploring.
This is a confident, substantial record from a musician who understands his strengths. The guitar playing is excellent, the singing keeps improving, and the more thoughtful arrangements provide the strongest reasons to return. Tremonti doesn't need to abandon the riffs to make the songs more revealing.
