Album Review: Tremonti - Dust

Recorded during the same sessions as last year's Cauterize, guitarist/vocalist Mark Tremonti (Alter Bridge, Creed) has made a concerted effort to emphasise that Dust isn't merely throwaways from the aforementioned studio stint.

This focused collection of rockers largely attests to that. Tremonti built much of his musical empire on radio-ready, hooky choruses a la rollicking My Last Mistake. Conversely, you can trace his classic metal and thrash DNA throughout. The fusion is aggressive, yet digestible. Tremonti stretches his vocal range during the soaring title track, while bassist Wolfgang Van Halen infuses a unique flavour, evidently revelling in operating outside the familial fold.