With the release date of their eighth studio album approaching on January 9, 2026, Alter Bridge has unveiled a new single titled “Playing Aces”. The song opens with the group’s familiar dual-guitar energy, with Myles Kennedy on vocals and guitar, Mark Tremonti on guitar and vocals, Brian Marshall on bass, and Scott Phillips on drums. Together, they build a tense, driving rhythm that leads into a sweeping chorus anchored by Kennedy’s line: “If I risked it all, I hope you’ll understand that I had to play my hand…”
The track is now available on all major streaming platforms. A music video directed by J.T. Ibanez has also been released and can be viewed below.
Kennedy explains the theme behind the song, noting that “The term ‘Playing Aces’ ties in with the gambling analogy of risking everything regardless of how many times you’ve failed in life. It’s a last-ditch effort to come out on top.”
After more than twenty years together, Alter Bridge continues to maintain its reputation for heavy riffs, memorable melodies, and their signature two-guitar interplay. The band aims to build on its longstanding global following with the arrival of its self-titled eighth studio album, set for release through Napalm Records.
The forthcoming self-tilted album, Alter Bridge, contains twelve new tracks, several of which the band feels will stand alongside their most recognizable songs. Titles such as “Rue The Day”, “Disregarded”, and “Scales Are Falling” reflect the band’s familiar energy. “Trust In Me” features a vocal trade-off with Myles Kennedy handling the verses and Mark Tremonti taking the chorus. That approach reverses on “Tested And Able”, where Tremonti delivers the verses and Kennedy leads the choruses following what is described as one of the group’s most forceful intros.
Another track, “Hang By A Thread”, is expected to resonate strongly in the live setting, evoking elements of fan favorites from earlier in the band’s catalog. The album closes with “Slave To Master”, a lengthy and expansive piece that marks the longest composition Alter Bridge has recorded.
