Rock titans Alter Bridge reveal new single, plan album 2026

Alter Bridge's new album is only a few weeks away. The eighth studio album by the American rock stalwarts will arrive on January 9, 2026 via Napalm Records — and in the meantime, the band is adding fuel to the fire with their third single, "Playing Aces."

The new album starts with a typical Kennedy-Tremonti guitar dialogue that immediately reminds us why this duo is one of the most reliable riffmakers in contemporary rock. Once Brian Marshall and Scott Phillips join in, the song launches into a dense groove that keeps the pressure on from the first to the last second.

The verses move forward like a well-oiled machine, and everything builds to a strong, melodically constructed chorus, where Kennedy serves up another of those moments that get stuck in your head: "If I risked it all, I hope you'll understand that I had to play my hand…" 

Myles Kennedy adds to the single: "'Playing Aces' works with a gambling metaphor. It's about sometimes you have to bet everything, even if you've had a lot of losses. A last-ditch attempt to make it."

Alter Bridge has long relied on strong riffs, guitar duels and vocal melodies that can combine technique with emotion. After the success of Pawns & Kings (2022), which rose to the top of the American rock charts, the new Alter Bridge album has the ambition to push the band even further

If "Playing Aces" is any indication, it's that Alter Bridge definitely don't play it safe — but that's exactly why fans love them.