The End Will Show Us How

Have we really never covered Tremonti on Firesideometer? Apparently not. Which is weird, because for years I filed them away in the “nope” pile by association with Creed. I didn’t even bother until 2016’s Dust, which blindsided me with riffs that were heavier, and often thrashier, than I’d have guessed. Tremonti’s voice still reminded me of Darius-what's-his-face from Hootie, so for a while I kept the band at arm’s length under the nickname Hootie and the Thrashfish. That bit of smug detachment let me enjoy it as a guilty pleasure. But when A Dying Machine landed, it wasn’t just a guilty pleasure anymore. It was one of the best metal records of 2019, period. Since then I’ve gone full evangelist: Mark Tremonti is a riff beast, and if you still hate him just because of Creed, we can’t be friends.

Anyway, A Dying Machine is the bar everything since has had to clear. Marching in Time came close, but not quite. So when The End Will Show Us How opened with a by-the-numbers Tremonti track, I braced for disappointment. It’s not the thrashfest of old. The heaviness takes a back seat to a lot more ballads this time around. But surprisingly, those ballads are the best part. Somewhere along the way I stopped skipping the slow songs and started craving them.

‘Just Too Much’ hits with a stomped-out riff big enough to flatten small buildings, but the real highlights lean into melody. ‘It’s Not Over’ is one of those ballads I’d normally dismiss for veering so close to Creedsville, yet the chorus is so undeniable it won me over. The title track is another slow-burn with Tremonti sounding genuinely vulnerable, damn near heartbreaking. ‘The Bottom’ is the knockout track, a distorted, Failure-esque melody threading between verses that eventually explodes into a chorus I can’t quit replaying. And then there’s ‘Now That I’ve Made It.’ Normally, power ballads make me cringe, but when one’s done right, it’s like biting into a beautiful Georgia peach. You hate peaches? I hate peaches too. But I know a good one when its juices are dripping down my face.

Honestly, there isn’t a bad track here. A few (the opening track and ‘Nails’) feel a little by-the-book, but they still work in the flow of the record. And when the ballads are this strong, they don’t just hold up the weaker spots, they redefine what the album’s about. The End Will Show Us How isn’t A Dying Machine, but it’s a rock-solid record from start to finish.