Today (October 8) is the day Alter Bridge fans have been waiting a long time for. The band released their fourth studio album, Fortress. Lead single "Addicted to Pain" has won 16 consecutive Rocktagon battles and is looking to tie Asking Alexandria's record of 17 tonight against rock legends Black Sabbath!

Alter Bridge have branched out a bit with Fortress. Guitarist Mark Tremonti even makes his lead vocals debut in AB on this record. Frontman Myles Kennedy hopes that fans realize how much Alter Bridge pushed themselves on their new project.

"Hopefully they will embrace the risks that we took as musicians," Kennedy told Billboard. "I think that for us we really wanted to challenge ourselves and not fall into the same patterns and formulas that we used on previous records, and when you do that you run the risk of alienating fans who’ve come to expect a certain thing. So what we're hoping is we're able to satiate our own needs but the fans will find it compelling as well."

Black Sabbath have experienced renewed success since announcing their reunion in 2011. The metal icons released their 19th studio album, 13, earlier this year, their first since 1995's Forbidden and without original drummer Bill Ward. Black Sabbath will release a live album entitled Black Sabbath: Live - Gathered in Their Masses on November 26. Listen to their new single "Loner" below and vote for who you want to win.

Watch Alter Bridge's "Addicted To Pain"

Listen to Black Sabbath's "Loner"

Follow Dave Kim on Twitter and tumblr.

 

More From 97.9 WGRD