Isolation (Alter Bridge song)

"Isolation"
Single by Alter Bridge
from the album AB III
ReleasedSeptember 26, 2010
GenreAlternative metal
Length
  • 3:52 (radio edit)
  • 4:13 (album version)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Michael "Elvis" Baskette
Alter Bridge singles chronology
"Before Tomorrow Comes"
(2008)
"Isolation"
(2010)
"I Know It Hurts"
(2011)

"Isolation" is a song by American rock band Alter Bridge, released as the first single from its third album, AB III. The song was made available as a digital download on September 26, 2010, in the United Kingdom by Roadrunner Records and October 25, 2010, in the United States by the band's own vanity label. Musically, "Isolation" is heavy and aggressive, featuring the band's style while retaining a melodic chorus and incorporating elements of alternative metal and modern heavy metal. The lyrics explore metaphorically isolating oneself from faith and belief, a common theme throughout the record. A music video for the song was released on December 6, 2010. The song was included in the racing video game Dirt 3 in 2011.

The song impressed music critics, who praised the band members' musical skills displayed in the song, and debuted at No. 34 on Billboard's Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks in October, though the single was originally only released in Britain. Several active rock radio stations in the United States put the song in regular rotation several weeks before its U.S. release. In the U.S., it initially became the most-added song on active rock radio and the 21st most-played active rock radio single, with the fastest increase in rotations out of any rock song at the time. In January 2011, the song reached No. 1 on active rock radio, where it remained for five consecutive weeks, and spent seven weeks at No. 1 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, making it the band's first and to date No. 1 single.