“Addicted to Pain” by Alter Bridge 

The fact that the addressee of Alter Bridge’s “Addicted to Pain” is the victim of a toxic relationship is never stated forthrightly. But the lyrics, including the title, are effective enough that they logically relay that understanding anyway.

The further implication is that this is a romantic relationship Myles Kennedy is singing about, not a familial one per se. This is because he implies that it is an association the addressee got into as an adult, not one that he was born into. Or put more simply, it reads as if the vocalist knew the addressee was taking a risk by falling in love with this person who went on to abuse him. However, said addressee himself was so smitten, even from the jump, that he could not initially perceive that threat. 

And yes, based on both the lyrics and the explanation of this track provided by Alter Bridge, said victim is in fact a male.

That said, it is not abundantly clear what his lady has done or is doing to him. What is stated is that ‘she sold him out’. The said statement is a very ambiguous one in the grand scheme of things. But the vocalist is at least convinced that his friend, the addressee, is basically playing himself by staying with this lady. But as presented, this is something that the addressee, despite as much emotional pain he may be in, has failed to truly realize.

A ‘blind’ Addressee

So Myles is predicting that by the end of the day, he’s “going to lose it all”. Or put otherwise when this relationship does eventually end, presumably at the hands of the addressee’s girlfriend, it’s going to be such that he’s not going to have anything to show for it and will even continue to suffer from an emotional and perhaps even material deficit. 

But again, the addressee himself is “blind to see” just how much of a sucker for love, so to speak, he actually is. So as concerned as the vocalist may be for his buddy’s wellbeing, since his friend will not realistically entertain any disparaging thoughts about this woman he loves, there’s really nothing Myles can do about the situation.

When was “Addicted to Pain” released?

Roadrunner Records officially made this track available on 21 August 2013. This is the lead single from “Fortress”. “Fortress” is Alter Bridge’s fifth-studio album. 

The song made it onto the top 10 of the following US-based Billboard charts:

• Mainstream Rock Songs 
• Hard Rock Digital Songs 

Who wrote this?

The track was written by Mark Tremonti alongside Myles Kennedy, respectively being the band’s rhythm guitarist and vocalist.

Who directed the music video to “Addicted to Pain”?

The music video to this track was directed by one Daniel Catullo.