Back From Black

After the death of vocalist Layne Staley and the passing of 14 years, I never expected to hear a new Alice In Chains album.  When I heard that there was one, I really never expected it to be this good.  But Black Gives Way to Blue is every bit the sludge metal masterpiece that Dirt, the group’s previous high water mark, was.  Like AC/DC with Back In Black, this album takes tragedy and turns it into amazing music.   New co-vocalist/guitarist William DuVall may not be a dead ringer for Staley, but he has a strong voice of his own, and when it blends with guitarist Jerry Cantrell’s voice, the resulting harmonies are unmistakably Alice In Chains.

The album opens with “All Secrets Known”, a powerful declaration of rebirth that addresses the trials the band has been through while looking to the future.  “Check My Brain” hits hard with an ugly but catchy riff and darkly melodic chorus, while “Your Decision” shows the band’s equally compelling acoustic side with Cantrell taking the lead vocal.  In an album full of great songs, the stand-out track is the seven minute epic dirge “A Looking In View”, which effortlessly shows what inferior imitations bands like Godsmack are.  It’s nice to have the real thing back.  If you’re still skeptical, check out the video for “A Looking In View” on Youtube.  Embedding was disabled, so you'll just have to click through to the page.