Alice In Chains – Black Gives Way To Blue
Release Date: 09/29/2009
Spotlight Tracks: Check My Brain, Your Decision, When The Sun Rose Again, Black Gives Way To Blue
Alice In Chains joined the ranks of bands who did what many hold to be unthinkabe, reforming with a new singer. This was obviously met with mixed emotions but the end result was completely amazing if not mind blowing. Here’s my opinion about this move. I feel that if a band is going to reunite after losing a main and iconic member such as Layne Staley (or like Blind Melon did after the passing of Shannon Hoon), you need to not only be able to stand your ground and be respectful and honor your legacy, you need to be able to be willing to make a new beginning with material that will stand on it’s own. Alice In Chains has done just that with William DuVal and their new album “Black Gives Way To Blue”.
My first impression of the album was that when it was over, I couldn’t believe what I had just heard. This could’ve and should’ve been the album to follow “Jar of Flies”. I just couldn’t believe that this wasn’t Layne Stayley singing these songs. DuVal sounds eerily like Layne Stayley but offers enough of his own voice on “Last of My Kind” to show that while he does sound like Layne he can hold his own. If the opening track “All Secrets Known” doesn’t make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up I don’t know what will. The “double lead vocals” of DuVall and longtime guitarist/singer/songwriter Jerry Cantrell are so strong and their voices weave in and out of tight melodies.
Cantrell’s songwriting is absolutely stellar on this album and DuVall shares credit on two incredibly strong tracks on the album, “Last of My Kind” and “A Looking In View”. The songs are dynamic, melodic and absolutely beautiful. Even the heavier tracks on the album have a stong beauty to them. “Check My Brain” is total old school Alice In Chains that could’ve been on “Dirt” yet songs like “Your Decision”, “When The Sun Rose Again” and the title track take us to a more acoustic, meloncholy side of the band more reminiscent of their “Sap” and “Jar of Flies” EPs. Their abilty to go from ripping your face off to making you wanna sink into a chair with a pair of headphones is amazing and is something the band was heading towards the end of their time with Layne.
Alice In Chains really reminds me a lot of Pink Floyd with the way they play with different dynamics of musical moods. Any Alice In Chains fan should totally love this album. It’s got every element of Alice In Chains that I loved so much of this band and while it could’ve been the perfect follow up to “Jar of Flies”, it totally sounds new, fresh and able to stand on its own. Whoever said that you can’t ever go back has obviously not heard this album. They have taken us back but at the same time moved us forward. I think the future looks great for Alice In Chains and this album.
About The Author
