For Week Ending:
30 September 2023

Alice In Chains - Black Gives Way To Blue (2009)

[Grunge Rock]

Replacing a fallen band member is always difficult in the eyes (and ears) of your fans, but it makes it even harder when that person is considered a legend of their craft. The first new album from the band in nearly 15 years was highly anticipated, and they made the right move of touring extensively with new vocalist William DuVall firmly in place before recording a note. This meant the fans had mostly accepted him when new music did arrive, and the first single 'A Looking In View', although not particularly radio friendly, was a great lead-off due to its vintage AIC style. Also being a guitarist (and songwriter) Duvall wasn't as front and centre as Layne had been previously, instead sharing vocal duties (and guitar lines) almost 50/50 with Jerry Cantrell. The result is an album with some amazing highs (and a couple of lows), and Cantrell ensured enough of the songs connected with the classic version of the band to allow fans to feel like this was still the hard and heavy band they knew ('Check My Brain', 'Take Her Out'). Other tracks ('When The Sun Rose Again' and 'All Secrets Known') branched out in new directions, allowing the band to continue to grow. The album could have been flat (as many 'come-back' albums are), but instead acted as a reintroduction to the world, showing that great things were still to come.

Arist Information
Alice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987. Often associated with grunge music, the band's sound and style is deeply rooted in heavy metal music. The band is known for its distinctive vocal style, which often included the harmonized vocals between vocalist Layne Staley and guitarist Jerry Cantrell (and later Cantrell and Staley's replacement William DuVall), making Alice in Chains a two-vocal band. The band has sold more than 30 million records worldwide, and over 20 million records in the U.S. alone.