There certainly was no shortage of hype behind the newly rehatched version of grunge legends Alice in Chains. Black Gives Way To Blue was released almost three years to the day since I had personally witnessed the high-energy 90’s nostalgia that the rebirth of Alice in Chains had to offer, on their first tour in over a decade. New vocalist, William Duvall, appeared to be an almost dead-on replica of late singer, Layne Staley. Their performance at Tulsa's Cain’s Ballroom that night left me with only one burning question – How would any new material from this legendary band compare to the Alice in Chains that was once so close to the hearts of our lost generation?
Upon first hearing “Check My Brain” on the radio, my curiosity was certainly piqued. I listened to the single multiple times before coming to any kind of conclusion. The song was undoubtedly Alice in Chains. There could be no other band with that unique grunge sound that Alice in Chains has had trademarked since their coronation as rock icons. However, I was confused by the message. I had to delve deeper. The song deals with guitarist and secondary vocalist, Jerry Cantrell’s, relocation from Seattle, Washington (Alice in Chains and grunge headquarters) to sunny Los Angeles. The late Staley had spoken about his disdain for all things California, so this must’ve felt like a topic that Cantrell needed to address.
Duvall comes off as more of a secondary band member the more closely the album is scrutinized. Duvall assisted in writing only one song on Black Gives Way To Blue. Cantrell, of course, penned the rest. These lyrics, in my opinion, do not do the original Alice in Chains the justice they so rightly deserve. Staley’s absence is too noticeable. Duvall has practiced his grunge vocals, but he cannot successfully channel the pain and emotion that Staley presented in both the writing and delivery of his lyrics. Cantrell’s vocals are a great addition as always, but his lyrical partner has long been gone.
As would be expected, the album pays tribute to Staley from song to song. One of the best tracks, “Your Decision,” which was the official first single from the album, appears to be a heart-felt plea for listeners to choose life over death, something that sadly, Layne Staley failed to do. The title track, “Black Gives Way To Blue,” is the most obvious ode to Staley. The track has its ups and downs, with one of the best ups being the piano contribution of Sir Elton John.
“All Secrets Known,” the opening track of the album, starts off with the words “Hope, a new beginning.” Unquestionably, this is a new beginning for Alice in Chains. The album is certainly not a failure by any means. It sounds like Alice in Chains… but not Staley’s Alice in Chains. The band can move forward and grow as a new musical entity. They can perform the same 90’s hits night after night with an utterly surprising nostalgia. But no new material will ever compare to the original. “Tears that filled my bong” just seems like such a half-assed drug reference for AIC. Come on…
"Black Gives Way To Blue" is on sale September 29, 2010 from Virgin.
