After singer Layne Staley died of a drug overdose in 2002, it looked like things might be over for gloomy grunge kings Alice in Chains.
On Black Gives Way to Blue, Alice in Chains’ first new studio effort since Staley’s death, the band is back with a new singer and the same old sound—which might be exactly what fans wanted.
Replacing singers with soundalikes almost never works—AC/DC and Journey (shudder) may be the rare exceptions to this rule. Alice in Chains seems determined to join that club—and it just might work.
Alice in Chains fans are likely well aware the much of the band’s music was and is written by guitarist Jerry Cantrell, who typically offers strong backing vocals and harmonies as well. With Cantrell still in place as songwriter and second vocalist, it’s no surprise that by the time new singer/guitarist William DuVall’s strong but decidedly Staley-esque vocals are in place, the band sounds like it’s up to its old tricks.
“Time to start living like just before we died,” are the album’s opening lyrics, and the band seems to be taking that sentiment literally.
AIC is plowing the same minor key rock soil that it built its empire on in the ’90s—as if simply un-pausing its career.
Lead single “Check My Brain” muddles along with an exaggeratedly swooping detuned riff that firmly establishes that the band hasn’t radically changed its direction. The rest of the album seems to hammer this point home, proving over and over again that the band hasn’t changed its tune. Whether this insistence on consistency will serve to reassure fans or bore them remains to be seen.
“California’s alright/Somebody check my brain,” groan Cantrell and DuVall in bored unison.
The pieces are all in the right place, but the band’s heart seems to be missing. The group’s precision in recreating its old sound is almost cold. The more the album plays, the more you really want to love it because it sounds exactly like Alice in Chains, but something just isn’t right…it’s like Rock Band: Weekend at Bernie’s or a really convincing veggie burger: no matter how close it gets, it just isn’t the real thing, no matter how hard you try to convince yourself otherwise.
Giving the album more time to settle in might help, but the slightly off feeling will probably never subside entirely—and it probably shouldn’t, really. Perhaps what should happen is that DuVall will be allowed to show himself as more than simply a gifted mimic.
The rest of the album sloths by, alternating between sluggish rockers and ballads that sound like outtakes from Jar of Flies. Listening to Black Gives Way to Blue, it’s easy to get the feeling that some of these songs have been collecting dust in Cantrell’s basement for over a decade. Alice in Chains sounds like it’s just been unearthed from a time capsule. The band is probably as good as it ever was, but the expiration date on this sound may have simply passed.
If nothing else, Alice in Chains will certainly be able to satisfy fans with live renditions and singalongs of old favorites. With an increasing trend toward performers ranging from Bruce Springsteen to Built to Spill opting to play classic albums in their entirety during concerts, the notion of seeing Alice in Chains dust off Dirt or Facelift track by track might be enough to keep the band afloat for another decade.
Closing number “Black Gives Way to Blue” features the much hyped appearance of Elton John, although the unremarkable ballad is mostly notable for the eerie impression it gives that you’re hearing Staley sing at his own memorial.
“Imitations are pale” intone Cantrell and DuVall, perhaps unwittingly summing up the album.
Cantrell may have found someone who can stand in Staley’s shoes, but, for now, the band is standing still.
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Tom says...
10.1.09 1:09 pm
This review is ridiculously bulls—-.
Will has commented and so have the whole band that he is not trying to replace Layne.
Maybe he seems to seem like he’s trying to sound similar to the normal listener. But
Alice in Chains has a very distinct sound and there’s a push to sing in that style.
It wouldn’t sound right if Will sang like he did in his own band because it wouldn’t
fit Alice in Chains. Layne sang differently in other projects, such as some funky tracks floating
around, and so on.
I think all the members have a lot of balls for coming back as they did, and
I think their new album will never be the same as their past albums, but they aren’t trying
to be like they were. Their music sounds a shitload better than most music now.
And your just a f—— prick for reviewing them as you did. I doubt you could
produce anything close to their new album.
Next time you do a review take in the style of the band before you bag on a new vocalist, and
all the other factors of today’s music and everything in between.
Nick says...
10.1.09 2:13 pm
Stop calling them AinC, just say AIC. This review is way off, the album is great and all four band members put their hearts into Black Gives Way to Blue. Alice in Chains is back and as a true fan, although I miss Layne, I’m excited to have the rest of the guys back in action.
Zain says...
10.1.09 3:30 pm
I’m not sure the reviewer really gave this album a listen. I went through it with a fine-toothed comb 4 times back to back yesterday, right after having bought it.
Yeah, it definitely sounds like Alice in Chains, thanks to Cantrell’s love of that wacked-out harmony they always did so well…but DuVall sounds nothing like Layne. Not even close. He’s got a high, piercing tenor that will take some adjustment, at least on the part of my ears, anyway. I’m glad they’re sticking largely to the two-vocalist sound - that’s what made them famous. It’s their trademark, so to speak. Oft-imitated, never successfully (you hear that, Puddle of Mudd and Godsmack?).
I like it. It’s Alice in Chains part two. Same yet different. I hadn’t realized how much I missed these guys until now.
So, welcome aboard William. You’ve got a tough row to hoe, but I’m impressed thus far. And welcome back Jerry, Sean, and Mike I.
Andrew says...
10.1.09 4:21 pm
Pretty horrible review. Layne was very distinct and had his own style. I’ve never heard another singer fill in bridges with humming and such like Layne ALWAYS did. DuVall doesn’t try that, because he can’t. Nobody can. I think it’s a great album. DuVall brings more of a metal vocal. The only thing that’s similar vocally is the fact that they harmonize, but the harmonization are completely different. Layne was more bluesy. Layne could unleash more. Layne was better, because he’s one of the best of all time. DuVall/AiC is certainly not better than AiC with Layne, but who said it was going to be??? Nobody.
James says...
10.1.09 7:57 pm
You are an idiot
Psycho D says...
10.1.09 11:21 pm
I like how this review starts, but first and foremost, if you like AIC (not AinC), then the 1st thing to do is to goto their website and watch the ‘EPK’ video and it explains how everything came into place for the new album.
You simply HAVE to respect William DuVall for having the guts to go out live and do this.
I was skeptical before I saw them too. I saw them at Dayton, OH’s X-Fest in September ‘09. F’N AMAZING! Bad ass…the old songs were a treat but the new stuff kicked my nuts thru my teeth.
Check out the tunes, and as the review mentioned, Jerr Cantrell did(and still does) write a majority of AIC’s music. But he hasn’t always been a ‘backup’ singer. Songs like ‘No Excuses’…s—, ALOT of AIC’s ‘Jar Of Flies’ is Jerry lead vocalizin….Dirt and Facelift feature Layne alot, but Jerry (Cantrell’s) has a unique harmony that DEFINES AIC!
Regardless, BUY the album. SAVE rock. F— the crap.
peas,
d
ASTRONAUT01 says...
10.2.09 6:34 pm
Review is percise. I do think AIC does sound as ever, but even better. I think they were they only band that could save metal (I grew up listening to it). Not even Metallica a band of great calliber could do what AIC is doing. ALL metal hard rock bands need to learn a lesson. I think they did leave of where they were when Layne did, & it has been hibernating until now. Back where it left off. I just hope they keep on pushing as they did then. AIC saved hard rock- so many bands don’t get it like they do. I don’t even like hard rock, like I use too. But AIC made a beliver out of me- again.
ASTRONAUT01 says...
10.2.09 6:37 pm
excuse my typing. Damn it!!!
ted says...
10.3.09 1:29 am
GREAT CD!!! This review is totally off base. All musicians and bands progress. This is act two for AIC and a very good act two. It is a great cd, BUY IT!! Acid Bubble is probably my favorite song. The title track Black gives way to Blue features Elton John. That doesn’t mean that it was intended for Elton John to stand out. Like all musicians, he did his part without trying to stand out. I can’t say enough about this cd.
GrimmHatter says...
10.7.09 4:40 pm
Don’t take this review (or any review of anything for that matter) seriously. Music/art is subjective to all who witness it because we all have different tastes, expectations, and interperatations of things. Case in point, all these reviews that criticize bands for not changing their “style” or “sound.” That’s the biggest load of BS you can say about an artist, especially musicians. So AiC comes back after nearly 14 years of nothing, and they still have the same sound they did back in the 90’s. Big freaking deal. Obviously they like this style of music. Why would they want to write or sound like anything else? So what if the new album sounds just like the old AiC? That’s because it still is AiC, minus Staley. But this critic said, Cantrell was the main orchestrator of the band, so why fault them for writing and sounding exactly like they always have been? If you want a band to evolve their sound, address an act that’s always been around, literally rehashing old sounds, like Weezer or Blink 182. AiC’s been on hiatus for far too long to come back with anything that doesn’t sound like the good old days. Oh, and Black Gives Way To Blue absolutely is a solid, well written album. Rock on.
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