Alice in Chains - Black Gives Way To Blue Review

Posted by Jeff Modzelewski on 09.29.2009

After 14 years, Alice in Chains is back with a new singer and a new band. While grunge may over, Alice in Chains makes a case for one of the most impressive comebacks in music.



1. All Secrets Known
2. Check My Brain
3. Last Of My Kind
4. Your Decision
5. A Looking In View
6. When The Sun Rose Again
7. Acid Bubble
8. Lesson Learned
9. Take Her Out
10. Private Hell
11. Black Gives Way To Blue

The line "Hope, a new beginning, time, time to start living like just before we die" is a fitting start to the album. The opening two tracks serve notice that Alice in Chains is still focused on writing solid rock songs without lots of frill. "All Secrets Known," a solid mid-tempo song with a good riff. The song is definitely sounds new for the band, although it's not a massive leap from their older material. The harmonies are solid, and sound like they could have come straight off of Dirt. There's not much diversity on the song, but it's a solid opener. That goes right into "Check My Brain," one of my favorite tracks off of the album. The guitar riff is very different, and the song is a real throwback to the 90's grunge days. Listening to the song makes you feel like throwing on an old flannel shirt and a pair of ripped jeans. Again, there's no major difference between the verse, pre-chorus, and chorus, but it's another solid rock song. "Last of My Kind" is the first track where William DuVall doesn't sound like Layne Staley, and instead brings his own voice to the song. The guitar fills by Jerry are vintage Alice in Chains, with the power and the voice of a muscle car revving it's engines. The changes are solid and the song, while nearly 6 minutes, doesn't get old.

"Your Decision" is the first mellow track of the album, and it almost sounds like it could belong on Sap. It has a good mix of acoustic and electric that reminded me of "Got Me Wrong." The seven-minute "A Looking In View" follows, and, while "Your Decision" could have been on Sap, the straightforward heavy riff of "A Looking In View" could have come straight from Facelift. Again, there's not too much tempo or riff change, which is surprising given the length of the song. Jerry's solid guitar work is present throughout the song, with some great fills that add to the depth of the track. I was a little surprised that they went from such a heavy song to another acoustic track with "When The Sun Rose Again," and it seemed to slow down the album after a high point. I can't say anything bad about the song, though. It's a slow, methodical acoustic tune, with the same type of rhythm and feel that the band had on previous acoustic songs like "Brother."

"Acid Bubble" is the true oddity of the album. This is another long track, clocking in at just under 7 minutes. Unlike "A Looking In View," which was relatively constant throughout, "Acid Bubble" is really two songs in one. Half of the song is a real slow, sludge-like tune very reminiscent of "Down in a Hole" or "Rain When I Die," but the band does a complete tempo-change mid-song. The other part of the song speeds up quite a bit, and the guitar riff for that part of the song is more reminiscent of Pantera. I think the band tried a little too hard on this song, as the two parts don't fit well together, even though individually they're very good. They go back to basics with "Lesson Learned," another track where DuVall brings his own voice to the forefront. The song is more upbeat than much of Alice in Chain's catalog but it works well, especially after the back-and-forth of "Acid Bubble." "Take Her Out" is heavier than "Lesson Learned," but, again, it's not as dark as what Alice in Chains fans are used to. The song sounds a little forced and uninspired, but, for the weakest track on the album, it's not bad.

"Private Hell" sounds like it could have been written by Layne, and it's one of the best songs on the album. Again, it sounds like a throwback to Dirt, with great harmonies and a slow, dark pace. The title track closes out the album, and it's another mix of acoustic and electric. The vocals are passionate and deep, and the acoustic rhythm guitar backed up by electric fills sounds like trademark Alice in Chains. Elton John adds some piano to the track, which just adds to the mood of the song. This tribute to Layne is a beautiful way to close the album.

The band claims on this album that they are "the last of my kind still standing," and that very well may be true. Pearl Jam is still going strong, but they're not really a grunge act anymore. Stone Temple Pilots have reunited, but they're still not producing any new music. This album easily could've come out 2 years after their self-titled album, instead of 14 years after. It's heavy, dark, and dirty, with enough acoustic interludes to remind listeners how Alice in Chains was different than the rest of the bands from the 90's. I wouldn't be surprised to see another acoustic EP from these guys sometime soon. It's not just a great comeback album, but it's a great album, and I can't be more happy to see this band back.

The 411: Welcome back Alice in Chains. This is a top-notch effort, and the band is sounds as good as they ever have. The album is well written, diverse, and DuVall is a great fit for the band. I'm glad to see them back, and I hope that they keep going for a long time to come.

Final Score:  9.0   [  Amazing ]