One of my favorite bands ever, Alice in Chains, are making a comeback. However, their new album, Black Gives Way to Blue, is kind of a bittersweet one for me since the band’s legendary original lead singer, Layne Staley, passed away as a result of a drug overdose in 2002. In his place is new lead singer, William DuVall, who rumor has it sounds pretty much like Staley and who definitely looks nothing like Staley ever did.
It was with a whole lot of trepidation that I checked out the new single. I mean, Layne was one of the best lead singers in music history, and the band is an important chunk of my musical life. While it’s about 2 minutes too long for my taste, it sounds incredible and the new guy has some serious pipes. The harmonies are perfect, vintage AiC. The riff have that classic AiC heaviness and sludge to them, without seeming too old-fashioned.
Unlike some comebacks, this one seems like it’s going to work for the long haul. I won’t pretend that I’m totally in love with the idea of bringing the band back, even if Jerry Cantrell is still doing most of the writing, but I have to admit I’m pleased with the results. The music works; that’s all you can ask for.
Tags: Alice in Chains, Layne Staley, William DuVall, Jerry Cantrell, Black Gives Way to Blue, albums, music, comeback albums, grunge rock