Alice In Chains – Black Gives Way To Blue

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Black Gives Way To Blue proved that grunge was still alive and well in 2009. Alice In Chains decided to reboot themselves after the tragic death of original lead singer Layne Staley (in 2002) by beginning to play shows again in 2005 and start crafting what would be the material found on the band’s fourth studio album. Now getting the 15th anniversary vinyl re-press treatment via Craft Recordings, Black Gives Way To Blue gets another fresh makeover as audiences new and old can rediscover what made this band so legendary. The record was the first one to feature co-vocalist/guitarist William DuVall and he does a nice job of complementing the lead vocals from founding member Jerry Cantrell. The set would spawn four singles, with two of them earning Grammy nominations for Best Hard Rock Performance. Picking up the pieces after losing a band member is sadly all-too-common in the music industry, but Alice In Chains were able to honor the legacy of Staley in this vivid collection of songs that still highlight their staying power to this day.

The album opens with “All Secrets Known,” that has that familiar Alice In Chains sound before Cantrell tells a story through his brooding vocals that cut through the mix nicely. The second single to be released from the set, “Check My Brain” would’ve fit nicely on Dirt or even Jar of Flies due to its stylistic choices made on the track. “Last of My Kind” offers up a nice change of pace with some eerie sounds in the beginning before getting back to a comfortable groove between the band members. The acoustic-driven bliss of “Your Decision” sounds simply gorgeous in its construction, and really shines on this vinyl pressing. The heavy rock of “A Looking In View” offers up some new direction for the band that they would explore on their subsequent releases, while “When The Sun Rose Again” plays out like a classic Alice In Chains song while still adding in new elements to keep things interesting.

The back half of the record kicks off with “Acid Bubble” that vividly tells a story through Cantrell’s guitar playing and intricate riffing. “Lesson Learned” brings the tempo up a notch with a great-sounding rock n’ roll track, while “Take Her Out” bops along with razor-like precision in one of the shorter songs found in the set. “Private Hell” is very much rooted in the comfortable style of Alice in Chains repertoire, and the title track closer brings a rich, contextual wrap-up to the material with grace and poise through the lyrics and harmonies.

The vinyl pressing itself is a 2x 180 gram LP set that comes with a full-color lyric sheet, a stunning gatefold, and includes additional artwork and liner notes. The songs sound full of life in this pressing that is charmed with great attention to detail. My only nitpicking detail is that some of the audio gaps between the songs on side A seem a little drawn out before the next song kicks in. Overall, this is a great way to honor the legacy of not only Layne Staley, but the complete body of work of Alice In Chains that continues to this day.

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