SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ALICE IN CHAINS – BLACK GIVES WAY TO BLUE (15th ANNIVERSARY EDITION)

ALICE IN CHAINS
BLACK GIVES WAY TO BLUE (15th ANNIVERSARY EDITION)
CRAFT RECORDINGS

Originally released in 2009, Black Gives Way To Blue stands as Alice In Chains’ seminal return following the passing of original vocalist Layne Staley in 2002. In addition to being the first album from the grunge pioneers since 1996’s Unplugged—and their first studio release since their eponymous album released the previous year—the record saw the debut of William Duvall on vocals. In many ways, Black Gives Way To Blue breathed a new sense of life into Alice In Chains, making them titans of modern rock within the last decade, while also providing a blueprint for how bands can return amid tragedy. Given the importance of the album, Craft Recordings is celebrating the 15th anniversary of the long out of print album with an array of vinyl variants.

“All Secrets Known” opens the album on a thematic note, a song that declares the return of Alice In Chains from the great beyond. With guitarist Jerry Cantrell on lead vocals, the song feels like a direct link between what is and what was as he mourns the past and expresses the need to press forward into a new era, one that ultimately does not replace the previous one, but simply extends the life, legacy, and artistry of the band. The album continues with “Check My Brain”, the lead single and the introduction to Duvall on vocals. If “All Secrets Known” was an emergence, then “Check My Brain” sounds as though it was pulled from the depths of hell with a sludgy riff, accentuated by a new take on the harmonized vocals that is a signature to Alice In Chains. Duvall and Cantrell remain among the greatest vocal duos in rock and can proudly stand beside that of Cantrell and Staley. “Check My Brain” is an incredibly strong first single. It’s catchy without feeling compromised, all the while delivering a modernized approach to the band’s sound.

Black Gives Way To Blue proves to be an album worth revisiting. While initially strong upon its release, the album has aged well, proving to stand the test of time, making for the essential comeback that sees Alice In Chains navigate their past while effectively looking to the future. Front to back, the album is full of highlights that include rich balladry and relentlessly heavy rockers, a juxtaposition that remains central to their sonic identity. Key tracks include “Last Of My Kind”, “A Looking In View”, “Your Decision”, “Lesson Learned”, and the title track—featuring none other than Elton John on the piano.

Since 2009, Alice In Chains have released two more albums – 2013’s The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here and 2018’s Rainier Fog – while also touring relentlessly and acting as a highlight on the rock festival circuit. Black Gives Way To Blue is the album that made this possible. Despite my seemingly unpopular opinion that each release since has only gotten better, the importance of Black Gives Way To Blue cannot be understated in the continuity of Alice In Chains, making this reissue truly a celebration of what very well was a make or break moment.

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