Make Layne proud, or else!

With Alice in Chains' long awaited release Black Gives Way to Blue, they have done just that.

I can hear the doubters on the web “They’re just trying to replace the late Layne Staley” or “I can’t believe they’d carry on without Layne”. Well, before you blanket this release with a negativism, take a listen. You’ll find that it’s pretty damn good. Is it classic Dirt Alice in Chains? Nope. Does it stand alone, and is it good enough to carry the Alice in Chains name? Definitely.

Alice in Chains needs a specific type of singer that not only compliments their broody, dark approach, but can also carry it. Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce William DuVall. His tone and approach is very similar to that of the late Layne Staley. Is it a coincidence? Maybe so. Maybe not. Could Arnel Pineda, the replacement lead singer of Journey carry this band, not only with this release but also their catalog? Ummmm. Yeah. Probably not. But this new combination works. And in my opinion it works very well. Sample "Check My Brain", "Last of My Kind" or "All Secrets Known" and tell me you don’t hear AIC? Yeah, that’s what I thought.

Now stop reading this and go out and buy it! Seriously.