Well, I was about to do my writeups for #s 8 and 9 when I realized that I had already done them on Helium a long time ago. So here you go, copy and pasted from Helium:
9. Alice in Chains - Black Gives Way to Blue With the death of the former vocalist for Alice In Chains, Layne Staley, the future of grunge rock seemed to be in a sort of permanent limbo. Nirvana, founding fathers of grunge and patriarchs to the Generation X social movement had evaporated from the scene with one fatal pull of the trigger. Soundgarden met its untimely demise at the peak of its career with few bands left to carry the torch of grunge into the next millenium.
The phoenix arose from the ashes in September of 2009. "Black Gives Way To Blue" gives so much while asking so little. Recently hired vocalist William DuVall makes a conscious attempt to tread lightly in the shadows of his predecessor with a soaring, yet melancholy texture that permeates the album and fills one with both longing nostalgia and an air of vindication. Another one of the great gambles in music history has paid off and I, for one, am bewildered by the sheer professionalism as well as stunning audacity contained all at once in this once-in-a generation magnum opus.
With pummeling riffs and almost highly personalized lyrics, the first single "A Looking in View" provides a choice example of the carefully crafted balance Alice in Chains has struck through the entirety of their latest offering. Dark beauty and headbang-worthy melodies; Climax and nadir, this first glimpse of the new record, in much the same way as the first official single, "Check My Brain" sends the listener on a sonic roller-coaster through unexplored extremes.
Beautiful gems like "Your Decision" or the title track immediately sends our thoughts racing back to the old heyday of the band in which they produced such acoustic flavored pleasantries as "No Excuses" or "I Stay Away". In their new heyday, Alice in Chains have reclaimed their title to the throne of musical deal-making. While verging into radio-friendly territory, DuVall and co. keep a soft spot for their old fanbase with alienation being an almost impossibility.
Each member of the band delivers the goods and then some. Guitarist Jerry Cantrell, per custom, delivers instantly memorable riffs along with solos that time and again seem to stand miles above the competitors. Sean Kinney on drums does nothing to muddy the textures of the latter figure and delivers an efficient and professional rendition. Mike Inez, though not offering anything that could rival the mesmerizing bass overture to "Would?" still supplies the average headphone-user with a hardy assortment of ear candy and gratifying textural layering. DuVall, of course, though unable to actually replace Mr.Staley in any fashion, proves his meddle with passionate vocals that synchronize like wood and glue with those of Mr. Cantrell and ultimately provides the best incentive for taking any interest in the first place with the new offering.
Would this record actually win "Album of the Year" from the Hollywood record execs? Probably not. But, as fans, we (myself included) can bank on the potential of this band to re-cement their place in the great annals of music fame whether the MTV crowd chooses to wake up and smell the coffee or not. Without delving too far into a tangent, "Black Gives Way To Blue" is worth every penny and represents perhaps one of the finest examples of "art for art's sake" with a thoroughly organic yet polished sound. The themes of spiritual growth and loss/redemption running throughout the album speak not only to humanity's existential struggles but also the state of the band itself.The legend may have passed on but the legacy continues.
Recommended tracks: A Looking in View, Acid Bubble, Private Hell, Last of My Kind