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Fourteen years spiraling; patterns replicated from seizures abrupt in a haze. The feeling of fear, not artificial but overwhelming, undermining, and awestriking – you’ve felt it before. Your deepest fear tickling your senses, assaulting the weakest of your body before it stabs the weakest of your mind like a dagger piercing through unguarded honor. The feeling is painless, yet unbearable friendly, yet uncomfortable it’s not something we look forward to when the moment is upon us. It isn’t something we loathe, but the connection is mutual and in the end a sensible human will overcome this treachery. This urgency need not require a defense on our part, but acceptance on this one occasion. Fourteen years through the darkness, the pain, and the sorrow; it took the life of one fateful individual, but with it the band, like us, overcame the anguish to persevere – an archetypal journey with more personal drive than reflection. The band found a new beginning without looking at the past; duplicating what they’re already capable of wouldn’t portray their lack of motivation, but it would destroy the main goal the band attempted to achieve. Black Gives Way To Blue does more to satisfy everyone it comes in contact with, like an octopus lurking in the abyss in the face of opposing life. It acts as a beacon, luring those of all shapes and sizes to its beck and call. The ocean is more diverse than we could ever imagine, but the octopus stands out in the crowd as a menacing enemy and an honorary foe. Alice In Chains were a band of yesterday, but already with this album did they prove that they could shatter the bands of today. Triumphant in the face of changing times, the band remain timeless, as this album will as the decade closes, within the coming decade, and thereafter. Much like Princes’ Purple Rain, I feel as though this album touched society, filling an impenetrable.
' Heaven Beside You' From: ' Alice in Chains' (1995) One of the biggest parts of Jerry Cantrell's signature sound is his knack for finding the perfect way to blend acoustic and electric guitar, which he does so effectively on the memorable tracks ' Heaven Beside You.' This grinding death march opens the track to an all out riff-down once it comes time for the guitar solo. The song, written entirely by Cantrell, is one of AIC's most popular tunes. ' A Looking in View' From: ' Black Gives Way to Blue' (2009) This track officially marked the return of Alice in Chains and reminded fans what had they'd been missing for nearly 13 years — heavy, riffed-out, melodic hard rock played the way that only Cantrell can. As is the case with most Cantrell arrangements, this song sets that mood that danger may be lurking right around the corner. ' Bleed the Freak' also features one of Jerry's most memorable guitar solos. ' Again' From: ' Alice in Chains' (1995) This choppy little number from AIC's self-titled LP might be half power chord and half riff, but it's all kick-ass. From the opening guitar swells to the wah-wah driven main riff, Cantrell brings it full force as he matches the grooved out Mike Starr bass line. Maybe not the most difficult riff in Cantrell's pocket, but the talk-box heavy lead is easily one of the most identifiable and beloved in Alice in Chains catalog. This wah-drenched track from the band's revered album of the same name offers one of their heaviest riffs as companion to a heavy subject matter. ' What the Hell Have I' From: ' Last Action Hero' Soundtrack (1993) Jerry Cantrell's slithery intro riff perfectly accents the unusual middle-eastern vibe provided by the sitar playing on the rhythm track. It's also a noteworthy song in the respect that it is Alice in Chains' first recording with bassist Mike Inez. From the crushing Drop- D groove to its accompanying lead riff.
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