Even the most die-hard fans thought it was done – game over. On April 20, 2002, Alice In Chains singer Layne Staley's remains were found by his parents and police after an anonymous tip that the singer had been unreachable for an alarmingly long period of time. After his remains were examined, it was concluded that Staley had been deceased for roughly two weeks when his body was discovered. That was it – not many bands are able to orchestrate a comeback after the loss of their lead singer – or so everyone thought, and that seemed logical; realistically, even before he died, Staley and Alice In Chains had been off the road for six years and absent from regular studio work for seven – by the time he physically passed on, the argument could be made that he'd actually left long before his body was found.
After the shock finally subsided, guitarist Jerry Cantrell enjoyed a sporadic solo career – recording two reasonably well-received albums – while drummer Sean Kinney and bassist Mike Inez went on to play a few short-lived bands. When the members of AIC reconvened in 2005 with singer William DuVall for a succession of performances, but fans were skeptical. What could they expect? Staley's voice was integral to the sound and cathartic emotional center of Alice In Chains – how could that ever be resuscitated? That no album surfaced featuring the new line-up seemed to add credence to that viewpoint.
But now there will be one – seemingly out of nowhere, Alice In Chains suddenly has a new lease on life as opposed to the state of suspended animation that usually characterizes unending reunion tours that play the same old songs night after night.
As was released earlier this week, Alice In Chains will release Black Gives Way To Blue – the band's first full-length album of all-new, original material in fourteen years and produced Nick Raskulinecz (Rush, Foo Fighters) at Studio 606 in Northridge, CA and Henson Studios in Hollywood – on Virgin/EMI on September 29, 2009. "It’s been a meaningful journey and a hell of a story,” said Jerry Cantrell in a recent press release. “We're very excited to have a home at Virgin/EMI and are looking forward to writing new chapters in the book of Alice.”
"We're in a good place," adds Sean Kinney enthusiastically. "We've made a record that we’re really proud of, we’ve got a team in place that’s passionate about the music and we’re excited for the fans to hear the new songs.”
To further bait listeners, the band issued an advance preview of the song “A Looking In View” via their web site today for download (see links below) as well as announcing a string of dates to promote the release (also below). About “A Looking In View,” Alice In Chains vocalist/guitarist Jerry Cantrell says, “The song basically speaks to any number of things that keep you balled up inside. A cell of our own making with an unlocked door that we choose to remain in. Focusing our attention inward instead of reaching out to a much larger world. I think this is common to us all. It’s funny how hard we fight to hang on to a bone we can’t pull through a hole in the fence, or how difficult it is to put down the bag of bricks and move on.”
Artist:
Alice In Chains online
Alice In Chains myspace
Download:
“A Looking In View” from Alice In Chains' forthcoming album, Black Gives Way To Blue.
Album:
Black Gives Way To Blue comes out on September 29, 2009. Pre-order it here on Amazon .
Tour Dates:
July 18 Detroit, MI Comerica Park
Aug 1 Dublin, IE Marlay Park
Aug 2 Stevenage, GB Sonisphere
Aug 4 London, GB Scala
August 6 Cologne, DE Essigfabrik
August 8 Berlin, DE Columbia Club
August 10 Hamburg, DE Grunspan
August 12 Amsterdam, NL Melkweg
August 22 Pomona, CA Epicenter
Sept. 4 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Sept. 5 Philadelphia, PA Theatre of Living Arts
Sept. 7 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club
Sept. 8 New York, NY The Fillmore
Sept. 15 Toronto, ON The Opera House
Sept. 16 Cleveland, OH House of Blues
Sept. 19 Chicago, IL House of Blues
Sept. 20 Milwaukee, WI The Rave
Sept. 21 Minneapolis, MN First Ave
Sept. 26 Portland, OR Roseland Grill
Sept. 28 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
