New Alice In Chains song released.

[Geordie]

...Along with details to a new album, entitled Black Gives Way To Blue, which will be released on September 29.  Yesterday, they released the first single to be lifted from Black Gives Way To Blue.  Entitled "A Looking In View", the song clocks in at just over seven minutes in length, and it is the first studio recording featuring William DuVall as the band's lead singer.

Personally, I was a bit skeptical of the song when I heard about its release, but I must say, it's growing on me.  It might not be the same AIC vibe as its fan of the 90's would so desperately crave, but it's still quite good all the same IMO.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnU19MHwt7w[/youtube]

[E. Il Ehksahlijoruh]

Alice in Chains has always been a very commercial band but this is irregularly commercial. Not that it's bad, mind you. I'm not going to be one of those "IT AINT THE SAME WITHOUT LAYNE, MAN! THIS IS BETRAYING LAYNE, MAN!" people because DuVall certainly is a talented singer. Does feel kind of watered down without Layne's trademark screams.  But, something does seem a bit off about this. Honestly, it sounds more like all of those band in the late 90s and early millennium that were ripping off bands like Alice In Chains's sound to capitalize off their inactivity than a band like Alice in Chains themselves.

[Tim]

well sad to say, I'm an AIC purist. I'd rather they change the name. It's not Alice in Chains. The only reason they are keeping the name is so that they get noticed when they put out a new song. Queen and Paul Rodgers tried to do this last year. It wasn't Queen. When 4-5 musicians get together and form a band, certain elements are staples in their sound. Layne can't be replaced. Imagine if the Beatles tried to do it. It just wouldn't work.

[Cory]

meh, I'll stick to their older stuff if this is what they're coming out with.

[calvin]

well sad to say, I'm an AIC purist. I'd rather they change the name. It's not Alice in Chains. The only reason they are keeping the name is so that they get noticed when they put out a new song. Queen and Paul Rodgers tried to do this last year. It wasn't Queen. When 4-5 musicians get together and form a band, certain elements are staples in their sound. Layne can't be replaced. Imagine if the Beatles tried to do it. It just wouldn't work.

I listen to this sound, and I hear the traditional Alice in Chains duel vocals. I also hear the heavy rhythm and the pounding drums. And I feel the same vibe I always did when I listened to Alice in Chains.. a hypnotical vibe so to speak. I hate that everyone says that alice in chains should change their name. You name the beatles, and you name queen. What about ACDC? Their lead singer died, they didn't change. They went out and got a new lead singer. I really like this song. It's the perfect some to release cause it just makes you want to listen to more. Cause it has the flow and it just draws you in and makes you wonder what the rest of the album will bring. Don't judge so quickly until you hear the whole album. It's one song. And personally I can feel the dirt vibe in the song the whole time. So I have no idea what you are talking about. And I think thats bullshit that you say they are only doing it to be noticed.

[E. Il Ehksahlijoruh]

well sad to say, I'm an AIC purist. I'd rather they change the name. It's not Alice in Chains. The only reason they are keeping the name is so that they get noticed when they put out a new song. Queen and Paul Rodgers tried to do this last year. It wasn't Queen. When 4-5 musicians get together and form a band, certain elements are staples in their sound. Layne can't be replaced. Imagine if the Beatles tried to do it. It just wouldn't work.

I listen to this sound, and I hear the traditional Alice in Chains duel vocals. I also hear the heavy rhythm and the pounding drums. And I feel the same vibe I always did when I listened to Alice in Chains.. a hypnotical vibe so to speak. I hate that everyone says that alice in chains should change their name. You name the beatles, and you name queen. What about ACDC? Their lead singer died, they didn't change. They went out and got a new lead singer. I really like this song. It's the perfect some to release cause it just makes you want to listen to more. Cause it has the flow and it just draws you in and makes you wonder what the rest of the album will bring. Don't judge so quickly until you hear the whole album. It's one song. And personally I can feel the dirt vibe in the song the whole time. So I have no idea what you are talking about. And I think thats bullshit that you say they are only doing it to be noticed.

No need to be so hostile, chum. Especially when presenting such a shoddy argument.

To be honest, this song is just produced wrong. It pretty much isn't bad but really just sounds like generic ultracommercial pop metal. Alice in Chains had a short shelf life even with Layne. It's why they broke up so long ago. This new song is produced with wayyy too modern of techniques. Techniques to cover up the fact that really this isn't that impressive of a song. In fact, I like AIC, they're one of my favorite "closet guilty pleasure" bands. But, seriously, they were NEVER that musically expansive. They just had sort of a knack for tonality and an incredible singer. They still have an incredible singer but not quite as incredible and that knack for tonality is gone. If they actually had enough musical talent to expand their sound a bit(Really they tried back in their heyday with their self entitled album. But only a little bit. I think they even tried bringing in a second guitarist in their later years. Case in point, they were grasping for straws). It's just, it's a relic of a band. Just like every single of the ten thousands of 90s bands to redebut. A nice quick shot of hype before they sink back into the void.

Really, I wish the stupid fucking music media would spend less time on has-beens and try to focus on more musically inclined modern bands. Problem is, we have an ADD society and they're either looking for something really trendy to love for a week and a half, or just something really low risk that doesn't change the formula. The latter is the reason why this new CD is even existing or about to exist.

[calvin]

I just see it as they wanting to make a new album. The song has a vibe from dirt to me, the vocals actually remind me of jerry's solo albums a little more but they still have the duel harmonys in the vocals that made Alice in Chains unique.  The ending reminds me of the self entitled album cause they always did like, a repeating ending on most songs with just freestyle stuff which I always thought was cool. I don't think the song was produced wrong. This is only one song remember. I agree the vocals aren't the same. But don't judge so quickly. The song is meant to be a single. So obviously its going to sound like a single for modern music. They obviously want to succeed again. They even said they think this album will bring them back to the top. It wont' be as dark as it used to be. I doubt it ever will be. and I just hate to hear people tell the band to change their name. It's like its their band, it wasn't laynes band, and its not like they are disrespecting him. I bet Layne would have wanted them to continue its like don't let my death ruin a good thing sort of deal. They aren't trying to replace him they just want to continue having fun.