Review: Alice In Chains' 2009 release, Black Gives Way to Blue, marks a significant moment for the bandia poignant farewell to the late Layne Staley and the beginning of a new chapter with vocalist William Duvall. The album opens with 'All Secrets Known,' a track that signals a fresh start, with lyrics like 'Hope. A new beginning,' underscoring the band's evolution. Jerry Cantrell's guitar work remains as powerful as ever, driving the album with emotional intensity, particularly in tracks like 'Your Decision,' where the raw honesty in the lyrics is striking. Duvall's contributions shine, especially on 'Last of My Kind,' where he brings a new energy to the group without attempting to replicate Staley's iconic voice. The title track, 'Black Gives Way to Blue,' is a heart-wrenching tribute to Staley, featuring a sparse yet haunting arrangement with piano by Elton John. The song's quiet fade-out leaves a lasting impact, a fitting close to an album that balances grief with renewal. Black Gives Way to Blue not only honours Alice In Chains' legacy but also sets a strong foundation for their future, proving that the band's creative spirit remains unbroken.
When The Sun Drowns In The Ocean (LP3: Mammal) (8:20)
All Life Converges To Some Center
Mills (LP4: Teethed Glory & Injury) (4:22)
God Alone (4:08)
A Body Shrouded (4:59)
Burnt Year
A Remedy & A Fever
Twelve Was Ruin (LP5: Teethed Glory & Injury) (5:40)
Scald Scar Of Water (5:47)
Found, Oval & Final
Reflection Pulse Remains
Review: Cork based Irish post-black metal pioneers Altar Of Plagues are often cited as one of the pioneering acts to combine elements of second wave tremolo-picking, blast-beating black metal with post-rock and euphoric shoegaze which has since been popularised by artists such as Deafheaven and Liturgy. Trilogy serves as an encapsulation of the band's three vital full-lengths, White Tomb (2009), Mammal (2011), and the epic swansong Teethed Glory & Injury (2013), all re-issued with new artwork and design, as well as being remastered for vinyl from the original tapes. Likely to be the final time these works are ever pressed to wax, at least by label home Prosthetic Records; this is a definitive collector's piece of one of the most underrated and integral contributors and elevators to the black metal genre in the 21st century.
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