ALICE IN CHAINS | Rainier Fog | Album Review

Bands of the grunge days of the early 90's have not had a perfect track record. When I say that, there will be music who will probably point at the music as the reason why, but that's clearly not the case as there are so many good albums identifiable with the grunge style. However, the reason I say this style hasn't been alive and kicking is because it has gone through some dark times. So many of grunge's flagbearers have left us over the years with the most recent of then being Chris Cornell and Scott Weilland. With the unfortunate circumstances, there are bands who still thrive despite the hardships brought to them throughout their tenure, and one of them is Alice In Chains. Having lost original vocalist Layne Staley in 2002 due to an overdose, the band has weathered the storm and is now on their sixth studio album and third with replacement vocalist William Duvall, this album being titled "Rainier Fog". Recording of this album took place mostly in Seattle, which is interesting to note as this was the city that grunge originated. The band also was inspired to title their album after Seattle's Mount Rainier, so it's safe to say that this album has prospects to remind music listeners of why grunge has never left the music scene and never will. 

From the first three tracks on this album, including first single "The One You Know", you can tell exactly what kind of band Alice In Chains is. This definitely registers among grunge but also adds a bit of alternative metal and a tiny dosage of doom that sets them apart from other grunge acts. "The One You Know" is proof of that with its excellent opening riff that permeates through each of the verses before changing keys when it gets to the chorus. It's a fantastic song and it's something that rock radio really needs more of in 2018. The title track, "Red Giant", and "Fly" also prove that with some of these tracks being very reminiscent of their sound that came through in the 1990's. One thing that is noticeable throughout the entirety of "Rainier Fog" is the excellent guitarwork and riffage from Jerry Cantrell and William Duvall that is perfectly placed and planned on a majority of tracks. Some of these tracks go on for five to seven minutes total which gives these musicians the perfect chance to shine when they can. Songs like "Drone", "Deaf Ears Blind Eyes", "So Far Under", and album closer "All I Am" are proof of this and each of these has a different dynamic that works well enough to benefit said tracks. "Drone" and "So Far Under" have excellent solos that create a wall of noise that you would desperately desire to be around. "All I Am" features some acoustic guitarwork that shows up at select points throughout the song but offers pure bliss to listeners. It's definitely a good thing to hear that this band can still have an impact at this point in their career.

When it comes to the big four of grunge as it's so eloquently described, Alice In Chains didn't appeal to me as much as the other bands like Soundgarden and Nirvana. While I did admit that Alice In Chains had a good style and had the music to back it up, I never got around to picking up many of their albums which is criminal because several of their albums are considered as top tier discs from any rock and metal fan. I also think that this new era of the band personally appeals to me more than the 1990's era, but maybe that's just me. Even with that, nobody can deny Alice In Chains when it comes to their great musical input, and "Rainier Fog" is proof that the band is still worth checking out. This album is one of those that would make anyone who casually listens to Alice In Chains without scavenging through their entire discography want to drop everything and do so as quickly as possible and while I won't exactly say this is my favorite album of 2018 or anything like that, it's definitely one of the most consistent albums of the year and there is not a bad track on here to be found. This might even be one of Alice In Chains' best albums if I give it enough thought. Overall, all I have to say about this record is this is perfect for a beautiful rainy day.

RATING: 8/10 

Leave your thoughts about this album in the comments section below. Was this album good or bad? Was it a surprise or a disappointment? All you have to do is type it in. Everybody's opinions matter even if they are different than mine. Scamp4553 will be back with another review coming your way soon.

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