Few bands survive the reboot Alice In Chains launched in 2008, six years after the death of its troubled powerhouse singer, Layne Staley. Guitarist Jerry Cantrell admits the idea of reemerging from stasis with a new vocalist, William DuVall, felt like a gamble. The result was Black Gives Way To Blue, a work worthy of standing alongside the band’s masterpiece, 1992’s Dirt. Though few would have predicted such a return to form, the album was certified gold, topped scads of best-of lists and launched two full tours. The new The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here stays true to the Alice In Chains sound, a dense shroud of gloom occasionally lifted by soaring harmonies and delicate riffs. For every dirge stomp like “Pretty Done” and the menacing creep of “Lab Monkey,” there are echoes of Jar Of Flies’ haunted acoustic beauty (“Voices,” “Choke”) or the filthy groove of “Stone,” the album’s second single. DuVall will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our brand new Alice In Chains feature.
DuVall: Genesis Publications makes gorgeously crafted books on art, history and literature. However, they’re probably best known for their incredible limited-edition photography books featuring rock legends like the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie, Who, Faces, Lou Reed and many more. These are not your run-of-the-mill photo collections. Genesis books are hand-bound works of art featuring rare and/or unseen pictures, usually created in close collaboration with both the photographers and their musician subjects, and often signed by one or both as well. Treasured by serious collectors the world over, the release of a new Genesis book is celebrated as an event by artist and fan alike. Their amazing photographic autobiography of Jimmy Page, for which the notoriously private guitarist delved deeply into his personal collection of photos encompassing every stage of his life and career, was limited to 2,500 copies worldwide, all signed by Page. They sold out in one day. If you find one for less than $1,500 now, consider it a steal.
Video after the jump.
