Alice in Chains' 'Rainier Fog' - Album Review

While I would not consider myself much of a grunge fan at all, I will always make time for Alice in Chains. The Seattle-based four-piece were at the forefront of the grunge movement during the early 1990s, but for my money they have always had much more a classic rock and metal influence than their peers. The vast majority of gunge is quite one-paced, downbeat, and dreary but, while Alice in Chains could certainly be described as downbeat, their music consistently excites me in a way that no other grunge band can. In my opinion, this is purely down to the band's founding member, guitarist, and co-lead vocalist Jerry Cantrell. Cantrell formed the band back in 1987, and has been the driving force ever since. While the late Layne Staley was the frontman and face of the band, it was Cantrell's songs that he was singing, it was Cantrell's voice mixing with his to create the haunting harmonies the band are known for, and it was Cantrell's guitar providing the riffs and melodies for him to sing over. That is not to put a downer on Staley's considerable contributions to the band, and his tragic death continues to be mourned by fans the world over, but the fact that Alice in Chains are still going strong despite this crippling loss is down to Cantrell's vision and leadership. Since the band's mid-2000s resurrection, Alice in Chains has been fronted by the venerable William DuVall - a singer who by now really seems to have won the fanbase around. He clearly respects Staley's legacy, but has managed to inject enough of his own character and style into the vocals to stop himself being labelled as a copycat. It is never easy to replace a much-loved deceased singer, but DuVall has shown how this can be done and comes across as a very humble character - which is probably why he has won the hearts of so many of the bands fans. It is crazy to think that, with the recent release of the band's sixth album Rainier Fog which is the subject of this piece, Alice in Chains have now released as many full-length studio albums with DuVall at the helm as they did with Staley. The DuVall-era is more than underway now, and Rainier Fog, like 2009's Black Gives Way to Blue and 2013's The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here before it, really adds to the band's legacy. While I am not sure that anything the band will ever put out will rival the masterpiece that is 1992's Dirt, Rainier Fog shows that Cantrell and co. still have plenty to say. The classic Alice in Chains sound is intact here, with DuVall and Cantrell often teaming up to deliver the mournful vocals, which really evoke the sound of the early 1990s, while founding drummer Sean Kinney and long-time bassist Mike Inez lay down heavy and soulful grooves. While this album does little to push the band's sound into new directions, it certainly seems heavier and denser than the band's previous effort, and is sure to be a new favourite for metalheads everywhere.

The album opens with the pummelling staccato riffing of The One You Know, a driving mid-paced hard rock track that contains all of the band's trademark sounds from the off. The guitar tone is raw, but still packs a punch, and Kinney's hollow drumming provides an earthy backing. The two vocalists intertwine perfectly, with Cantrell taking the lead and DuVall providing the harmonies and the crushing rhythm guitar stabs. This is a song that screams 'Seattle' from the outset, and really sets the tone for what is to come over the next hour or so. I would argue that Alice in Chains are the prime architects and keepers of this sound, and this album (and song in particular) is a beacon of this attitude and vibe in the modern day. The album's title track is up next, and it ups the pace a little with a tough guitar riff and a cutting lead that really leaps out of the speakers. Cantrell is a wonderful guitarist, and fills this album with so many tasteful fills and solos - with his guitar constantly adding something interesting to this song. Inez also makes his presence known with a pounding bassline, that has just enough distortion on it to make it growl and stand out form the wall of guitars. Alice in Chains always manage to create a very dense sound, and I feel that Inez's bass playing is a big part of this. He always seems to manage to find the perfect sound to compliment the guitars, and this song is a great example of his contributions to the band. While Alice in Chains songs are not always known for their soaring melodies, the chorus here is very memorable and packed with refrains that are begging to be sung. The two vocalists harmonise throughout to bring these melodies, and the haunting sound they create is extremely appealing, despite the darkness. Red Giant has a murkier sound throughout, with vocals and guitars mixing together in the intro to create an unsettling sound, and a slow-paced verse that places more emphasis on DuVall's drawling voice than Cantrell's more controlled baritone. Despite some heavy moments, it is a song that manages to create a powerful atmosphere throughout that really establishes a strong mood. Synths or keyboards are often used to enhance atmosphere, but I do not think that this is the case here - with the layers of guitars and use of the harmony vocals coming together to do the job. Credit has to also go to producer Nick Raskulinecz here, who has really brought a lot out of the band's sound without diluting it in anyway. The production throughout the album walks the thin line between sounding primal and raw, and sounding polished and powerful - without ever become too much of either.

Fly lightens the tone a little, with a fairly jaunty clean guitar line forming the basis of the song. This provides a great backing for the vocals, which again sees Cantrell mostly taking the lead. If Alice in Chains wrote a country song, it would probably sound something like this. There are lead guitar breaks that sound like they could have come from a lost Lynyrd Skynyrd song, and the constant addition of acoustic guitars just adds a certain organic quality. This is no hick piece however, and still retains enough of the band's trademark sounds to be instantly recognisable. My favourite part of the song is the guitar solo, which sees Cantrell really letting go with a feast of slow, bluesy playing that has a certain slow-burning power. The way the first big bend almost distorts shows the feeling that he put into the piece, and the fact this slight 'imperfection' was not edited out of the final product is a great! Drone also has a strong acoustic presence, and in fact features some additional guitar work from Chris DeGarmo (Queensrÿche) who contributes the acoustic parts. DeGarmo and Cantrell have worked together before, and Cantrell has gone on record many times professing his love for Queensrÿche. The pair clearly work well together, and DeGarmo's small additions really help to push this song to new heights. It is another song with a pretty big chorus, with the harmonies really helping the melodies to sink in. Much of the song is quite heavy, with driving staccato riffing, but as soon as DeGarmo's acoustic guitar comes in the song opens up with a certain lightness that then leads into another lengthy guitar solo. While there are certainly many more proficient players out there than Cantrell, the feel he gets out of his solos makes him a joy to listen to. His demented take on the typical rock and blues formula is endlessly enjoyable, and is a big reason why I enjoy Alice in Chains so much. Deaf Ears Blind Eyes is the first track on the album that does not really grab me. While I really like the vocal performance throughout, especially DuVall's contributions, it lacks the hooks of the other songs. Most of the other songs on the album have something which really hits home - be it a powerful riff, a cutting solo, or a melodic chorus - but this song feels like a bit of a trudge. Alice in Chain's material on the whole is fairly downbeat and, sometimes, depressing, but this one seems to revel in that without providing any light. It is not an awful song by any means, but it certainly fails to excite. Maybe is a bit of a ballad, so again has quite a strong acoustic guitar presence. Unsurprisingly the song seems to hark back to the acoustic EPs, 1992's Sap and 1994's Jar of Flies, while still feeling like a vital park of this album. There seems to have been a big emphasis placed on vocal melodies here, with both DuVall and Cantrell singing the song throughout to create that big vocal sound the band are known for. The choruses are surprisingly catchy, and the guitar solo is another real winner. As a result, this is one of my favourite pieces on the album, as the mix of light and shade is perfect and really helps to create a fantastic atmosphere.

So Far Under is one of the few songs in the Alice in Chains discography to not be co-written by Cantrell, with DuVall offering up his first solo composition since joining the band. It is clear that he has really embraced the band's signature sound however, and the song is based on a dirty riff that really grabs hold, and is the perfect backing for his howling vocals. I sometimes feel that Cantrell can dominate a little too much on the vocal front, but this is clearly DuVall's chance to really shine. As well as him taking the lion's share of the vocal dominance, he also contributes the song's lead guitar parts. While not as inventive as Cantrell, his screeching leads really fit the mood of the piece, and as a result it is probably the rawest-sounding song on the album. The solo is great too, and shows that DuVall is more than capable of holding his own when it comes to guitar playing in Alice in Chains! The gritty feeling of the song really appeals to me, and as a result it is one of the album's highlights for me. Never Fade is another DuVall effort, although in tandem with Cantrell this time, so unsurprisingly it shares similarities with the previous song but with less grit and more mournful melodies. The chorus is a winner, and sees Cantrell taking the lead vocally, while DuVall's drawl makes the verses shine. So often the vocalists of Alice in Chains seem to be one entity, with the harmonies working so seamlessly, but this song shows their diverse styles with the spotlight shined on both individually - although with plenty of those trademark harmonies also to found! The album's closing number, the seven-minute-plus All I Am, is another pseudo-ballad. It really slows the pace down, and mixes big acoustic guitar chords with a sluggish drum beat and a really expressive vocal display. I am a big fan in general of the band's approach to vocals, and the talents of both DuVall and Cantrell, but I think that this song is one of the best vocal performances in the band's catalogue. The amount of emotion that both put into the song is incredible, and the varying styles throughout really showcases their talents. There are extremely gentle sections, which see some higher notes that you usually expect from either, and then heavier sections crash in and the power is raised considerably. The song is a real slow-burner, and in my opinion this really helps it to gain power. It is a song that benefits from repeated listens, but ends up being the perfect closing number - and certainly one of my favourite pieces on the album and in the band's catalogue. Overall, Rainier Fog is another excellent effort from Alice in Chains. Fans of the band will love hearing more of the band's signature style, and there are a few genuine future classics here that will find regular homes on setlists for years to come.

The album was released on 24th August 2018 via BMG Rights Management GmbH. Below is the band's promotional video for The One You Know.