Alice in Chains 'Black Gives Way To Blue'

Who'd have thought the '90s GRUNGE gentlemen would've come back as strong as this? Not us. We had this down as a potential turd-slip, but the Seattle rockers have stomped right through the stink stuff with plastic-bag-covered workman boots on, and flicked their lank, unkempt locks in our faces, while leaping up and down like stoned sixth-formers.

Original frontman Layne Stayley (RIP) very tragically OD'd in 2002. In comes giant-haired new guy William DuVall (ex-Comes With The Fall. 'Who?' we cried) to share vocal wails with guitarist Jerry Cantrell, while bass-heavy riffs erupt from amps like rivers of musical lava. Single 'Check Your Brain' plays a sludgery blinder with a whopper of a chorus, and there are some other mean old tracks, too ('Your Decision', 'Private Hell'). 'Last Of My Kind' grinds along a bit like a hackneyed Megadeth, though, which is perhaps not-so good.

Overall, 'Black Gives Way To Blue' is almost vintage, hard-rockin' AIC, all dark and aggro-y, occasionally tender, with an acceptable commercialised slant. It also sounds surprisingly fresh too. We don't know why. It just does. Hurray.

*WIN 'Black Gives Way To Blue' CDs!* Simply tell us the name of the 1992 Alice In Chains album which featured the singles 'Down In A Hole' and 'Would', and email your answer and details to chaps@maxim.co.uk. We've got 5 up for grabs!

*Entrants must be over 18 and live in the UK*

We test all our albums on a NaimUniti stereo. If we were testing for sound quality, every album would get five stars. But we're good little journalists, so we can't. Check out more at www.naimaudio.com. They make good stuff, believe us.