Alice In Chains - The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here (Album Review)

A great vocalist can never be fully replaced. That's been the case time and time again. However sometimes bands luck out and find a new singer that works just as well with the band. That's been the case with a few bands over the years (right off the top of my head and more recently I think of Sublime With Rome). That's definitely the case with Alice In Chains. After two albums with new singer William DuVall (who replaced the late great Layne Staley) the band has been as strong as ever. Their second album as the "new" Alice In Chains finds the group really hitting their stride.

Black Gives Way To Blue was such a well done album. It was hard to tell what the band had gone through in their previous incarnation. The album was a rebirth and in many ways a tribute to the late Staley. With The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here it feels like Alice In Chains has found some closure and has begun heading into the future. The songs contain a lot of the classic Alice In Chains sounds while venturing out some and taking a few chances with sounds here and there. This album really cements Jerry Cantrell's ability to keep churning out well written songs as well as showing he's a good vocalist in his own right. William DuVall has really found his flow and he really owns his front man position without doubt on Dinosaurs. Like I said the band couldn't have hoped for a better fit when it comes to his vocal ability. This album really shows he's the guy for the job.

The songwriting and passion in the music makes it pretty evident this isn't a call it in and cash out for what we use to be kind of album. I think this album adds to the legacy of Alice In Chains. They've come back in a big way and it's evident on how well written and performed this album is. The group sounds as fresh as they did on some of their more classic albums. It's produced nicely and the balance of the sound is really nice.

Quite honestly there are a lot of these 90s groups that get reminisced about these days. Some kick out the occasional album and it can be hit or miss. Alice In Chains are definitely a well loved 90s group but I think they've done a great job not playing the nostalgia game and instead stepping into the future with some of their best material to date. Sure some people will always call foul because the group has a new singer. Honestly though if you've found that holding you back from enjoying the new music I highly recommend just listening to this album without preconceived notions. I think if you do, there is no denying this is a solid album that stands up with any of the bands previous material. It's nice to know rock albums of this caliber with this particular sound still exist in 2013.