The masters of music that are known as "Alice In Chains" have released their third studio album titled "Rainer Fog" the most anticipated album of 2018!
The album was recorded in four different studios, after recording at Studio X in Seattle the group went to Nashville to record the vocals; lead guitars were recorded at Nick Raskulinecz home studio (producer of this album and the last two.), and Henson Recording Studios in LA.
Let's break this album down one glorious song at a time:
1. "The One You Know"
I actually heard this song live at Rock On The Range about a week after it was released. When I first heard it, I instantly was stunned by how powerful and tough the track is. I was really surprised to hear Cantrell on vocals for such a heavy track. The vocals are incredible, and it was a great first single for them to release. Cantrell spoke about this song in an interview and said he was thinking a little of Bowie when he wrote it, so it has a kind of metal "Fame" shuffle to it.
2. "Rainer Fog"
Let me start this by saying HOLY GUITAR RIFF. The guitar God that is Jerry Cantrell has blessed us again with an incredible riff. This song has very classic AiC feel.
This title track is solid as hell.
3. "Red Giant"
For some reason, this track reminds of "Phamtom Limb," with that being said; the opening harmonies shocked the hell of out me. The vocal distortion makes it just incredible. This is a very s track.
4. "Fly"
This album is full of songs that have a very vintage AiC feel; this song has such a soothing vibe. I would love to hear this song acoustically, because it would translate so well. The harmonizing between Duvall and Cantrell shows its power in this song.
5."Drone"
The riff is very powerful and classic, while the vocals are so powerful through the entire song. There's not really a moment of power, the song is power all the way through the solo. The sludgy swing with the thick guitar and the edgy bass riff makes this a stand out track.
6. "Deaf Ears, Blind Eyes"
This group constantly succeeds at creating a mood for their songs. These are songs; they are life. This song proves that. You don't hear the vocals you get smacked across the face with feeling them. Cantrell kills this track.
7. "Maybe"
The song begins with an acapella lead; it gives me a vibe of "Jar Of Flies" era when they relied more on the simplicity of acoustic guitars rather than the guitar crushing wah sounds. I've been talking about Duvall and Cantrell a lot on this record, but Inez's bass riffs really show on this track. Incredible track.
8. "So Far Under"
This is the second single off this album. This one features Duvall on vocals, and this man shows how much of a power house he is with this song! The lyrics seem to be straight to the point; you feel "So Far Under" and completely overwhelmed with whatever is going on. Being completely fed up, outnumbered, facing unbeatable odds and being extremely mad about it. Sounds like a day in the life of a line cook, but that rant is for another time.
9. "Never Fade"
The third single off features some pretty incredible duel vocals from Duvall and Cantrell. Cantrell wrote the chorus and Duvall wrote the rest, and they sing the parts they wrote. This song has such an older AiC vibe to it; I feel like it could've been on Facelift honestly.
The song is about people passing on, "All My Friends Are Leaving" is one of the lyrics. Duvall said during an interview he was thinking about his grandmother who passed away during the recording of the record and Soundgarden front man Chris Cornell, who passed a month before they started recording the album.
10. "All I Am"
This track brings the album to an eerie, calm end. It carries a sadness with it. The song seems to be lyrically referring to fallen friends AiC has known throughout their career. It's extremely easy to make the connection to Layne Staley or Chris Cornell as subject matter, while that's possibly the guys seeing this as a conclusion with this unexpectedly heartfelt song. This is my favorite song off the record, just rips your soul out and makes you feel.
If you've been waiting for this album like I have, you should be extremely happy with the material the guys have given us. This is a solid 10/10 album! The five-year wait was worth it.
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