Black Gives Way to Blue is Alice in Chains’ fourth album, released in September 2009 via Virgin Records. It is their first record without original lead singer Layne Staley, who died in 2002, and their first album with new vocalist and rhythm guitarist William DuVall sharing vocal duties with lead guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell, who sings lead vocals on most of the songs. The title track is a tribute to Staley featuring Elton John on piano.

The album debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold by the RIAA on in May 2010. “Check My Brain” and “A Looking in View” were both nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance in 2010 and 2011, respectively. Black Gives Way to Blue won Revolver’s Golden Gods Award for Album of the Year in 2010.

Musically, the album sees the band return to the heavy metal/hard rock style of Dirt and Facelift. It also includes songs which Cantrell described as “the heaviest he’s ever written”.

Tracklist:

LP1 - Side A
All Secrets Known
Check My Brain
Last Of My Kind

LP1 - Side B
Your Decision
A Looking In View
When The Sun Rose Again

LP2 - Side C
When The Sun Rose Again
Acid Bubble
Lesson Learned

LP2 - Side D
Take Her Out
Private Hell
Black Gives Way To Blue