Maps of Music

Black Gives Way to Blue (2009)

Where the lyrics of Black Gives Way to Blue take you, and where it was really made.

The album was released on the 17th anniversary of the band's second album, Dirt, and was the first Alice in Chains record without Layne Staley.

Key places

Where recording began (2008)

Recording site Studio 606 — Recording of the album began on October 23, 2008 at Studio 606 in Northridge, California. The source gives only the city level, so the exact building position is not confirmed here. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Los Angeles recording sessions (2009)

Recording site A&M Recording Studios — In December 2008 the band moved into Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles to continue recording the album. The studio is listed as a recording location for the album. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Vancouver mixing (2009)

Recording site Warehouse Studios — The album was mixed at The Warehouse Studio in Vancouver, British Columbia, alongside Henson Studios in Los Angeles. The studio is listed as a mixing location in the album credits. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Mastering in New York (2009)

Recording site Sterling Sound — The album was mastered at Sterling Sound in New York. The studio is listed as the mastering location in the album credits. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Elton John's piano in Las Vegas (2009)

Recording site Studio at the Palms — Elton John recorded the piano track for the title song at a studio in Las Vegas on April 23, 2009. The source gives only the city level, so the exact studio building is not confirmed here. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Black Gives Way to Blue is the fourth studio album by Alice in Chains
• Released September 29, 2009 through a joint venture between Virgin and EMI Records
• The release fell on the 17th anniversary of the band's second album, Dirt
• First record without founding lead singer Layne Staley, who died in 2002
• First album with rhythm guitarist William DuVall
• First venture away from Columbia Records, which handled all earlier releases
• Came nearly fourteen years after the self-titled album, the longest gap between studio albums in the band's career

Background

• The band ceased activity after Staley's death and reunited in early 2005 for a benefit show
• The band decided to reunite to play live full-time
• DuVall joined in 2006 in Staley's place
• Work on the album began in April 2007, but recording did not start until October 2008
• Producer Nick Raskulinecz worked on the album
• The band had no record label during recording and had signed with Virgin and EMI by late April 2009

Recording

• Recording began October 23, 2008 at Studio 606 in Northridge, California
• In December 2008 the band moved into Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles
• Recording was completed March 18, 2009, Cantrell's 43rd birthday
• Elton John recorded the piano track for the title song in a Las Vegas studio on April 23, 2009

Cover

• The cover shows an anatomical illustration of a heart on a black and blue background
• The illustration was made by British designer Matt Taylor

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Formed in Seattle in 1987; the original lineup was Jerry Cantrell, Sean Kinney, Layne Staley, and Mike Starr.
• The name came from Staley's earlier band, Alice N' Chains.
• Signed to Columbia Records in 1989 after The Treehouse Tapes demo.

Members

• Current lineup since 2006: Jerry Cantrell (vocals/guitar), William DuVall (vocals/guitar), Mike Inez (bass), Sean Kinney (drums).
• Original vocalist Layne Staley died in 2002; former bassist Mike Starr left in 1993 and died in 2011.

Career

• Rose to fame in the early 1990s grunge movement with Facelift (1990) and Dirt (1992).
• Jar of Flies (1994) and Alice in Chains (1995) both topped the US Billboard 200.
• Hiatus from 1996 due to Staley's substance abuse; reunited in 2005.
• Released Black Gives Way to Blue (2009), The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here (2013), and Rainier Fog (2018).
• Has sold over 30 million certified records in the US and received eleven Grammy nominations.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Classic Rock gave the album nine out of ten stars in its September 2009 review section
• Metal Hammer gave the album 10/10 in September 2009
• The Times of India's Nigel Britto praised the album as a huge success

Reappraisal

• Loudwire staff chose it as the best hard rock album of 2009 in 2024
• Won Revolver magazine's Golden Gods Award for Album of the Year in 2010, beating Slayer, Mastodon, Megadeth and Heaven and Hell
• Placed second on Kerrang!'s Top 20 albums of 2009 list and seventh on its 50 Best Albums From 2009
• Placed on Metal Hammer's Top 50 albums of the year list
• 'Check My Brain' and 'A Looking in View' were nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance in 2010 and 2011

Records

• Debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200, selling 126,000 copies in its first week
• Entered the UK Albums Chart at No. 19 on October 5, 2009
• Gold certification by the Canadian Recording Industry Association in February 2010 for over 40,000 units
• RIAA Gold certification in May 2010 for over 500,000 copies sold in the US
• 'Check My Brain' and 'Your Decision' reached No. 1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart
• 'Lesson Learned' reached No. 4 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart
• 'Check My Brain' reached No. 92 on the Billboard Hot 100, the band's first single on that chart

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The album was released on the 17th anniversary of Dirt, the band's second album from 1992.
• Elton John's piano on the title track was recorded in a Las Vegas studio on April 23, 2009.
• More music videos were released for this album than for any previous Alice in Chains release.
• Lead vocals on 'Last of My Kind' are DuVall's, the only song where he sings lead without harmonizing with Cantrell.
• Before the band took the stage on the tour, the album cover was projected with a beating heart onto the stage curtain.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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