Iconic rock band Alice in Chains returns with “So Far Under,” the second single from their highly-anticipated sixth studio album, ‘Rainier Fog.’

After a five-year hiatus, iconic grunge-/hard-rock band Alice in Chains made a comeback in 2018. It all began with the stellar “The One You Know”, a record which earned a spot on The Musical Hype’s 50 Best Songs of 2018 (So Far) (#11 to be exact). Now’s where things get even more triumphant – the announcement of their sixth studio album, Rainier Fog. What more fitting way to prepare for the highly-anticipated album than the release of its second advance single, “So Far Under”?

Following the brilliant “The One You Know” is an elephantine task.  What made “The One You Know” so awesome was its truly ‘off-kilter funk’ and clear-cut dissonance.  While “So Far Under” is more accessible, Alice in Chains remains in hellish mode.  There’s still a ‘stank’ – a stench – about “So Far Under” that maintains a similar appeal to “The One You Know.” Notably, AIC seem content to spend the majority of the record hanging and ‘sliding’ around the tonic minor key (E-flat minor).  There are variations on the ‘vamp,’ as they experiment with chromaticism (half steps), notably the popular lowered second.  A descending progression that breaks away from the vamp, is distinguished by the titular lyrics, “So far under.” Also, there’s instrumental section that modulates a whole step to F minor, before ‘returning back home.’

Final Thoughts

Okay, so the review of “So Far Under” turned into some music theory, sigh.  While I prefer “The One You Know,” as you can judge by my excitement describing the musical happenings, this is another solid record from the band.  Rainier Fog looks like a sure bet come August 2018.

Alice in Chains • Rainier Fog • BMG Rights Management • Release: 8.24.18

Photo Credit: BMG Rights Management