Iconic grunge/hard-rock band Alice in Chains makes an impressive comeback after a five-year hiatus with a menacing, rocking new single, “The One You Know.”

To quote Rihanna, “The wait is ova!” It has been five, long years since we heard from iconic grunge/hard-rock band Alice in Chains. In 2013, they released a superb studio album, The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here.  Now in 2018, they drop a fantastic new single, “The One You Know.” AIC definitely knows how to make a comeback.

Alice in Chains is on autopilot from the start.  Enigmatic and foreboding to the nth degree, the collective conjures up some truly ‘off-kilter funk’ instrumentally, carried by hellish, menacing bass and guitars. There’s clear-cut dissonance, amplifying utter darkness.  While the entrance of the vocals adds stability on the verses, there’s still an unsettling nature that makes “The One You Know” incredibly alluring.  The vocal production is certainly well-rounded, while the vocal performance itself is a sight to behold, rather hear.  The vocals shine most on the chorus, where there’s more musical consonance and a change of harmonic progression.  If the verse seems to lean on a harmonic vamp, the chorus ‘spreads its wings’ you might say.

“Tell me, does it matter

If I’m still here, or I’m gone?

Shifting to the after

An imposter, I’m not the one you know.”

The interlude features a sick, rocking guitar solo, beginning on the odd harmonic vamp, but also incorporating some variation.  The following bridge moves away from the previously heard chord progression, before returning to the familiarity of the chorus.

Final Thoughts 

Simply put, “The One You Know” rocks HARD.  This is a stellar comeback, particularly considering all that Alice in Chains has endured.  After all, there was a fourteen-year gap between studio albums with 1995’s self-titled album and 2009 comeback Black Gives Way to Blue, the first post-Layne Staley album.  Fifth studio album The Devil Put Dinosaurs Herearrived four years later.  Despite the lengthy hiatuses between singles and albums, AIC proves it knows how to make an unforgettable impression.

Alice in Chains • The One You Know– Single • BMG Rights Management • Release: 5.4.18

Photo Credit: BMG Rights Management