ALICE IN CHAINS — Live (review)

ALICE IN CHAINS — Live album cover Live album · 2000 · Alternative Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
Pekka
Whereas the first Alice in Chains live album showed the band in an acoustic setting, the second live album simply titled Live spans six years of electric live performances from the Facelift tour to the final gig with Layne Staley in 1996. While I generally prefer live albums taken from a single concert, this one features so many quality cuts to make it one of my favourite live albums.

The early era with Mike Starr is presented by two tracks, a passionate reading of the Facelift highlight Bleed the Freak and the previously unreleased country piss take Queen of the Rodeo which really is more amusing than enjoyable, but as such an interesting look into the more humorous side of AIC which hasn't been showing up very often. The Mike Inez era starts with a solid version of Angry Chair, but this take is most notable for leading straight into a stunning rendition of Man in the Box through a fantastic transition. This one is far superior to the original Facelift track with a faster tempo, fuller and heavier sound and a great vocal performance by Layne Staley. One of the highlights of this album. The Dirt world tour is presented by several more tracks up to the "drunk and disorderly version" of Dirt from Japan. These are all solid versions with raw sound and good performances with Junkhead being another one of the album highlights with its modified chorus melodies and harmonies.

The last five songs are taken from the last two shows Layne Staley did with the band and they spawn many highligts. He might have been skinny, weak and hurting but judging by these takes nevertheless very much alive. He lets Jerry Cantrell's guitar do the opening roar of Them Bones, but despite that this is a great version of a great song, again somewhat altering the chorus harmonies to great effect. God Am and the Last Action Hero song A Little Bitter are two other brilliant performances from the second to last show, Staley being very much on fire on these numbers. The original God Am seems very tame in comparison. Layne makes his final bow with a powerful version of Dam That River, according to the setlists the second to last song he ever performed live.

Some absolutely essential takes and some just good, all in all an excellent live album.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

The Goblin Sessions Heavy Metal
THEM
Buy this album from MMA partners
Tormenta De Arena Metalcore
VORAGO
Buy this album from MMA partners
Infinite Metalcore
FUTURE GHOST
Buy this album from MMA partners
Heretic Melodic Death Metal
SUNCINDER
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Skull Burned Wearing Hell Like A Life Vest As The Night Wept Mathcore
FRONTIERER
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

Future Ghost - Wolves (Official Music Video)
FUTURE GHOST
Bosh66· 1 day ago
Future Ghost - Nemesis Game (Official Music Video)
FUTURE GHOST
Bosh66· 1 day ago
Harrowed TwentyTenVideo
HARROWED
Bosh66· 3 days ago
Sunmancer - Realms of Dilemma (Official Visualizer)
SUNMANCER
Bosh66· 8 days ago
Sunmancer - Lower Cavalier (Official Visualizer)
SUNMANCER
Bosh66· 8 days ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed