Alice in Chains are back with their first new song in five years. “The One You Know” serves as a lead single for the band’s upcoming, yet-untitled album, which is a follow up to 2013’s The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here.
Now, fans of Alice in Chains are probably wondering if the new album is worth waiting five years for. Well, if we are to judge by “The One You Know,” it might be.
As soon as the song starts, you’ll recognize that this is something done in the workshop of guitarist and vocalist Jerry Cantrell. The heavy, grungy and dirty guitar intro mashes perfectly with the pulsating drum beat into a dizzy sound that hooks you immediately.
Cantrell starts of the first verse with a growly: I’m a little alike, before William DuVall steps in to give it a kick and prepare you for a satisfying chorus where harmonized vocals sing: Tell me, does it matter/ If I’m still here, or I’m gone?/ Shifting to the after/ An impostor, I’m not the one you know. One could argue that the chorus is what makes the song so good.
One thing that might surprise you on “The One You Know” is the psychedelic whammy solo, but it blends into the song perfectly that you won’t even realize it’s so out of character for Alice in Chains.
After a few listens, you get the feeling that this is better than anything from The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here. “The One You Know” sounds like going back to the roots, mixing grunge and heavy metal elements into a sound that made Alice in Chains so special.
“The One You Know” won’t blow your mind and isn’t on par with some of the band’s best works. There will be moments where you’ll get confused about the “mood” of the song and unconvincing transitions. The lyrics also don’t feel that they compose a whole and look like they are just scattered through the song once you start analyzing them.
With all that being said, “The One You Know” is still a triumphant return of Alice in Chains and a great tune that shows the band is on the right track to deliver us an awesome album.
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
