After the release of their self-titled album in 1995 Alice In Chains effectively retired from live performance. After choosing not to tour the album, rumours circulated that all was not well within the band. Alice In Chains made only one more live appearance with original frontman Layne Staley, for MTV’s Unplugged show.

The first phase of the band’s career ground to a halt. Chief songwriter/guitarist Jerry Cantrell and vocalist Layne Staley drifted apart. In April 2002, Layne Staley was found dead. Only a couple of weeks before, in an interview, Cantrell had said he hadn’t ruled out working with Staley again… It was a bittersweet time: Cantrell’s second album ‘Degradation Trip’ was completed, ready for a June release. It sounded more like Alice In Chains than his first, with the spirit of the recently deceased Staley cutting through various tracks, especially ‘Bargain Basement Howard Hughes’.

In 2005, the almost unthinkable happened. Jerry Cantrell teamed up with his old Alice In Chains bandmates, bassist Mike Inez and drummer Sean Kinney and resurrected the Alice In Chains name. After a benefit show with guest vocalists, they drafted in Cantrell’s buddy William DuVall and played sporadic live shows, to enthusiastic audiences.

…And in 2009, the band released ‘Black Gives Way To Blue’, a new studio album featuring DuVall as a permanent band member. Some fans were skeptical, claiming Layne was vital to Alice In Chains. These fans missed something almost as vital: Layne Staley’s input to 2005’s ‘Alice In Chains’ album was bordering on minimal. Not only had Cantrell taken on the mantle of being the band’s principal song writer, he also stepped up his vocal contributions, having a hefty presence on huge chunks of the release. If Alice In Chains were anything at all by the time of their hiatus, it was Jerry Cantrell’s show. If he wanted to write new songs and keep the spirit of AIC alive, then there shouldn’t be any reason why not. …Especially when, as with ‘Bargain Basement Howard Hughes’ some of the new songs almost sounded as if Layne was still present.

In November 2011, they performed a set at the Maquinaria Festival in Chile featuring a host of classic tracks from their back catalogue alongside a couple of numbers from the still recent ‘Black Gives Way To Blue’. Despite the band having returned to the recording studio in the summer, the set contained no new material. The complete show was filmed professionally and can be enjoyed below.

Following the death of bassist Paul Gray in May 2010, the future of Slipknot looked uncertain.  The band had no plans to replace him, but felt he would want them to continue making music.  Throughout 2011, the band made sporadic appearances at festivals, including a headline slot at the UK Sonisphere Festival.  At the live shows, original guitarist Donnie Steele filled in for the departed #2, although hidden from the audience’s view.

On Sunday, September 25th, the band made an appearance at the Rock In Rio Festival.  You can see their full 80 minute set below.

Percussionist Shawn Crahan (aka Clown), has stated the band will tour the US during 2012.

Corey Taylor’s “other” band Stone Sour performed an hour’s set at the Rock In Rio festival on September 24th. The entire set was filmed for a TV broadcast, capturing the band in fine form.

Behind the kit is ex-Dream Theater man Mike Portnoy, substituting for Stone Sour’s regular sticksman Roy Mayorga, who was on leave at the time of the performance, awaiting the birth of a new baby.

The performance comes at a busy time for the band. They already have firm plans to release a live DVD in 2012, as well as a covers EP, though at the time of writing, the tracklist remains undecided.

Earlier in September, reports began to emerge regarding Stone Sour’s next full project. According to frontman Corey Taylor, the new material is “very dark”, possibly combining musical aspects of the band’s first three albums and “might turn into a double album”.

STONE SOUR – Rock In Rio setlist:

Mission Statement
Reborn
Digital (Did You Tell)
Dying
Hesitate
Made Of Scars
Say You’ll Haunt Me
Unfinished
Bother
Through Glass
Get Inside
Hell & Consequences
30/30-150

In support of the release of their 12th studio full-length album ‘Kairos’, thrash legends Sepultura played an hour’s set at the open air Wacken festival in Germany on August 8th. The set featured two songs from the band’s new album alongside a bunch of Sepultura classics, and a Ministry cover. You can watch the whole show by clicking below.

‘Kairos’ is the band’s first release for the Nuclear Blast label and the second not to feature either of the Cavalera brothers who founded the band back in 1984.

01. Intro / Arise
02. Refuse/Resist
03. Kairos
04. Just One Fix
05. Convicted In Life
06. Choke
07. What I Do!
08. Relentless
09. Troops Of Doom
10. Territory
11. Inner Self
12. Ratamahatta
13. Roots Bloody Roots

While all ‘Big 4’ thrash bands have their place, Metallica have long outgrown Anthrax, Slayer and Megadeth in terms of worldwide popularity. Their commercial success arguably peaked with their self-titled 1991 black album, and they struggled to make consistently decent album for over a decade afterwards. With their post 1991 output barely represented in an epic-length performance, perhaps Metallica aren’t so sure of their late 90s/early 00’s work either. The absence of anything from the nasty ‘St Anger’ speaks for itself.

You can’t go far wrong with a Metallica performance that’s heavily weighted towards their 80s work and even though James Hetfield’s voice isn’t quite as edgy as it once was, this headline set broadcast on Swedish TV is no exception. Hit the lights…