I Want Blood
Jerry Cantrell's guitar tone and vocal harmonies can make a song feel uneasy before the words have really started. I Want Blood puts those strengths back into a heavier setting after the more open sound of Brighten. The result is dark, strongly played and very easy to recognise as his work.
Vilified opens with a substantial riff and a melody that pulls against it. That contrast is one of Cantrell's most reliable tools, and it remains effective here. The heavy parts give the song its shape, while the voice makes the feeling less straightforward.
Off the Rails brings more movement into the arrangement. The guitar figures and changes in timing reward attention without making the song difficult to follow. Cantrell has a good way of placing an unusual turn inside music that still feels direct.
Afterglow is a highlight for the harmonies. The vocal parts give the song a slightly unsettled warmth, with the guitars keeping the darker mood in place. There's plenty of character in the spaces between the main phrases, and the performance doesn't need constant activity to hold your attention.
Let It Lie brings back a more forceful guitar presence, while the title track adds a quicker, rolling energy. Both songs make good use of the band's weight. The players give Cantrell a strong foundation, and the leads remain connected to the mood of the song.
The later Echoes of Laughter takes a slower route, and It Comes gives the ending room to develop. That closing song is particularly effective, gradually opening into something larger without losing its reflective centre.
A few moments are less distinctive. Held Your Tongue has a strong entrance, but its chorus doesn't have quite the same depth as the best material. The album also stays close enough to Cantrell's established sound that listeners hoping for a major departure won't find one.
What they will find is a very good set of dark, melodic rock songs. I Want Blood has the riffs, the harmonies and the patience to let both make their point.
