JERRY CANTRELL - I Want Blood (2024)


Jerry Cantrell's new album, "I Want Blood," arrives three years after his previous work, "Brighten." 

This new album features important guests like Robert Trujillo from Metallica and Duff McKagan from Guns N' Roses, both on bass guitar, of course. I love the opener, Vilified, a perfect start for the album, with robust guitars (the riff is pure evil!) and pace. This could have been an Alice in Chains song (well, most of them...). Off the Rails slows down a bit but it's got a super catchy chorus and some other good moments, Afterglow is melancholy with another great chorus and another short but effective solo. The start is great.

I don't dislike the title track as well, apart from when he says "I want blood" (Is it only me? I find it terrible) and good atmosphere for the slow Echoes of Laughter. Throw Me a Line and Let It Lie feature very cool riffs (and guitar parts, more in general) but I don't find the songs particularly inspired, especially the vocal lines. Way better the vibrant Held Your Tongue while the closing It Comes is another melancholy track, with good vocals and an unexpected tempo change in the middle. Overall an interesting track but in general I find the first part of this work way more inspired than the second half. 

Overall "I Want Blood" features very good songs and great guitar parts as well, with the usual great sound. If you like Jerry Cantrell, you will like it.

Rating 65/100
Top tracks: Vilified, Off the Rails, Afterglow.