Alice In Chains
Unplugged (DVD)

"We chase missprinted lies… ". With these words uttered by Layne Staley (taken from the masterpiece "Nutshell"), the Alice In Chains Unplugged opens, marking the band's first concert after three years away from the stage, and one of the last before the group's voice would permanently retire from the scene, beginning his slow but inevitable descent into the abyss that six years later would lead to a tragic end.

The first phrase is just whispered by Layne, and it couldn't be otherwise, given how his voice has now been reduced: a weak whisper, a sad lament, now that the extraordinary power it once possessed is almost entirely evaporated, carried away by drugs and depression that internally continue to erode and torment him. Not rarely does Layne's voice tremble, go off-key, fade away, needing the support of Jerry Cantrell's angelic tone to stand up, to not collapse entirely, assuming that particular and enchanting alienating tone. And the atmosphere fully reflects Staley's soul: calm, relaxed, resigned, oppressed and oppressive at the same time.

This memorable live retraces the band's career, with tracks extracted from all their studio works, except for the debut "Facelift". I think it's even pointless to dwell too much on the beauty of the songs, on their perfect performance, and on the cohesion the group has now achieved after several years together, because technically executed masterful performances are actually found in considerable quantity, but here there's something more: there's a frightening emotional charge, there's a man showing everyone his inner dramas and the ghosts he is fighting against, showing them for one last time, since from now on he will practically lead the life of a hermit, retreating forever into his solitude, a solitude from which he will never emerge again.

This is briefly the testament drafted by a band capable of passionate like very few others, and which also on this occasion does not disappoint, delivering chills, tears, and once again giving the awareness that Layne knew, he already knew everything about how it would all end up. And after all, he had made it clear from the start… does "We Die Young" say anything to you?