Jerry Cantrell on New Alice in Chains: "It’s Like Having to Deal with the Sophomore Jinx for the Second Time"

In 2013 Alice in Chains will release their as-yet-untitled fifth studio album. Although the band has been around for some 25 years, this marks only their second album without longtime vocalist Layne Staley, lending a still-new feel to the follow-up to Black Gives Way to Blue.

“It’s like having to deal with the sophomore jinx for the second time in our career,” Cantrell told Richard Bienstock in the latest issue of Guitar World.Joined by bassist Mike Inez, drummer Sean Kinney and vocalist/guitarist William DuVall, Cantrell recently wrapped up the recording sessions for the album with producer Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Deftones) and engineer Paul Figueroa."In my opinion, that record stood up to anything else we’ve put out in our career," Cantrell says. "And this new one is right up there as well."For more on the upcoming Alice in Chains album, Jerry's recovery from shoulder surgery and more, pick up the January issue of Guitar World in our online store here.