Chains Guitarist album a triumph

Any fool who told former Alice in Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell a double-CD wouldn't fly in the market should listen to Degradation Trip, Vol. 1 & 2. The first Degradation Trip album was a great collection of moody hard rock, but it was choppy and left fans wondering about the other 11 songs that didn't make the cut. The first CD sold like crack, so Roadrunner was forced to release the album according to Cantrell's original vision. Thank all that is holy! \nDegradation Trip Vol. 1 & 2 is more than just unreleased tracks. The 11 "new" songs turn a good album into a masterful work of art. Driven by a killer instrumental track, "Hurts Don't It," the new material has a lot more guitar and rounds out the album nicely. If the first CD served as the cliff notes, then this one is the epic novel. It is different enough from the original Degradation Trip to merit a purchase and, as an added bonus, the video for the single "Anger Rising" is included. There hasn't been a good double CD since the Smashing Pumpkins' Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. Degradation Trip Vol. 1&2 puts that set to shame.