The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here is the fifth studio album by Alice in Chains, released on May 28, 2013 through Capitol Records (and the band’s final album released by the label). It is the band’s second reunion album. Following a worldwide tour in support of its previous album, Black Gives Way to Blue (2009), Alice in Chains began work on a new album.
The making of The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here lasted for more than a year and the release of the album was delayed numerous times. The band entered the studio in July 2011 to start work on their fifth album. During the writing and recording sessions, guitarist and vocalist Jerry Cantrell underwent shoulder surgery, which resulted in the delay of the album.The recording sessions of The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here were completed in December 2012.
Peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart and at No. 1 on the Top Rock Albums chart, the album was well received by music critics, and Hollow, Stone, Voices were released as singles to promote the album. Hollow and Stone reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Tracks, while Voices reached No. 3, and each one of the three songs stayed on the chart for 20 weeks.
The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here also reached the top ten in the national albums charts of Australia, Finland and Norway.The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical in 2013. The mockumentary AIC 23 was released via Funny or Die on April 3, 2013 to promote the album.
The cover artwork features the skull of a Triceratops with a second skull image steganographically hidden on a red background. The two skulls, when revealed, combine to form the image of the devil.
The album title refers to a belief held by some religious individuals that to confuse the masses of humanity, Satan himself planted dinosaur bones deep into the Earth to dissuade the faithful. The inner artwork includes images of other dinosaur skulls steganographically overlapped in a similar manner to the front cover, including two pachycephalosaurs and Ankylosaurus. Additional imagery is also revealed when the CD tray is removed from the jewel case.
Tracklist:
- Hollow
- Pretty Done
- Stone
- Voices
- The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here
- Lab Monkey
- Low Ceiling
- Breath on a Window
- Scalpel
- Phantom Limb
- Hung on a Hook
- Choke
Alice in Chains
Jerry Cantrell: lead vocals, lead guitar
William DuVall: lead vocals, rhythm guitar, guitar solo on (Phantom Limb)
Sean Kinney: drums, percussion
Mike Inez: bass
Production
Produced by Nick Raskulinecz and Alice in Chains
Engineered by Paul Figueroa
Mixing by Randy Staub
Mastering by Ted Jensen
Artwork by Ryan Clark
Photography by Kabacchi & Ballista
Management by Velvet Hammer Music and Management Group and Susan Silver Management
