The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here
by Alice in Chains
  • Record Label: Capitol
  • Release Date: May 28, 2013
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 74 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 64 out of 74
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 74
  3. Negative: 3 out of 74
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  1. Andremax
    Jul 16, 2018
    7
    AIC with competent William Duvall becames another band, which anyway is a bad thing, opposite of it, it's a still heavy band but more stone, raw and dirty. A new and good band style with heavy and sludge melodies and memorable arrangements goes very well, but the album doesn't needed to be so long and tiring to the point of being disperse. Remains a good work, AIC goes in a certain way,AIC with competent William Duvall becames another band, which anyway is a bad thing, opposite of it, it's a still heavy band but more stone, raw and dirty. A new and good band style with heavy and sludge melodies and memorable arrangements goes very well, but the album doesn't needed to be so long and tiring to the point of being disperse. Remains a good work, AIC goes in a certain way, let's wait to next album.… Expand
  2. cretamitic16
    Nov 27, 2016
    9
    Like Dirt, Devil Put Dinosaurs Here has their signature dark and gloomy sound. With songs like Stone, and Phantom Limb, this effort proves that Alice in Chains and Grunge in general is far from dead, and that a change in the lineup can't stop the guys from dishing out awesome albums like this one.
  3. ydnar4
    Jul 24, 2014
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I don't find this album very original, but there are several good songs on it. Only worth listening to if you are already a fan. There is a lot of better Alice In Chains stuff to check out. Black Gives Way to Blue is better in my opinion, but its nothing to be ashamed of for a band this late in its career.… Expand
  4. Mab_987
    Jan 5, 2014
    6
    It's a decent Alice in Chains album. That's it really. Not some leap in sound that represents a new phase for the band. Just... a decent Alice in Chains album. Heck, the band has said in interviews, almost word for word, that the only real difference with this album is that “it's 12 songs we hadn't written before”. While I appreciate the self-aware lack of pretentiousness, as opposedIt's a decent Alice in Chains album. That's it really. Not some leap in sound that represents a new phase for the band. Just... a decent Alice in Chains album. Heck, the band has said in interviews, almost word for word, that the only real difference with this album is that “it's 12 songs we hadn't written before”. While I appreciate the self-aware lack of pretentiousness, as opposed to other musicians that hype up their upcoming albums way too highly, that only made me fear that this album would be passable, but dull & kinda uninspired. And for me, that's the case for some of the album & not at all for some. For example, the first 4 songs are all great melodic heavy alt-rock with a real sludge-metal feel for a lot of the time. “Stone” especially hooked me from the first listen. It's driven by an awesomely dirty riff/bassline straight out of the Dirt playbook. The partly-acoustic “Voices” is another major highlight that reminds me a lot of the Jar of Flies EP & has probably the catchiest chorus on the whole album.

    You might notice that most of my compliments earlier for the better tracks were basically comparisons to the earlier stuff. That's the case for basically the whole album and in a nutshell (pun intended) I think that's where this album starts to fail for me: it's way too self-derivative. Some bands can pull off replicating their sound with each album, as long as the songs themselves are still as good & as interesting as what came before. But in my opinion, after track 4, for a majority of the time that's just not the case. Nearly every song has the same production, same tempo, same structure, same guitar tone, same sludgy feel, and sometimes with minimal payoff. Even on past albums you could say that some songs sounded different from each other, and they were memorable for different reasons. Here though, some of these 5-minute sludgefests just bleed into each other, with few if any moments to make them stand out from the rest. I think this can be attributed partially to the weird way the vocals sound on this album, which 90% of the time are extremely layered & dense. For me that can kinda take away from the personality & make the narrator seem a bit faceless.

    I also have an issue with this album lyrically. Most of it is pretty generic “I'M SAD!” stuff with nothing especially moving to make it worthwhile. I don't want every one of my points to come with a comparison to the early stuff, but the reason why this strategy worked so well in that era was because it was coming from a genuinely tortured person struggling with a crippling drug addiction & mental issues. It translated in the music vividly & effectively. Then in BGWTB, the negative focus shifted towards transitions in life and, of course, mourning the loss of a dear friend & bandmate. But now what do they have to be sad or all that emotional about? It's okay to not be miserable all the time if it otherwise means becoming stale & disingenuous. And that's exactly what most of this album is: an hour-long subject matter rut. Occasionally it can work well, like on “Phantom Limb” which at least gives some great imagery. But on this album, in my opinion, that's a rare case. There actually is one spot where AiC goes beyond that area lyrically, the title track and it's the only song here that I actively dislike for reasons other than being boring. When it comes to anti-religious lyrics, since about February of last March when I heard Bad Religion's True North, I've basically been using that band as the gold standard of that kind of writing. Anti-religious lyrics can work as long as they're smart, straightforward, passionate & sincere, all while keeping it somewhat considerate of the other side of the argument. “The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here” is none of these things, instead living in obnoxiously smug sarcasm that does nothing but mock instead of making any real or insightful points.

    The weird thing about writing this review is that it's one of those albums where you have a lot of negative stuff to say, but you still like it more than you dislike it & it can be kinda hard to get that across given how much text was devoted to each side. I'd recommend The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here for AiC fans, but not exactly with a guarantee that you'll think it's their best work. Nothing is outright terrible (even the title track sounds decent if you ignore what's being said), but for me it's a bit underwhelming & very front-loaded.

    Top 5 tracks: Stone, Voices, Phantom Limb, Hollow, Pretty Done
    Score: 69/100
    (For a longer review go to my Facebook page That Non-Elitist Music Fan.)    … Expand
  5. Uncivil_Servant
    Jul 30, 2013
    7
    Devil put Dinosaurs here is a good album, but many of the songs lack the harder, more metal side of Alice in Chains. The vocal work is good, but most tracks consist of a blend of both Cantrell's and Duvall's vocals, with Cantrell's being more dominant. Album would be better if Duvall sang on his own a bit more. Overall, still a good album, just not their best.
  6. TwisterAce
    Jun 9, 2013
    9
    Alice in Chains have returned with their fifth studio album, and their second with singer/guitarist William DuVall. The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here is a dark, heavy, bone-crushing monster of an album, one that's on par with their previous release, Black Gives Way to Blue. Much of the album is reminiscent of Dirt the title tracks of both albums even sound similar musically. Jerry Cantrell'sAlice in Chains have returned with their fifth studio album, and their second with singer/guitarist William DuVall. The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here is a dark, heavy, bone-crushing monster of an album, one that's on par with their previous release, Black Gives Way to Blue. Much of the album is reminiscent of Dirt the title tracks of both albums even sound similar musically. Jerry Cantrell's sludgy riffs propel each song, assisted by Mike Inez's ominous basslines and Sean Kinney's solid drumming. As with BGWTB, the vocals are mainly harmonies between Cantrell and DuVall, though DuVall takes the lead on parts of "Lab Monkey" and "Phantom Limb." The twelve songs that constitute the 67-minute album are each amazing, from the gloomy grunge of "Hollow," to the menacing riffs and tempo changes of "Stone" and "Phantom Limb," to the country-flavored "Voices," to the upbeat, acoustic-driven "Scalpel" and "Choke."

    There are two minor problems with this album. One, the songs are generally mid-tempo; don't expect a "Them Bones" here. Two, it would be nice if DuVall had more lead vocals the song "Last of My Kind" on BGWTB proved he could hold his own vocally.

    In the end, Alice in Chains have crafted another excellent record, one that stands beside the timeless albums they made with Layne Staley many years ago.    … Expand
  7. BradleyHenry
    Jun 8, 2013
    8
    This sounds like the Alice in Chains I fell in love with as a teenager in the 90's. Great guitars riffs and booming bass lines. On first listen im hooked. nice work!
  8. Gopher93
    Jun 6, 2013
    9
    A great follow up album after the return of Alice in Chains. Fans of the band will not see anything unusual on this album. The iconic minor key tonality and dark lyrics return once again in this album. The first tracks on this album crank. Loud and in your face, and rock fan will appreciate these songs. Accompanied with a couple of more acoustic songs that could be off of Jerry's soloA great follow up album after the return of Alice in Chains. Fans of the band will not see anything unusual on this album. The iconic minor key tonality and dark lyrics return once again in this album. The first tracks on this album crank. Loud and in your face, and rock fan will appreciate these songs. Accompanied with a couple of more acoustic songs that could be off of Jerry's solo albums, there is more depth to the album than its predecessor Black Gives Way to Blue. The middle of the album is however the album's low point. These few songs are rather forgettable and seem to not go anywhere. They pale in comparison to the rest of the songs on the album. That's not to say that these songs are bad, one thing I personally see with Alice in Chains is that their songs grow on you. Perhaps with time these songs will as well. These songs are really the only reason this album does not get a ten. The rest of the album is fantastic and should not be missed by any rock fan.… Expand
  9. joyrex
    Jun 6, 2013
    5
    I basically grew up listening to them so i’m biased (i’m pretty much always biased but the reasons are different so i like to specify why) but here i am trying to crank out a few words about this record.
    It all sounds good, a little “boring” for my taste but there are some moments that make this listen worthwhile, it’s great that they got back together after everything but i don’t think    I basically grew up listening to them so i’m biased (i’m pretty much always biased but the reasons are different so i like to specify why) but here i am trying to crank out a few words about this record.
    It all sounds good, a little “boring” for my taste but there are some moments that make this listen worthwhile, it’s great that they got back together after everything but i don’t think that this record is able to add anything else to what they already tried to say in the past, and more importantly they don’t add any evolution to the genre.
    A good listen but don’t expect too much. Is it entertaining? Sure.    … Expand
  10. Negative
    Jun 2, 2013
    9
    Great album. I think I like the instrumentation here more than I did on Black Gives Way to Blue. I wish Duvall had more songs to shine on than what he was given, but Jerry sang some beautiful melodies on songs like 'Low Ceiling' and 'Choke'. For me, 'Choke' is up there with 'Over Now'. The title track's instrumentation is like a mix of Love, Hate, Love, Take Her Out, and Frogs. I can'tGreat album. I think I like the instrumentation here more than I did on Black Gives Way to Blue. I wish Duvall had more songs to shine on than what he was given, but Jerry sang some beautiful melodies on songs like 'Low Ceiling' and 'Choke'. For me, 'Choke' is up there with 'Over Now'. The title track's instrumentation is like a mix of Love, Hate, Love, Take Her Out, and Frogs. I can't wait to hear all of these songs live.… Expand
  11. nick0black
    Jun 2, 2013
    8
    I was the guy with the unpopular opinion when it came to Black Gives Way to Blue. I felt that without Layne, Alice in Chains just did not have what they used to. But after listening to this album, I have changed my mind. This album contains such a dark and real tone to it that right at the beginning of the album, it I was into it. Alice in Chains has proven to us all that they still are,I was the guy with the unpopular opinion when it came to Black Gives Way to Blue. I felt that without Layne, Alice in Chains just did not have what they used to. But after listening to this album, I have changed my mind. This album contains such a dark and real tone to it that right at the beginning of the album, it I was into it. Alice in Chains has proven to us all that they still are, and always will be, one of the greatest grunge bands of all time. With, or without Layne. Rest in peace brother, this album should definitely make you proud.… Expand
  12. criticsbedumb
    Jun 2, 2013
    10
    Certainly nothing groundbreaking here but if you're familiar with AIC's past work, this won't come as a surprise. Their philosophy seems to be: if it ain't broke, why fix it?

    If you're not a fan of this band's earlier music then you almost certainly won't like this album. If you are a fan of their past work then you almost certainly will like this album. I love it...
  13. arkadion
    May 31, 2013
    10
    This album is amazing. Better than Black Gives Way to Blue it features their dark trademark sound with the creative freedom of not having to handle with critics after Layne Staley passed away. It is a big evolution, as DuVall has a bigger part and a better voice. This album is being underrated, as it deserves at least a 80 score from critics.
  14. bandherpal
    May 29, 2013
    10
    This album is absolutely amazing. It had the dark tone of AIC that we so love and yet a new dimension to their sound. Layne is gone now, but they're keeping his legacy alive very well.
  15. TheMaximalist
    May 29, 2013
    8
    Jerry Jerry Jerry you are a genius. Alice has returned with their 2nd most amazing album yet (you all know what the 1st is). Heavy bass lines, intelligent guitar tracks and unique harmonizing vocals make this one of the greatest rock albums of the year. My only complaint is the standard drum tracks and standard production. Which is strange because those two elements are from musicians thatJerry Jerry Jerry you are a genius. Alice has returned with their 2nd most amazing album yet (you all know what the 1st is). Heavy bass lines, intelligent guitar tracks and unique harmonizing vocals make this one of the greatest rock albums of the year. My only complaint is the standard drum tracks and standard production. Which is strange because those two elements are from musicians that are known to be excellent in their field (Raskulinecz excellently produced One by One and the previous Alice outing Black Gives way to Blue). Besides that this is a great album from an amazing band.… Expand
  16. 27matt1
    May 28, 2013
    10
    Wow, im just blown away by this album. I was a big fan of "Black Gives Way To Blues" when it came out. Now I'm forced with the task of deciding which one is better, because "The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here" is undoubtedly some of their best.

Awards & Rankings

82
#82 Most Discussed Album of 2013

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
70

Generally favorable reviews - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 15
  3. Negative: 0 out of 15
  1. New Musical Express (NME)
    Jun 24, 2013
    70
    They may never recapture their ‘Dirt’-era majesty, but AiC’s second act is turning out very nicely indeed.
    Read full review
  2. Rolling Stone
    Jun 18, 2013
    60
    Though new vocalist William DuVall doesn't have his predecessor's talent for shaping Seattle sludge into molten-dread anthems, founder Jerry Cantrell's expressively torpid guitar steps up to become its own kind of lead voice.
    Read full review
  3. Q Magazine
    Jun 17, 2013
    60
    The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here falls from the same mould [as 1992's Dirt]. [Jul 2013, p.99]
See all critic reviews »