Among the many highlights on "Black Gives Way To Blue", the highly anticipated new album from ALICE IN CHAINS, is a special guest performance by Elton John. The two rock legends collaborated on the album's stunning title track, "Black Gives Way To Blue", a heart-stirring tribute to ALICE IN CHAINS' late lead singer Layne Staley. The album arrives in stores September 29.

"We were thinking about adding piano to the track and a friend suggested we call Elton," recalls guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell. "I remember laughing and saying, 'Yeah, I'll get right on that.' But I decided it was worth trying and wrote Elton an email explaining what that song means to us — that it's a real, raw openhearted song for Layne. We sent him the track and got a call shortly after saying he thought it was beautiful and that he wanted to play on it. We were blown away. Elton John is a huge influence on me as a songwriter and having him on that song is an amazing honor for us."

"I've long been an admirer of Jerry Cantrell and when he asked me to play on 'Black Gives Way To Blue', I was very flattered and couldn't resist," says John. "It was a great recording session with ALICE IN CHAINS for a beautiful song."

About the collaboration, Cantrell says, "Elton was finishing his Red Piano run in Vegas, so we flew there and hung out for a few hours. Walking into a studio and seeing the sheet music for that song on Elton's piano made it meaningful on so many different levels. The whole experience was pretty magical."

"Black Gives Way To Blue" is ALICE IN CHAINS' first new studio release in more than 10 years. The quartet (guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell, drummer Sean Kinney, bassist Mike Inez and guitarist/vocalist William DuVall) recorded the album with producer Nick Raskulinecz (RUSH, FOO FIGHTERS) at Studio 606 in Northridge, CA and Henson Studios in Hollywood.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. All Secrets Known
02. Check My Brain
03. Last Of My Kind
04. Your Decision
05. A Looking In View
06. When The Sun Rose Again
07. Acid Bubble
08. Lessons Learned
09. Take Her Out
10. Private Hell
11. Black Gives Way To Blue

ALICE IN CHAINS has tapped U2 and WHITE STRIPES video director Alex Courtes to shoot a clip for "Check My Brain", the first single from "Black Gives Way To Blue".

Fans and members of the press heard "Black Gives Way To Blue" in its entirety at a private listening party in Los Angeles on July 14, followed by a three-song acoustic set by the band in which it debuted two songs from the album live — the title track and "Your Decision".

On August 22, band will join TOOL and LINKIN PARK for the first-ever Epicenter show at the Fairplex in Pomona, CA, to be followed by a headlining tour set to kick off September 4 at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C.