Jerry Cantrell, “I Want Blood.”

Few hard rock musicians carry the torch for the authentic Seattle sound of ‘90s grunge like guitarist Jerry Cantrell. The Alice In Chains founder understands the assignment of riff-laden, harmony-rich heavy rock and roll. That’s exactly what Cantrell offers on I Want Blood, his fourth solo record.

As an added bonus, the album offers an all-star cast like Metallica’s Robert Trujillo, Guns N’ Roses’ Duff McKagan and Faith No More’s Mike Bordin.

But Cantrell is the focal point. Each song features the guitarist’s signature bluesy rock licks and melodic solos, as well as his minor-key baritone harmonies in the style of Alice In Chains. There’s just nine tracks but plenty of material with song lengths ranging from four and a half to six and a half minutes.

Cantrell’s vocals and harmonies are rock solid, the arrangements and guitar playing compelling and the songs plain good. There’s no overthinking: just a bunch of accomplished musicians jamming out reliably hard-rocking tunes.

Cantrell’s musical roots are easily traceable but he’s also excelled at bridging the material to the current generation. Opening hard rocker “Vilified” makes perfect sense within the current ecosystem of modern hard rock. It hits hard but also has an infectious, memorable quality. Cantrell doesn’t over-write his verses. Each line is delivered with the stoic and dour cadence that serves as a counterpoint to the heaviness of the music.

Slow-burning “Off the Rails” dabbles in prog rock, building momentum before unleashing all the energy as it enters the homestretch. Cantrell’s vocals are crisp and haven’t aged with time. The ability to preserve the intensity is an impressive feat for a screamer. Mid-tempo tune “Afterglow” backs off, but only a little, doubling down on melody.

The title track is plenty aggressive, providing an adequate connector to the many newer artists who’ve been influenced by both Cantrell and his Alice In Chains bandmates. The contributions of Trujillo, McKagan (on whose recent solo album Cantrell appeared) and Bordin don’t immediately stand out. All three stay in the pocket and support the overall tight sound of the record.

“Echoes of Laughter” is a rocker that pulls right out of the Alice In Chains playbook, blending a heavy, punishing melody with acoustic guitar accents. The song is both brooding and forceful, bringing a melodic quality to the multilayered lurching vocal.

“I ran all night to find an answer; you went away/  The canyons echo of your laughter in the light of day,” Cantrell sings.

“Throw Me A Line” keeps up the grunge kick, but also gives a nod to the likes of Black Sabbath with its bluesy metal guitar riffs. The mid-tempo lurch continues on the ethereal “Let It Lie,” while “Held Your Tongue” revives some of the more modern rock mentality in the arrangement of the music and the vocals.

The record concludes with its longest and most adventurous track, “It Comes,” which travels many different lanes. Cantrell’s singing here is his most impressive on the record; he reaches higher notes with positive results.

While I Want Blood is cohesive, the record is made even better because these nine songs offer a unique lineage and story.