Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains to play solo show at Capitol Theatre in Davenport

For the nearly four decades that Jerry Cantrell has been strapping on his guitars and hitting the stage, he’s continued to relish the grind that comes with creativity. That’s been true whether it was as a founding member of Alice in Chains in 1987 or his solo tours since his 1998 solo debut with “Boggy Depot.”

On his current string of solo dates, Cantrell will dip into his considerable back catalog, along with his latest solo outing, last year’s “I Want Blood.” And while there was a nearly two-decade gap between his second and third solo albums, 2002’s “Degradation Trip” and 2021’s “Brighten,” the positive experience he had recording the latter album inspired the Tacoma native to keep his creative mojo rolling forward.

“I had a really good time doing the ‘Brighten’ album and tour, which is something I hadn’t done in like 20 years, ‘cause I’ve got a day job,” he said with a laugh during a recent interview. “In the end, you want to make some good music, which is about as basic and banal as it gets. You get motivated to get into some writing and sketching, and you just kind of follow it. We (Alice In Chains) had a little window where we didn’t have a bunch of stuff planned, so I went ahead to take the opportunity to do that and really enjoyed it. When I got home from that tour, I just got right into writing again. I felt like I wanted to do more, and ‘I Want Blood’ is the result of that.”

For “I Want Blood,” Cantrell gathered up a number of regulars to help out with the heavy lifting, including Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses), Robert Trujillo (Metallica) and Mike Bordin (Faith No More). Recorded from January through April 2024, these nine songs run on what longtime fans have come to expect from Cantrell — riffs that are both heavy and melodic, and a foreboding tone that veers somewhere between Black Sabbath and Kyuss. Highlights range from the hypnotic “Off the Rails” and haunting “Echoes of Laughter,” to the dirge-kissed “Let It Lie,” and the atmospheric closer “It Comes.”

Cantrell feels there is a continuity to his music, despite the perception of him going off and doing something different from his main gig with Alice in Chains.

“The solo record thing is a real misnomer,” he explained. “The only thing solo about it is the name on it. That’s pretty much it. It’s a group effort, and it requires a team and a band. It’s no different than when I’m making music in the band that most people know me for or outside of it. The ingredients and method are all the same. I’ve made multiple records with all these guys. They’re my friends and also inspire me as artists in the bands that they’re part of. And we make good music together — the proof is in the vinyl.”

With four solo records, numerous soundtrack contributions and the Alice in Chains catalog to work with, Cantrell has the good problem of having a plethora of material to play on the road.

“I’ve been writing songs for a long time, and I’ve got a lot to draw from,” Cantrell said. “It’s fun taking all of those things into a different venue and a different group of people and sharing them with folks who show up. Life is in motion, and I’m doing what I’ve always liked to do. I think I’m operating at a pretty high level with a good group of people, and I’m having fun doing it.”

And for as much of a challenge as it might be balancing life with a band and as a solo artist, you’ll never hear Cantrell complain. For him, it’s about embracing the struggle and coming out satisfied on the other side.

“Making records is hard and really challenging,” he admitted. “But there are a lot of things I like about it. You’ve got to really have your long view tuned in, because it can be kind of a grind day-to-day that is very methodical and takes time. But I like working that way. I’m a pretty patient guy when it comes to that. Once the process starts, it doesn’t matter how long it takes, how much it costs, what kind of hassle you have to go through — you’re going all the way. You’re committed to going all the way to push yourself to make the best record that you can, write the best songs you can and then the payoff is throwing it out there in the world, satisfied that you did a good piece of work. And then having people respond to it, and you get to go out and play it for people. It’s awesome.”