Alice In Chains’ Black Gives Way to Blue was released in September 2009, 14 years after Alice In Chains’ self-titled album. This was the first Alice In Chains album to feature William DuVall on vocals, standing in for the late great Layne Staley. It was released over 3 years after the band’s 2006 reunion tour. Standout tracks include Check My Brain, Your Decision, A Looking In View, and Private Hell. The tracks Check My Brain and A Looking In View received Grammy nominations.

Soundgarden’s King Animal was released on Tuesday, 16 years after Soundgarden’s last album Down on the Upside. The album was two years in the making, as the band started working on it several months after they reunited in 2010. Standout tracks include A Thousand Days Before, Bones of Birds, Rowing, and Blood on the Valley Floor.

Stone Temple Pilots was released in May 2010, it was the band’s first album since 2001’s Shangri LA DEE DA. It was the culmination of STP’s 2008 reunion. The band were involved in a lawsuit with Atlantic Records dating back to 2008 since the band were interested in self-releasing their music, but eventually the two sides settled. Atlantic tried talking STP into getting a big name producer but the DeLeo brothers insisted on producing the album themselves. Standout tracks on this album include Take A Load Off, Maver, Between The Lines, and Fast As I Can. Between The Lines received a Grammy nomination.

Smashing Pumpkins’ Zeitgeist was released in July 2007. It was the first Pumpkins album since MACHINA I and II in 2000. Only half of the Smashing Pumpkins original lineup returned, but it was the band’s core members in Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin. This album ended up being the last to featured Chamberlin. Standout tracks include Tarantula, That’s the Way (My Love Is), United States, and Doomsday Clock.

Jane’s Addiction’s The Great Escape Artist was released in October 2011. It was the band’s first album since 2003’s Strays. The record went through various stages, with the first attempts at recording being in early 2009 with all four original Jane’s Addiction members with Trent Reznor serving as producer. The sessions fell apart, and following a reunion tour bassist Eric Avery quit the band. Duff McKagan replaced him and the band began work on their next album. McKagan left after only 6 months and was replaced by Dave Sitek from TV on the Radio. Former Jane’s Addiction bassist Chris Chaney was then brought in to complete the album. Standout tracks include Underground, Splash A Little Water On It, Words Right Out Of My Mouth, and I’ll Hit You Back.

Bush’s The Sea of Memories was released in September 2011. It was Bush’s first album since 2001′s Golden State. The album featured original Bush members Gavin Rossdale and Robin Goodridge, along with Golden State tour guitarist Chris Traynor and Corey Britz on bass. The album was originally going to be called Everything Always Now and was set for release in 2010, but Bush ended up leaving their label and writing more songs for the album. Standout tracks include The Sound of Winter, The Afterlife, The Mirror of the Signs, and All Night Doctors.

Nobody’s Daughter was released in April 2010, it was the first Hole album since 1998′s Celebrity Skin. It was a defacto Courtney Love solo record though, with co-founder/guitarist/integral songwriter Eric Erlandson not returning. Love found all new members for Hole, including guitarist Micko Larkin. Standout tracks include Samantha, Skinny Little Bitch, Honey, and Nobody’s Daughter.

For the record I’m not counting Red Hot Chili Peppers’ latest album since they never broke up, and there was only a 5 year break. Garbage’s most recent album also was not following a breakup but a period where they weren’t that active, and Screaming Trees’ Last Words was recorded in the late 90′s.