I've never used the Alias, but I had a Specialized BG saddle with a cutout that felt like a knife cutting into my ass after awhile- WITH padded shorts. Personally, I hate cutouts... and gel inserts- anything that has an edge or goes from gel soft to firm (which functions as a sort of edge). My theory for saddles is that shape is everything (which is probably also why Brooks have such a loyal following). I love the SLR- which has no padding at all. They just aren't robust enough for my commuter.

I have a few Selle Italia saddles, which I love, but in building up project bikes, I've found that I can haul in Fizik saddles on ebay quite cheaply. They make great saddles- made in Italy- but they are like the red-headed step child after SI and Selle San Marco (except for the Arione). I picked up a new TI railed Pave for $30. I also purchased one of their Poggios for about the same. The Arione looks great- but you'll pay for it- even on ebay. Fiziks usually come in all sorts of colors, if basic black won't do. I have had trouble with colored saddles discoloring. I think grease or grime gets worked into the cover. YMMV.