Reviews (page 3 of 13)
Great album, already very familiar with many of the tracks. I'm an especially big fan of Down In A Hole.
9.5/10
5 for Layne Staley and 5 for Jerry Cantrell. Oh and also there are amazing songs on this album so 5 for that too lol
So good. This is one of the 90’s Seattle band that I still listen to quite a bit. Along with Soundgarden they’re keeping it alive for me.
Certified 90s/grunge classic! It always blew my mind that AiC only actually released 3 full length studio albums in the Layne era. Of course the EPs are sufficiently strong enough to consider alongside the LPs, though. Dirt is relatively unanimously considered their best, and I can certain respect that. This album is a front to back killer, showcasing the significant talents of this band and in particular the incredible voice of Layne Stanley, and signature vocal harmonies supported by Jerry Cantrell. Their self titled album is still my favorite of theirs, because I really appreciate how dark and gloomy it is, but there is still no shortage of those things here, either. There really is no bad song here, and some of the deeper cuts, such as "Sickman" and "Junkhead" are almost as strong as the well known and loved radio cuts. Would absolutely be an appropriate pick for a desert island grunge disc that I don't think many grunge fans would be upset being stuck with, myself included. Again, it's not my favorite AiC record, and probably not my favorite 90's album, but I would certainly not challenge anyone who wanted to put this one on top of the pedestal.
Love this album front to back
El sonido del grunge muy refinado. Quizás el mejor disco de la época destacando las voces y las guitarras.
10/10
Album 766 of 1089 Alice In Chains - Dirt (1992) Rating : 5 / 5 Heard tracks from this album on the radio quite steadily in the early grunge years. I like this album more each time I hear it. While only a few tracks jump out really strong, the album as a whole, holds up very well. It is becoming apparent that grunge is at the top of my preferences and this, while not my favorite from the genre, represents that well.
Angry, dirty and nihilism. Just like me now.
Soundtrack to my youth. Quality.
Lolla '93 may have changed my life more than any other single show/festival I attended. This album is sublime. These guys were at the top of their game (and would remain so through Jar of Flies.)
Cool
I came late to the Alice In Chains party, but this has become one of my favorite albums. Definitely in my wheelhouse just passed over when I was younger for some reason or another.
Awesome...
My first album on this journey. And wow, what a good start! I've heard a lot from these guys without realising while growing up in late 90s and early 2000s. Surprisingly nostalgic and just awesome. This dirty, grungy album is really cool and touches on a lot of subjects that are still relevant. This is the kind of music kids need to listen to today, builds some character.
Perfect album!!
Twelve perfectly depressing songs about despair, trauma, substance use, and death. There are few albums I like more.
Fantastic listen! Really enjoyed this album. Love the distorted guitar featured here. Highlights: Rain When I Die, Sickman, Rooster, Hate to Feel, Angry Chair Looking forward to a revisit and will return.
Thirty years ago, I operated on the assumption that all the grunge bands were basically interchangeable. Based on that, I chose Peal Jam as my favorite since it was easier to sing along to most of their songs (even when Eddie was at his most incoherent) and left my knowledge of the others to their radio and MTV singles. Truthfully, this album is a lot darker than what I would have been into back in the day anyway. But as I have grown older and more comfortable with difficult music, I can see this as a harder rock variant of the Velvet Underground to a degree.
Great hard rock, song after song.
What can I say? As a devout grunge fan, this is essentially a perfect album. Top 5 90's/grunge album for me, no doubt. Equivalent to Jar of Flies for me, but just depends on my mood which I'll enjoy on any given listen.
One of the greatest albums ever made, perfect instrumentation, vocals, lyrics, everything, perfection, will always be one of my favorites.
“Them Bones” is a fantastic way to start this album. Really sets the tone for the dark-heavy-metal-grunge music that leads throughout. I remember the first time I heard the first track in this album I was about 13-14 years old playing Guitar Hero II. Other favourite include “Dam That River”, “Rooster”, and “Would?”. Nothing less than a 4/5 for most of these tracks. Sonically, lyrically, and the style of the vocals and instruments combined keep me coming back for more.
Amazing album. 5/5. Have listened to many of times.
Top grunge album! Wish I’d given them more notice in my youth, but I was busy lapping up Nirvana. Only know their top tracks. Will listen again tomorrow and add some tracks to my playlists.
Great band, great album
Heroin: The Album. Despite being traditionally one of my favourite albums, I'd forgotten just how much I like it until now. Essentially Crosby Stills & Nash if everyone had the same drug habits as David Crosby and were all into sludge metal. It's an hour of thick, oppressive wretchedness. 'Would?' may well be my favourite ever album closer.
One of the most influential albums on a young me. The first CD I ever bought, played over and over. If you get it, you get it. The sound of the transition away from and reaction against hair metal and classic rock of our parents. Yeeeeaaah yeah yeah! I could listen to this anytime. Five stars.
This is hard rock. Listening to this years later I'm struck by the meaninglessness of grunge. This band would have fit perfectly with GNR or other bands of the era not in the grunge umbrella. It's also way better than I remember.
So very heavy in every way.
Best album by Alice In Chains. Period.
Awesome
Grunge in top form
4.6 3x great album that i didn't listen to enough outside of radio play back in the day
Amazing grunge. Too bad about the needle and the damage done
Truly so sick. The harmonies, guitar, grunginess, weird rhythms and time signatures, dark lyrics and topics, all of it. Dare I say a masterpiece? Added it to my Liked Albums on Spotify before it even finished. Just make sure you turn your volume down before the first track starts.
Brilliant from start to finish. Can’t believe I missed being into them back in the day. Opens with a cracker, closes with one, and plenty of quality in between
This is one of the best grunge records I’ve heard. Favourite Songs: Them Bones, Junkhead, Dirt, Angry Chair, Would?. Least Favourite Songs: God Smack.
I know that Nirvana is the legendary band, and that Pearl Jam have the longevity, but if I were to have to hand someone an album and say “this is grunge” then I might just hand them “Dirt.” Excellent production, multiple hits, and one of the best opening and closing song duos of all time with “Them Bones” and “Would.”
Eindelijk nog eens iets decent. Geweldig album. Belangrijk album. 4.8
What a classic. Layne Stanley knows how to talk about heroin and he knows how to communicate that pain. I can't count the amount of times I listened to "Down in a Hole" when I was an active alcoholic and thought about being too deep in. "Rooster" will always be a favorite to me with the guitar playing such a major role in boosting the song's grungy nature. This is peak 90s Seattle Grunge and has all the elements to make it one of the best.
Weirdly classed as Grunge upon release because of Nirvana taking Grunge into the spotlight, this magnificent album was way darker (it’s all about Layne’s heroin addiction), with brutally honest lyrics. A masterpiece that everyone needs to hear.
10/10
9/10
alice in chains was considered one of the “big four” of the grunge movement of the early 90’s, although they seemed much heavier and darker than the other three. one needs no further proof than listening to this album. AIC’s fantastic sophomore album that delves deep into the psyche of frontman layne staley’s struggle with heroin addiction. this album is powerful and horrifying on many levels, especially considering staley’s ultimate demise from an overdose. highlights: “down in a hole” “dirt” “hate to feel” “would?”
Helluva album we got here. Aces.
Gritty heavy grunge. Classic 90s grunge anthems
One of my all time favorite albums. Takes me back to high school, and is chock full of angsty energy, but also has a restrained and mature side that really helps the album feel well balanced. Plenty of kickass tracks as well
Another prematurely dead singer. A timeless album.
Easily my favourite grunge album of all time. Perfect album for when you feel like absolute filth
A lovely bit of angst-ridden grunge. It's going in my Tidal library.
Fecking good!
>> The Beatles
One of my favorite albums front to back great!
This is my favourite grunge album of all time. This is an incredible album.
ALL you need to know about heroin addiction is here, in this MASTERPIECE.
great album, one of the greatest
The rooster has come, finally
Classic grunge. Layne has the second best YEAHHS in the business
She snuff on my rooster till I YEEEEEAAAAHHH Iconic album, nothing really needs to be said, nice to have a familiar face after what seems like a Millenia of unknown albums
A 90's classic. Miss Layne. What a G
MASTERPIECE
Classic
Even if you don't care for AiC in a general or genre sense this is a superbly put together album. Every song is varied within the context of the genre. The band sounds fantastic. The talent is there. Jerry and Layne have incredible chemistry together in terms of harmony. Another pair who debatably aren't the best vocal soloists but, like Simon and Garfunkel, are preposterously good together. If you don't mind metal-borne grunge this is pretty much as good as it gets.
2/27/25. A staple in the made up grunge genre, but always loved this album Hard hitting and takes you on a ride throughout.
If I could give it 20 stars I would. Excellent album. From beginning to end, perfect!
That first opening sets it up for that the rest of the album. Wow
Yeah HERE COMES THE ROOOSTER
Wow. As someone who admittedly gave 4s to Nirvana, this gets a 5. RIP Staley and Starr, both phenomenal on this album. Loved it.
Fucking perfect album. Obviously I've played it over and over, it's so god damn good, every part of it, so dark, so great. Amazing writing, great harmonies, what else can ya say.
4.5 Absolute monster of an album. Was not expecting to like it so much
Finally. The last of the Four Horsemen of Grunge gets an album on this list. Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden all are their own version of angsty awesome but Alice In Chains walks the borderline between nihilism and dark hope with the skill of an Olympic gymnast. It doesn’t hurt that their singer and guitarist shred (vocal cords and riffs, respectively) and every other song is about heroin. I love this album.
Prior to this album I had lumped Alice in Chains in with the metal scene. I believe they opened the clash of the titans tour with Slayer, Anthrax, and Megadeth that I attended. This was 30+ years ago so my memory is perhaps foggy. I bought this on tape(anyone remember tapes?) and was like WTF is this as I had not heard anything but Would? from the album and was expecting something much more Metal. It did grow on me with each listen and while I didn't care for a lot of the Seattle grunge scene bands, AiC remains my favorite. I had not given this album a listen in a while and think Jar of Flies was their best album by far. This was still a welcome reunion with an old friend and the nostalgia of my teen years pushed this to 5 stars.
There was a time in my life when i refused to listen to AIC just bc i felt like id be betraying Nirvana (i know its childish and stupid, i was a stupid naive child ok??? leave me alone 😫) but i realised how dumb i was and fixed my relationship with them super quickly as they are actually fucking great. I don't know if i have the words to describe this album other than it being very bleak and heartbreaking, one can understand what it is about even if they didn't bother reading the lyrics. So devastating that your journey had to end like this Layne, even though you knew how it would end. You truly were one of the greatest voices in grunge, RIP :(
Wow!!!!!
This has always been my favorite Grunge album!
Hell yeah. Great grooves, grungey vibes and the way he sings them bOnes! Plus the Rob Zombie ass verse somewhere in the middle (was it sickman?). Loved it, a name I've always felt I should check out bever did - until today!
This is a solid album. Sickman is a deepcut that deserves more recognition.
One of the best grunge albums of all time and one of the best albums of the 90s. It’s really a shame everything that happened with the band and Layne Staley. I would have loved to see how the transitioned into the 2000s. This album has so many great tracks. “Rooster” and “Would?” are two of the best grunge songs of all time, and the whole album is full of standout tracks. Some of the tracks drag a bit, but that’s just me being extra picky. Overall Dirt is an amazing album and deserves its place on this list.
One of the top three grunge albums. Sludgy as mud and heavy as steel from start to finish. After listening to Dirt I feel like I have been digging pits in the Seattle sun all day and now badly need a fix. Dirt is one of the best albums of the 90s, period. 4.7/5
Love it!
Angry, raw, pure grunge. I like every song on this album, but these stand out even more: Dirt Rooster Would? Dam That River Angry Chair If someone who has never heard grunge before asked you what it is, you'd have them listen to this album and Soundgarden's Badmotorfinger as the best examples of the genre. 5/5
Legendary album - easy 5 star. RIP Layne <3
I don't know if it has to be this depressing, but then I think about bands like iron maiden and their themes and... yeah I prefer darkness, ok. Down in a hole is a long time favourite.
I’m a massive Nirvana fan so you’d think I’d have checked out the other grunge bands making waves in the 90s. I know a little bit of Pearl Jam and one Soundgarden song but never listened to AIC before. They sound great and I can’t believe I’ve never checked them out. They’re a great mix of Nirvana and Pearl Jam and I’m a new fan! This was a really great listen, some really interesting lyrics and some great grunge sound!
FUCK YES IVE BEEN ON AN AIC KICK FOR THE LAST MONTH. KICK ASS.
At some point I was a bassist in a band that tried to emulate the MTV unplugged songs of AiC, including a heavily addicted guitarist and a permanently heartbroken singer. Those were the days.
One of the best metal albums ever. Easy full marks
Awesome grungy sound, reminds me of the Soundgarden album I had earlier, but dirtier and raspier. Not quite as good but still just about a 5.
classic 90s album, sound, and rocking for my tastes
Dark, heavy, badass, angry. Bone crushing guitar work, awesome vocals, really cool use of vocal harmonies to darken the sound even more.
Today I was at the gym where I listened to overproduced pop music and watched uninteresting music videos posing as something crazy or controversial. Then I listen to THIS. This album is fucking dirty, drag-me-through-the-mud dirty. For me it's my one-sided love story where I fell for homeless hobo obsessed with heroin. I see future nights full of anger, self-destructive whispers and dreams of heating spoons full of delicious, delicious heroin.
riff me up
Perfect grunge record from the best grunge band to come out of the 90's! I loved every bit of it and I come back to it very often. I always felt that Alice In Chains embodied the essence of grunge the best out of the bands that made the genre famous, and this album is by far their best.
I've always liked Alice In Chains, but damn. This album made me a fan.
Very early in our courtship my now wife identified an Alice in Chains song off the radio after a couple of bars. It was then I had the first strong feeling she might be a keeper. Anyway, this album is quite the self pitying whingefest, but it does a good job putting you off the skag. It really is peak misery grunge, but I love it. It seems odd now that this and other druggy downer bands/tunes came out and were successful in a decade that was fairly positive, whereas today’s depressing global behaviours and outlook are met with bloody happy Sheeran etc. Where is the rage/depression in music today? Maybe the answer is the fact I can only enjoy this album when I’m in a good mood; it’s a drag when I’m down. I guess today’s world doesn’t want the crap pushed back in their face, happy music is the escape. You’re welcome, discuss …
Used to really love this album, still like it a lot. A lot of great moments here, it does fall off a bit at the end because the runtime is a bit long for such a heavy album, but Would makes up for a lot of it.
Phenomenal, rather versatile and powerful album, a lot of force without feeling forced. Rather gentle at times, very human throughout.
That perfect mix of heavy and melodic that just speaks to me. Layne and Jerry's harmonies are just insane.
Discazo de esos que sabes que solo pueden crecer más y más con cada escucha. Genial.
★★★★★★
All time classic
9.5/10 Fantastičan album meni najdražeg grunge benda (da, nisu samo grunge ali ne moramo ovaj put u žanrovske tehnikalije) Rijetko koji bend mi ima ovakvu surovost, eksplozivnost i energinju kao Layne i ekipa, a ušli su mi u uho kak se spada prilikom prvih ozbiljnijih, nesretnih ljubavnih trenutaka. Danas ih čujem nekim drugim ušima, ali su mi i dalje za stavit rakiju na stol i pjevat njihove stvari na sav glas. Teško mi je ovdje izdvojiti najdraže stvari jer mi je većina top shit, osim mozda njih 2-3 bez kojih bi mogao pa nije čista desetka. Ajde, Rain When I Die nisam baš dugo čuo pa mi je na ovo slušanje najbolje sjela. Nemam zbilja što nadodati osim daj još Alicea!
Another record that I bought when I was a teenager and therefore I have listened to thousands of times and had fully imprinted in my memory. Every Alice In Chains song sounds tragic given Layne’s unfortunate end.
Perfect album cover to cover
5 star
I had listened to this album quite a bit in the past and this could be peak grunge, perhaps. Very heavy guitar with great vocals.
Captures despair and anger in a unique and raw way. The riffs are amazing and memorable. Best of grunge I've ever heard. Best song: Them Bones Worst song: God Smack Cover check: Captures decay and hopelessness very well
OK, no gushing. Everybody knows this album is perfect, I’ve got nothing clever to say to expand that front. I’ve never been able to take Angry Chair fully seriously because of title. I get that it’s a great song, and encapsulates the struggle of heroin addiction, but the image I get is that the chair itself is angry, and I find that hilarious. I’m also surprised that Sickman has spawned a genre of Metal circus music, because the ‘take me out to the ball game’ sounding section sounds fantastic and suitably hellish, I’d certainly listen to more. One Halloween, I sat in my room playing the riff to Would? on repeat on my guitar cos I thought it would provide atmosphere for any trick or treaters we had. And that concludes my anecdotes and musings about Dirt. Fuck I love this album
classic grunge album. slaps from top to bottom
Great early grunge
Previously stated in regard to Santana's "Abraxas", this too goes a long way to representing 20th century music and should be played for millennia
Amazing album.
Catching up on this list and going through albums that I know I'd rate as 5's. This is one. Jerry Cantrell is a guitar idol of mine. His punchy complex and melodic riffs and solos that combine metal and grunge and rock and funk and thrash with Layne Stanley's vocals...hard to beat.
Regardless of its bleakness, I rank this album right up there with the best of its era. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-dirt-by-alice-in-chains?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
This is raw as fuck, pardon my french. Right off the bat on “Them Bones,” it starts off with a bang. It just emanates angst, frustration, and pent up energy in a way. That’s how this album feels to me in a way, and I love it. Everything just sounds great. The raw as all hell guitar and bass are amazing, and the clean sounding drums just add a chef’s kiss. This is produced very well. Layne Staley’s vocals are SO good. He really makes an impression here. His screams are amazing, haha. Rest in peace man. The lyricism here really sets that grunge-y tone. The angst emanating from it is such a vibe. Dirt is an essential grunge album, and very influential. I can see why! This is a great time. If I had one complaint, I guess the songs can feel the same sometimes? That’s not a massive issue though, the songs are amazing. This is excellent, just a really good album when you feel like shit, haha. I’ve heard pretty good things about Alice In Chains, and i’m glad I enjoyed this. I highly recommend it!
This is my first time getting an album generated where I can confidently say that I LOVE nearly everything on it. The solos are amazing, the rough guitar shredding, the vocals feel so primal... It's great.
A shot of straight depresso. Perfect for a sad day. Deals with addiction, depression, hopelessness in an earnest and cutting way. Sounds are varied, harsh and unforgettably haunting.
The album was s great
Grunge at its finest.
A grunge classic! I hadn't listened to this album in years. I'm happy to see that it's an album that has aged very well. Them Bones is one of the songs I listened to most when I was a teenager.
would? is an incredible outro. great album from start to finish with only 2 filler songs imo
A perfect album with no bad songs and one of the great classics of the grunge era
Damn what a beautiful album. Alice in Chains just perfectly encapsulates a great sound that tiptoes the line between hard rock and grunge, and it all just meshes so perfectly. Staley's voice really helps seal the deal.
4.5☆/5 10.25.2024
Favorite Track: Rooster Underrated: God Smack This one absolutely rips.
2867 - I didn't like this too much before, but since then I have grown an appreciation for clean vocals in metal. This takes sludge metal and fuses it with a radio friendly production to create alternative metal that still has atmosphere and grit to it. The vocals are honestly kind of incredible in this album, they do more for this album than the vocals on most pop albums, and the guitar works with them perfectly.
Dark riffs, even darker lyrics, haunting harmonies, exquisite melodies. Love this album!
I’ve been meaning to listen to this album for a while and thank god I now have, this was phenomenal
This is peak grunge.
Track 1: Them Bones (10/10) Hits you in the face like a train. Quite possibly the heaviest riff that Jerry ever came up with. Track 2: Dam That River (9/10) I've always considered this to be one of the weaker tracks on the album, and it still slaps hard. Another sick riff and great harmonies in the verses (that's pretty redundant to say about AiC) Track 3: Rain When I Die (10/10) That opening bass line makes me do a hardcore stink face every time. This has to be one of the sludgiest songs ever written. Layne's vocals are so incredible. Track 4: Down in a Hole (10/10) The prettiest song on the album. It used to make me cry every time I heard it and I got a little close on this relisten. Track 5: Sickman (9/10) Time to give Sean Kinney some props! He makes this song so much better with his drumming, opening the song with some great tom work and controlling the pace throughout. Very underrated drummer. Track 6: Rooster (8/10) I love the lyrical content of this song and the opening harmonies are so gorgeous. I also tend to skip it a lot when relistening to the album as I've heard it 10,000,000 times. Track 7: Junkhead (10/10) Best chorus on the album! I sometimes think it's my single favourite song on Dirt as well. Very heavy and emotional. Track 8: Dirt (10/10) That opening mixed with the bassline (props to Mike Starr) destroy my brain in a good way. Sludgy, doomy, heavy and badass. Track 9: God Smack (9/10) Layne's vocals are so strange here and fit the song perfectly. He was a true artist who knew how to make every song better. Track 10: Untitled (N/A) Hard to rate this as it's barely a song, but Tom Araya from Slayer is on this track! Track 11: Hate to Feel (10/10) Once again, Sean Kinney makes this song. His drumming impresses me so much here, I can tell it was fun to come up with his parts. Track 12: Angry Chair (8/10) The lyrics are inspired and knowing the background makes it much better. Track 13: Would? (10/10) One of the best radio hits I've ever heard. Jerry gets to sing lead on the verses, Layne shows off his chops during the chorus and that outro gives me goosebumps every single time. Overall: 10/10 I didn't even need to listen to this one considering that it's a Top 10 album of all time for me and Alice in Chains are a strong contender for my all time favourite band. I love how depressing and doom-laden their songs are and it's always amplified by the haunting harmonies of Layne and Jerry. Sean ans Mike are also on top form here and I can point to quite a few moments where they stand out. If I had even one small complaint it would be that Jerry doesn't sing lead as much as I would like. Fav Song: Dirt Least Fav Song: Rooster
Loved it
Maybe dated in its sound but this album kicks ass, and I’ll always be up for another listen. Jerry Cantrell is a genius
GOAT
first alice in chains album
So many hard rock classics here. This album kicks the door open with the opening riff of Them Bones and just holds this unrelenting vibe for the next hour. The album feels suppresive with how dark it can feel, but it nails the tone it's aiming for. Layne Staley has an awesome rock voice and the guitar here is so engaging that I can't help but get pulled in. I already knew many of these (Them Bones, Down in a Hole, Rooster, Angry Chair, and Would?... seriously, this many great songs?), but of the ones new to me, my favorite is Dirt.
What the heck was that
Probably my favourite grunge album, with Pearl Jam's Ten a close second.
One of my favorite albums of all time and in the conversation for best rock/grunge album no question.
This rips, Alice In Chains rips. Idk why I didn't listen to them sooner considering the Seattle connection.
4.5 stars for their influence, their talent, and nostalgia for 90s grunge. Definitely a band and album worth listening to.
pumped my fists a lil when i rolled this lmao. not my fave alice in chains ive ever heard (i am eternally partial to jar of flies) but definitely the band at their most razor-precise. cascades of venomous but lush harmonizing pouring all over crushing churning songs thru which layne slams down performances and lyrics that feel like theyre going to literally kill him. being Sick and Sad recently, this was my most emotionally powerful listen yet and i think im ready to fully claim it as a favorite. i promise ill get to self titled soon-ish! it might change my life tbh
Best grunge album to me. Can't be beat.
one of the best grunge albums of all time, layne staley is one of the all time greats.
instant classic
Very rarely does any band write such great vocal melodies over such heavy guitar parts. One of the best albums ever made.
Endnu et af de albums som jeg burde have hørt meget før! Der er så mange numre jeg har hørt før, og endnu flere som jeg virkelig godt kunne lide.
Tung lyd og tunge tematikker i lyrikken. Grungebølgens heavy mesterværk. Så dystert at det lægger sig som en dyne om en.
Whenever I’m in an awful mood this is and always will be my go-to.
Great, but not for me
God I love grunge. I don't know what it is, but anytime I get a grunge album on this list, I'm practically guaranteed to love it, and Dirt by Alice in Chains is no exception. Alice in Chains was one of the big 4 grunge bands in the early 90s, and they managed to stand out from the others in (in my opinion) two notable ways, both of which are related to their sound. The first is that their music is much more metal-adjacent than bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Pearl Jam. This is perhaps most obvious in Dirt's opener, "Them Bones," a song that actually manages to make 7/4 time signature sound cool as hell. The sound of this album as a whole is just excellent. It nails intense sound in songs like the one I just mentioned and the song that follows it, "Dam That River." However, slower, more melodic songs like "Down in a Hole", "Rooster", and the closer, "Would?" also manage to succeed in their beauty. The other thing that makes AiC stand out is the singing. All of the big grunge bands have great singers, and you can get some amazing performances from Kurt Cobain, Eddie Vedder, and especially Chris Cornell. However, the other bands don't have the harmonies of AiC. The way that the voices of Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell harmonize is truly stunning, as is everything else about this album. The writing and theming is striking, and the pacing is perfect. This album is just phenomenal. What more can I say? 5/5. And for the second time ever, I have now given three 5/5s in a row. Here's hoping I can get a fourth!
5/5
No idea how I didn’t listen to these legends sooner. This album made me check out more immediately after.
This album makes me feel like I am immortal but also like I am about to die These guitars are unreal, they are so emotive and are in a way, the release or catharsis of this album in contrast to relatively blunt or dull vocals which are so fitting for this record. Anyways, when I die (i think its gonna rain hahahahah) send me to guitar pedal heaven and I will find this album there. THAT WAH PEDAL ON RAIN WHEN I DIE !!!!!! OH MY GODDDDD The worst track on this album is by far Sickman, but every other track had something enjoyable in it for me. This album is genuinely so good I am going to explode oh my god its so good My FAVOURITES were: Them Bones, Dam That River, Rain When I Die, Down In A Hole, Junkhead and Dirt Consider 4.5/5 to 5/5 I don't think it is PERFECT but I think it is not far off only because of my aversion to giving albums that are new to me a perfect score because I haven't spent enough time with them
From start to end, this album is a masterpiece. 5/5.
Back to back grunge show! Ive definitely gone through Dirt a few times in the past. This time I approached it to try to learn more about the song constructions & history. It was neat to finally figure out how they make those creepy vocal harmonies (seems like they are stacking 5ths). Also, I didnt realize that Layne wrote a few tunes on this album. A disturbing amount of hard drug references for this. Makes me sad knowing how deep the band was at that time even before Layne went off the rails. All around amazing band. Not sure if this is their best album, but its wonderful nevertheless
Personal enjoyment: 5/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5
I find it interesting when people consider AIC and Soundgarden to be metal. It's more unique than that. It's definitely got the sludge and hair of early Black Sabbath but it's not Metallica or Judas Priest. The guitars tend to be buried and the emphasis is on the bass and drums. The thing that really sets AIC apart from the others is the songwriting. The lyrics are always interesting if sometimes depressing. I'm biased, being a Seattle person, but honestly, I like these guys better than Nirvana, in terms of something I'm usually happy to listen to when it comes up in the rotation. Possibly that's just due to overexposure to Nirvana LOL
Ugh the angst, the growl, the feels. This was a perfect storm of 90s grunge that has yet to be met.
You start off the album with a slammer like "Them Bones," and you know you're in for a ride. Really, every song of this SLAMS. "Sickman", "Iron Gland" and "Junkhead" are a little iffy, but it's probably that I have not listened to this album enough. It's hard to believe this is over 30 years old. Enjoyed pretty much every track on this, and would definitely come back to it. A 90s grunge album must.
I want so badly for Facelift to be on this list because it truly is one of the first grunge albums and was putting grunge on the map even before Nevermind. And it came at a time when Alice in Chains (mainly Layne Staley) was literally fighting with metal fans who wondered WTF is this style as they opened for metal bands. But hey, Nirvana's Bleach didn't make the list either. And as much as Man in the Box from AiC's debut is one song of theirs I have never tired of, Dirt is more consistent. I don't think AiC liked the grunge moniker, so how these guys changed metal is up there with Black Sabbath. It's dark but not in a mystical way - more like this is life and it is real and raw not just puppies and kittens. And they bring a different melody - two-part Staley and Cantrell harmonies plus melodic guitar/bass and drum work. Sometimes they slow it right down - Down in a Hole. And other times they just blast it in your face - Them Bones, Dam that River, Sickman, God Smack. And still other times it's some sort of seedy, grungy blend of those two - Rain When I Die, Rooster, Junkhead, Hate to Feel, Angry Chair, Would?. Whatever it is, it's pure gold. I didn't totally understand them in the 90's but I have come to have mad respect for this band. And this is when they were at their peak. Hard to find a weak song on this album and even if there might be a few dips, their pioneering ways make up for it. Easy 5.
Heroin addiction in musical form. Always been a fan of this album (and their self-titled album, which isn't on the 1001 but is fantastic - much of it is darker than Dirt, which is saying something). AiC has such a unique, dark, ass-kicking sound...Jerry Cantrell's multi-layered guitars (the word sludge always comes to mind, but in a good way), Layne Staley's cutting vocals (RIP) and their haunting harmonies. Combined with the dark lyrics about pain, drug abuse - well, it definitely requires the right mood to listen, but it always blows me away. Hard to pick favorites on this album. I'll go with Dem Bones (hard hitting from the get go), Rain When I Die, Down in a Hole, Rooster (such powerful lyrics - didn't know it was about Jerry's dad's experience in Vietnam. Jerry said that before then his dad never talked about Vietnam, but his dad raised his hat and cried the first time he saw the band perform it - powerful story and a powerful video, too), Dirt (dark and sludgy), Hate to Feel, Angry Chair (these last two are both by Staley and have awesome, unusual vocal lines - and so freakin' dark), Would (love the bass line). Yeah, I just named more than half the songs. And the rest are great too. Easy 5.
another alice in chains album, and it's another i really like!! those vocals alone are so hypnotic, they'll legit transport you to another plane of existence. it's very depressing subject material, but in such an impactful and human way. everything from the deep harmonies to the expressive guitar solos makes this for me. i love every album these guys have put out.
I don't even need to listen to this one to give it a high rating. One of the most influential albums of the 90s that conveys such pure and raw emotion. The songwriting and riffs are incredible all around.
What an incredible album—dark, raw, powerful. One of my all time favorites
Dark, brooding, depressing. Masterpiece of an album!
quintessential grunge rock album
A exemplary metal album from the nineties. Staley was a great singer, he and Cantrell wrote great songs. This is the pinnacle of their partnership. An album consumed by darkness and addiction.
Hell yeah. Chris Cornell may have easily had the best voice in grunge, but Alice in Chains is still my favorite grunge band when it comes to songwriting. What a fantastic album. Nonetheless, rest in peace Kurt, Layne, Scott, and Chris. Absolutely wild that they’re all gone already when a lot of the British Invasion musicians are still kicking
I didn't like this too much before, but since then I have grown an appreciation for clean vocals in metal. This takes sludge metal and fuses it with a radio friendly production to create alternative metal that still has atmosphere and grit to it. The vocals are honestly kind of incredible in this album, they do more for this album than the vocals on most pop albums, and the guitar works with them perfectly. A+
Loved it when it came out- Love it now. I think I am going to break out a flannel today.
one of the most infuential alternative bands. God Smack is awful, just like the band that named themselves after that song. Untitled is weak too, rest of the album is solid.
Such a strong 5. Who sounds like this? Vocal harmonies, menacing sound, dark themes. This is the pinnacle of grunge.
That was fun. I know rationally that this album rocks, but I had not rocked to it in person in a long long time. I'll have to revisit my entire pecking order of 90s albums because this one is moving into the upper echelons with a bullet.
Another I own on vinyl. Excellent album from front to back.
If you say you like Rock/Grunge and you DON'T like this album.....you don't really like Rock/Grunge..... This album is one of the best albums of all time in my humble opinion.
Y'know, it's not just another amazing slice of Seattle grunge. That alone would already earn it high marks. But you factor how damn **metal** this thing is, and, oh, goodness, it's one of the highest classics of the time. That's all I have to say about it, really—it's just so good. I mean, shit, Layne's vocals and Jerry's guitar aren't praised to the Heavens and back for no reason. Combined, no one else in this genre sounds like this group, and that's damn special. My dad had really good taste buying this CD back in the day, I tell you what.
Seattle grunge was short-lived but it produced one killer album after another, and this is no exception.
I’m at a 4.5 that I’ll easily bump up to a 5. I’ve never heard Alice in Chains before this, but I knew the bar for this album was pretty high, and they crossed over it pretty handily. Almost every track here has a pretty infectious energy – a few songs hit an occasional lull, and a few have a little too much repetition at times, but overall, as an album, from top to bottom, I’d say that was about on point with a lot of their Seattle contemporaries of the time. Nevermind is obviously still the gold standard of 90s grunge rock, and Nirvana’s sound on that album is timeless. I feel like the production on this album, for as good as it is, has the same thing going for it as Jagged Little Pill – just like how that album is sort of trapped in 1995, this album is trapped in 1992. That doesn’t mean it’s bad at all. Most of what’s here sounds super cool; the guitar work in particular, is off the charts. The percussion holds its own, and I’m deeply impressed by the grit in Layne Staley’s vocals. If I have any complaints, they’re all probably nitpicky – things like “this track goes a little too long” or “the mixing here is a little too loud,” and while those are sort of valid, they’re not present enough on this album for them to be real issues. I just liked this album a lot. This has some great fucking grunge on it, and it’s very deserving to be on the list. Pretty easy to bump this up to a 5.
Geez, We have two amazing albums back to back with first Bone Machine and now Dirt. This album genuinely had some of the greatest guitar riffs i have ever heard in any album ever. The lyrics were also great, touching on themes like addiction and depression with Layne really bringing out the massive emotion in these tracks through his singing. There was also no song on this album that was not amazing since they carried over what made this album great over to each other. This is a really amazing album and one of the best i have done for this project. Best Song: Them Bones Worst Song: Untitled Side note: I also really like that Them Bones inspired a track from the original Doom
🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻
Nobody bridges the gap between metal and grunge like Alice In Chains do. Their genre fusion is like no other, and it gives them such an iconic and unique sound.
Love this album
More my style. Only recently came to fully appreciate Layne Staley's voice.
From what I've read every song on this album is about drugs and addiction. Luckily I can't relate to that, but I do love this album.
Arrancamos la primera semana de julio (no tiene sentido profundizar en lo rápido del paso del tiempo: a esta altura, es un terror asumido) al palazo. Tremendísima banda grunge, de las que siempre disfruté más junto a Stone Temple Pilots. Bellamente oscuro, tiene sutilezas de bandas de esos años como Pantera. Imposible destacar una sola canción: todas generan una ambientación reflexiva, de paisajes negros e introspectivos. Excelente disco de Alice in Chains
Opening with Them Bones and closing with Would? is just killer. And then you've got songs like Down In A Hole, Rooster and Angry Chair in between. I listened to Alice in Chains a ton in high school. The dark subject matters don't deter me, and there's just never been anyone that sounds like them before or since. I've always been drawn to their unique harmonization and odd time signatures. This is such a solid album musically and lyrically.
Will I give every classic grunge album 5 stars? Yes I will
- this is a fantastic album front to back - the guitar riffs are so clean - layne’s voice is so unique - perfect grunge album
My kind of music. 5/5
Didn’t have much experience with Alice In Chains. Despite being indifferent with the Rooster, I thoroughly enjoyed this album.
5 Stars. I don't think I'd listened to this all way through before. Just the songs they play on the radio. I loved the songs I hadn't heard before. This sound seemed ahead of its time for being 1992
Absolutely breathtaking
I obviously knew about Alice in Chains from the time they were "current," but I was more into Stone Temple Pilots, Pearl Jam, and Nirvana. However, several years ago, I went back and found that, now, I really love Alice in Chains and the haunting vocals and lyrics. I think I prefer their third, self-titled album most, but "Dirt" is a classic and still hits hard in so many ways, a timeless classic.
My favorite AIC album.
Miss wel beste grunge album ooit
Greatest grunge album ever made. Rooster is a contender for all-time greatest song. Absolutely incredible listen front to back. Quintessential.
This is THE album I think of when someone mentions grunge. Absolutely great record, almost every song is perfect. After listening to it for last 15 years I can also see my taste changing - first I was a biggest fan of "Them Bones", now it's definitely "Down in the Hole". Layne Stanley was an amazing vocalist, his voice will remain one of the most memorable ones, at least in my memory. Additionally, it doesn't hurt to have Cantrell, and his genius riffs on this album. One of the best albums from 90s.
An all time favorite album from an all time favorite band. The feel Alice in Chains accomplishes in this album is basically the exact niche of my preferred rock feel. I could (and probably do) listen to this album once a week and never get bored of it. Layne Staley was an unbelievable talent, and the world was robbed of decades of brilliant music with his passing. Favorite track: Rain When I Die (coming up with just one from this album was incredibly difficult)
Kinda not my thing but I owned the CD back in the day and these guys are talented. Rooster is a banger.
I've listened to more than enough Alice in Chains, but this album has been very prominent in my life. It's gotten me through many of my struggles, and it's absolutely one of my all-time favorite grunge albums. As much as I listen to Would, I have so much love for Down In A Hole.
Brilliant. Dark and absolutely bleak album about depression and drug addiction. Lyrically can be absolutely soul crushing, Stayley’s voice is amazing throughout. Musically it’s heavy, grunge with big, sludgy, metal influenced rifts. The whole album is brilliant but highlights are probably Them Bones, Down In A Hole, Sickman, Dirt, Angry Chair and Would?
Incredible start!! I remember how it made me jun from my seat the first time I listened to it. Harmonies are sick, as well as the doom and dynamic sound, and the powerful voice from Layne. I used to run to this album and it was a good choice every time.
OH MY GOD WHAT A GEM I CANT BELIEVE IT
My only previous exposure to Alice in Chains was the singles that made it to the radio. This is probably a decent number of songs, but not enough to prevent me from mixing up Alice in Chains with Alice Cooper in my mind (which is probably part of the reason I was so surprised by how little metal was on the Alice Cooper record that came up earlier in this project). This album holds up really well, though. It started to feel repetitive by the end of the album, but they were repeating a good sound. I'll be buying some Alice in Chains. 4.6
This album is a pillar of my musical experience and I don't want to imagine what my life would have been without it.
Pure Rock. I am really tired while listening to this but the music is like a jolt of electricity to brain keeping me awake. Amazing vocals a great album through and through. The album touches on a lot of dark topics like death, drugs and addiction. I truly think this album raw and emotional depth making not only a great concept album but an amazing rock and metal album.
A wonderfully unique and powerful album.
The best grungerecords of them all. Just super
Classic. Definitely the best grunge catalog along with Nirvana's and it's not even close. My personal favorite catalog in fact.
What a solid great album. Honestly its one of the best written and produced out there. Layne sounds great and Jerry's songwriting on top. Great great album. Must have in the collection
one of my fave albums of all time. the vocal harmonies, the guitars, the vibe so good
Gran disco.
There are no bad Alice In Chains albums
Grunge as a genre didn't age well — of the top grunge albums I loved at the time, I might only give five stars to two of them now (In Utero; Vs.). But, if there was one that would be close, it would be Dirt — closer to a metal album, Dirt was the closest the genre ever felt to feeling "grungy." (Mudhoney, Melvins, early Sub Pop stuff always felt more SLUDGE than GRUNGE, if I might make a very stupid album-reviewer-type-comparison). It sounds like middle school.
- Klar Alice in Chains' bestes Album - Musikgewordener menschlicher Abgrund - Textlich und kompositorisch kommt man wohl schwer näher an die Metaphorisierung von Drogenkonsum heran. Es kratzt einen richtig auf! - Them Bones, Down in a Hole und Sickman ABSOLUTE BANGER! - ich werde das Gefühl nicht los, dass es Bands wie z.B. KoRn ohne dieses Album nicht in der Form gegeben hätte/geben würde - Ich bin selbst kein RIESEN Alice in Chains-Fan aber dieses Album ist einfach ein einheitliches Meisterwerk 4,5/5
It cannot be overstated how much I love this album. The songwriting of Cantrell in a dark minor, the guitar solo in Junkhead, the vocal harmonies and how the voices of Cantrell and Staley go so well together, the music that's holding that edge between grunge and metal, the tuning of all instruments in e flat to give it that dark texture, the pained and tortured lyrical poetry of Staley and that there is just not a single bad moment on this album.
this was so cool to hear, I knew the band existed but never had a chance to listen and I'm in love!!
Incredible album
Arguably the best 'grunge' albums of all - a thrilling and ferocious listening experience.
This is one of my favorite albums ever. Nevermind was on my 1001 list earlier this month and I've got this one right up there with it. 90s Seattle scene is tops for me no question, with Soundgarden and Pearl Jam at the peak. I've recently been checking out some YouTube channel reactions to some of these songs and the ones with Alice in Chains specifically brought some new appreciation and respect for Layne and the way him and Jerry were able to meld their voices. It is just so haunting and harmonious at the same time and makes such a unique sound. Probably best exemplified in "Down in a Hole". The unplugged video really shows off this magic well. Some of the tracks are a bit dark lyrically, and some hit especially hard considering what happened with Layne, particularly "Junkhead" and "Dirt" but over half the album is full of songs I could hear any time. Grunge classic and appropriately named as this is some of the dirtiest sounding guitar work you could hear. Favorite track "Down in a Hole" 6/5
I love love loved this album. It sounded like a fusion of Nirvana and Pearl Jam obviously with the artists' own unique spin on their sound. The production on the album is also just spectacular; the distortion on the guitar on Godsmack was crazy.
I know there's some bias here having grown up right smack in the middle of this genre (and this album in high rotation among the Nirvana, Soundgarden and STP of the day), but man, these compositions and production still hold up today.
I remember really not caring for this band the first time I heard them. Then I grew up, was able to afford good headphones, and stopped hanging around the bogans that showed it to me, and god damn it if this isn't the greatest album ever to crush 12 shitty beers to. Fuck I may have become the people that showed them to me.
Legendary. Fabulous. Exceptionally good Seattle Grunge Rock. I love this artist and album.
One of the Monumental Albums of Alltime Seattle Bands!!
CD
something to get your blood pumping
Amazing record. Dark, sometimes sludgy, but incredible melodies and memorable songs. Musicianship is top tier. The Staley/Cantrell combo was amazing.
Dirty
Pínu vandró en þrátt fyrir að ég hafi oft hlustað á Alice in Chains í útvarpinu og alltaf fílað það sem ég heyrði fannst mér aldrei þess virði að kynna mér bandið eitthvað sérstaklega. Ég veit eiginlega ekki af hverju. Nú hefur verið gerð bót á því og þetta var æði. Þessi plata fer aftur og aftur á fóninn. Ég hef misst af svo miklu. Fer úr 4.5 upp í 5 stjörnur sem afsökunarbeiðni til þeirra
One of my favorite albums
Alice in Chains - Dirt What a fucking album and band this is! One of my all time favorites. Layne Staley vocals on top of Jerry Cantrell guitars. Such a great album. So many good tracks on this album: Would?, Them Bones, Down in a Hole, and Rooster I stated it before with Nirvana, but these artists that came out of Seattle in the early 90s opened my eyes (and ears) to new music. I am so thankful that I got to live through this time in music as it happened! 5/5
Haven't listened to this in a long time. It still absolutely slaps.
Very awesome. Never heard music like it
Fantastic
I'm very familiar with this album but haven't listened to it in a long time. Starts out with an absolute banger then settles into some really good follow ups. Down in a Hole is a huge stand-out and cannot be ignored as a track that transcends and threatens to be on "greatest songs of all time" lists. Sickman is my least favorite track so far which is a shame because I know another favorite is coming right behind it. Rooster is another all-timer that even people who don't like the rest of AiC may enjoy. The follow up tracks are very good again! Every song up to the end are bangers!
GREAT!
This album takes me back to my early days in high school when I wasn't quite ready for Alice In Chains. It took a couple years to finally embrace the darkness, and I think this is likely their best produced album before the heroine had completely taken hold of Layne. My absolute favorite is still their self-titled 'Alice in Chains' from 1995, but this is a close 2nd. Jerry Cantrell and Layne Staley were firing on all cylinders when they got into the studio to record this album. Absolute perfection.
I didn't even have to listen to this album I own it and I love it.
One of my favorite albums ever
A classic. Great stuff.
Perfect cloudy, rainy day album. “Rain When I Die” has some groovy bass lines.
This album was given to me today, and as someone who's listened to this album a bajillion times, I have a lot on my mind as to what I want to say about it. Or at least a little bit. This album is easily, in my opinion, grunge-from-that-year perfection. Everything from the sludgy, down-tuned, grime-filled riffs to Layne's harrowing, powerful vocals (ranging from the varying tremolo in "Godsmack" to a very straightforward, dark vocal style in "Angry Chair", for instance), brings so much emotion and generally also bring so much intrigue, even on a lyrical front. Take one of the most popular songs from this album, "Rooster", as an example. "Rooster", from what I remember, is about guitarist Jerry Cantrell's father, who was in... I think the Vietnam War. Lyrically, this song is helpless, talking about how "every path leads me to nowhere" and how the war has made him unable to "make it through", in a sense. But overall, yeah. It deserves to be here. It's not my favorite Alice in Chains project, per se (I've always loved "Jar of Flies" more, despite the fact that this album's also flawless in my eyes), but it's the one I definitely recommend the most if you'd like to look into grunge from this period in time and the like.
Great album! A classic.
10/10
A goddamned masterpiece. I will admit that I am incredibly biased because I attribute this album to changing my life, but it really is that good. The songs hold up, musically and lyrically, more than 30 years later. The early 90s were a brilliant time for music, but we have lost so many of these artists far too soon.
Maybe it's just Guitar Hero nostalgia but damn... The Them Bones solo hits different every time.
Awesome
This album. It slaps.
Them bones goes hard Layne has amazing vocals Rooster is cool
Them Bones: 5/10 Dam That River: 7/10 Rain When I Die: 6/10 Down In A Hole: 9/10 Sickman: 6/10 would be better without the weird screaming Rooster: 9/10 Junkhead: 9/10 Dirt: 10/10 God Smack: 9/10 Untitled: 8/10 Hate To Feel: 9/10 Angry Chair: 6/10 Would?: 11/10 Album: 8.8/10 very nice album good listening overall, pretty consistent sound enjoy the bangers of Would?, Dirt, God Smack etc, and at worst the rest are good noise while doing something, but this album is genuinely a nice listen, and for the most part is fully viable to sit down and listen to without doing anything else.
Perfecto!!!
This is one incredibly harrowing hour of music. War, trauma, sickness, mental anguish, giving in and giving up. But Dirt excels where many dirge-fests fail to capture intrigue that may warrant future listens. Even in some of the album’s darkest, most pleading moments, there is light trying to break through the cracks like a setting sun through clouds. These hooks are, pretty consistently, spectacular. Dirt benefits from AIC’s melodic sensibility as well as their unique and identifiable sense of harmony. Even on more ubiquitous cuts like Rooster and Would?, Layne and Jerry’s harmonies give listeners something they may miss in passive/radio listening. What’s more is Alice In Chains has one of the most solid and underrated rhythm sections of their era. The band shows a balance ranging from softer, more sorrowful performances to riffs like raging floods of acidic rain. Lyrically, Layne more than successfully deflates any glamorization of addiction and pain. “I want you to scrape me from the wall and go crazy like you’ve made me.” ..Christ. Dirt reminds me of a Black Sabbath album but the scary creature isn’t a monster or the devil, it’s waking up to face another day as yourself. 9/10, the first record I’ve awarded 5 stars to over the course of this project.
Of the big 4 of grunge, AiC was the most hardcore and alt metal of the bunch. And in their best record, they kill it with hit after hit. Each track goes hard and is catchy with memorable hooks. The harmony between Staley's and Cantrell's vocals are accessible and versatile, capable of singing softly or screaming aggressively, similar to Vedder or Cobain, but with more range to juxtapose each other. This technique would influence the likes of Linkin Park with the back-and-forth between hip hop rapping and pop singing. Nearly an hour and yet every track stands out. It's hard to list them, but some tracks have doomy riffs, some are more psychedelic, while some are punk-like. Although there are definitively pop songs like "Rooster", it's a metal record first and foremost, and you can hear that in the sick riffs. Strong start, strong closer, plenty of strong hits dispersed in between, not a single bad track to cut. Memorable, innovative, and consistent.
One of the earliest grunge records I had heard that really blew me away. I was never a fan of Nirvana or Pearl Jam that much, but this resonated with me. The band was shortlived, but when they did make was fantastic. 9.4/10
Been awhile since I got an album that deserves to be on this list. A trip down memory lane on this one
Amazing haunting energy
own
Awesome album. Appreciate it more every time I listen to it. I’m not sure if another album at any time captured the feel of a decade like AIC did with the Dirt and the 90’s.
Hade skivan. Lysande oerhört mycket. Finns en rad enormt bra låtar. Någon enstaka som inte är lika bra. och resten som är mycket bra. Would? Down in a hole Them bones Rooster Är magi. Hade alla AiC tidiga skivor. Hoppas på fler!! Om två Fiona Apple så är det inte omöjligt (antagligen blir det inte fler... Då jävlar)
Första gången jag lyssnade på hela den här skivan och den visade sig ju vara riktigt jävla bra.
Grunge greatness
classic
Awesome
A seminal piece of 90s grunge. A phenomenal album of power.
One of the best grunge albums ever. Great crunchy riffs combined with the great vocals and lyrics of Layne Staley. Easy 5 star
These guys are legends...this album is hard. Perfect grunge combo!
Fantastic album. Heavy grunge sound, amazing harmonies, goofy 7/8 time signatures, tons of great songs on the album.
What to say about this record that hasn’t already been said. It’s simply the best most genre defining grunge albums of all time and one of the best front to back albums in general that I’ve heard in a while. I’m not even the biggest grunge fans and I loved it, but most of all I respect how focused it is. The only thing I didn’t care for was the ending could have been stronger, but overall I’m gonna have a lot of these songs in my rotation for a long time. ps Don’t listen to Sickman while running unless you want to be nauseous.
Awesome album! Grungy, but well-produced. Layne Staley wore his heart on his sleeve.
I forgot how much I loved this kind of music. Growing up, their was always rock on the radio, and since moving out a few years back music has become a smaller part of my life. Its nice to rekindle that love. Not a single miss here. 5/5
Alice in Chains is always great!
One of my all time favourite albums, mixing metal and rock into one big sludgy goodness. It’s definitely not a happy album but that adds to the appeal, from Layne’s haunting vocals to Jerry’s doomy guitars makes for an album that’s perfect for a dark day.
When this was new, I preferred Pearl Jam and Soundgarden and Nirvana. I wouldn't say Alice in Chains was an after thought, but I didn't find their songs quite as "catchy". Thirty years later, "catchy" is overrated. Of the big four grunge bands, I would now list Alice in Chains first, and this, in my opinion, is their best album other than "Jar of Flies". Also, great opening. If I could rate this on a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give it a 9 (so 4.5 stars). I'm rounding up. 5 stars.
Awesome album.
A classic. Dark, raw, powerful, autobiographical.
Escuchado. 16 enero 2024
An amazing album and one of the best from the 90s. One of Alice In Chains best album.
Stone cold classic
One of the greatest grunge albums of all time. 4.7/5
I love how this album starts off: Layne Staley screaming at me. It is abrupt and it truly sets the tone of the record: Anger, angst, pain, depression, etc. The riffs in this album are thick and punchy. Jerry Cantrell really sets himself apart from his grunge peers on this record. Not only as a guitarist but as a lyricist. A lyric from Down In A Hole that stands out to me is "Down in a hole and I don't know if I can be saved... See my heart I decorate it like a grave. You don't understand who they thought I was supposed to be. Look at me now a man, Who won't let himself be... Down in a hole, feelin' so small Down in a hole, losin' my soul I'd like to fly, but my wings have been so denied" It's melancholic but beautiful; poetic. And Layne Staley vocals are unique and just so damn good! He's got great control and really adds a lot of emotion to Cantrell's lyrics. I understand Staley's vocals are not for everyone, as any artist, but I find his vocals so interesting, it's almost addicting. The way he sings the chorus in the self titled song Dirt, "One who doesn't care, is one who shouldn't be, I've tried to hide myself from what is wrong for me" is so beautiful and melodic. It elevates it into a top tier song for this album. The song Rooster is the highlight of the album. It's maybe one of the best written 90s rock songs. I've heard this song far too many times to keep track of, and I still love it. Alice In Chains is definitely Jerry Cantrell's baby, and he is the driving force behind it (which is why I think they remain successful as a band after Staley's death). But it's undeniable that Layne Staley was a force, and a crucial component to the success of Alice In Chains. It's too bad he passed away so young... The amount of talent that man had. IF YOUR A FAN OF LAYNE STALEY, CHECK OUT MAD SEASON! A side project - or super group - consisting of other grunge rock musicians (Pearl Jam, Screaming Trees). They have one album and its incredible. Tom Araya from Slayer makes an appearance in a song called Untitled. But it's not that great... It's just 43 seconds of filler. If it wasn't on this album, this album would be perfect. I've got a lot of love and respect for this band. Alice In Chains was one of the bands that got me into guitar driven, heavy music. They influenced and helped shaped my musical DNA as a writer and guitar writer as well. Love this album 5/5 despite the Tom Araya Untitled track. The rest of the album is just so good... It deserves a 5/5. 5 Alices in 5 Chains.
One of the best albums released in the 90s.
Onvervalste grunge, altijd fijn. Trage basloopjes en drums, hemeltergende stem. Teksten gaan te vaak over drugs, waaraan de zanger naar de klote is gegaan, maar dat mag de pret niet drukken. De harmonien waarmee Layne Staley en Jerry Cantrell elkaar aanvullen zijn wonderschoon. En dat wonderschone komt eigenlijk het beste tot uitdrukking op hun unplugged plaat, nog zo'n jaren 90 fenomeen. De liedjes blijven als een dijk overeind staan en hebben de grunge niet eens nodig om hun kracht te behouden. Van alle grunge fenomenen blijft Alice in Chains op een of andere manier het beste bij me hangen. Geen Nirvana, geen Pearl Jam. Soundgarden komt nog het dichtste bij misschien. Maar het unplugged concert van Alice in Chains gaat mee naar het onbewoonde eiland waar je slechts 10 cd's mee naar toe mag nemen. Dirt is hun bekendste en populairste werk misschien en daarom staat dat in deze lijst. Prima, geven we ook gewoon 5 sterretjes voor.
Great example of 90s grunge at it's best. Faves: Them Bones, Rooster, Hate To Feel.
That's an automatic five from me! Soundgarden may have been my entry point into grunge, but Alice in Chains really captured my heart - I've loved this album for a long time. Layne Staley's death upset me in a way most celebrity deaths didn't come close to. I love Alice in Chains' sound - it's so unique to them. Fave tracks - "Rooster" is a karaoke staple, "Junkhead" is immense, but "Down in a Hole" takes the supreme title!
dirt is still great. it's dark and brooding and heavy which isn't always what I'm looking for, but it's a grunge classic and stands the test of time. the lyrics are poignant and when combined with the music, really make you feel a connection with the horrors of drug abuse, war, and depression. incredible stuff. favorite songs: top songs for me are rooster, would?, them bones. after a few listens, i also like rain when i die, down in a hole, sickman, and dirt
Loved it!
Guys will listen to this and just say, "Hell Yeah" It's me. I'm the guy.
One of the best rock albums of all time.
Great one, Layne will be forever missed.
"Not to be crude or anything, PoPn152, but Hendrix died of suffocation due to inhalation of vomit. Not to take away from your point though...it's a tragic thing." "+"("("( "("("("(_ ?_?"("("("("( "("(!_!_!_(" +"("!__("("( (("(("(_(_(( ("("("(_ ((_++"+"+"+ "++_("(')):(: +"&-"+_+_ +"+"+"+"+_ +'+"+'+'+!_ !_(_+'!'_!_!_ i dont like these album choices, every album i listened to i didn't like or hated probably gonna stop with this website "+"("("( "("("("(_ ?_?"("("("("( "("(!_!_!_(" +"("!__("("( (("(("(_(_(( ("("("(_ ((_++"+"+"+ "++_("(')):(: +"&-"+_+_ +"+"+"+"+_ +'+"+'+'+!_ !_(_+'!'_!_!_ /\ || ==== | | | | ==== XXXX |\/| |/\| |\/| |/\| |\/| |/\| /____\ | | | | / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ ---------------- Majakka olisi auttanut näitä ihmispoloja.. Laivoja jotka ovat ajaneet karille.. Osa on taas saanut valoa liikaa.. "This song is far better than any lamentation written in the Bible." "This is a lament from the heart, a heart about to sputter out." " This is may be one of the best songs ever penned. " "sounds like Layne was talking to his addiction face to face,in the line /you are so special/you have the talent/ to make me feel like dirt/he was hating his addiction and in a essence himself for letting it control him.lots of addicts have a love/hate relationship with their addiction and this was his hate for it showing.....damn" "Personally, it pisses me off when I see that most of the conclusions that people come to (Layne's words) are all drug related. Completely missing the point of not only the song.." Angry chair kappale on esisoitto Neverland A frgament, Sisters of mercy kappaleelle.. Sanalla tavoin kuin National Heroes on esisoitto We are Saints.. En ymmärrä ihmisiä jotka eivät löydä tätä helppoa yhteyttä..
Grunge was a blown up mind at the time, but it has not aged that well, let's face it. However, Dirt will remain as one of the most iconic albums in the 90s. Still captivating and emotional.
Literally goated. Rip Layne Staley
I like this style of rock/metal but only ever listened to a few select Alice in Chains songs. It was fun to listen through the album. First listen was multitasking while cooking with Ryan and I liked it. Listening more focussed today and still like. Starts off strong right away with Them Bones. Some of the bands most popular songs are from this album. Would? Is good. I like Sickman too. Overall good vibes. I really liked this album. Cohesive sound and some changes. Solid hard rock/metal listen.
This is the album you turn on in February after three months of cold dark Seattle rain with no end in sight. Certified absolutely classic.
Klar Alice in Chains' bestes Album / Musikgewordener menschlicher Abgrund / Textlich und kompositorisch kommt man schwer näher an metaphorisierung von Drogenkonsum heran / Es kratzt einen richtig auf und ich werde das Gefühl nicht los, dass es KoRn ohne dieses Album nicht in der Form gegeben hätte/geben würde / bin selbst kein riesen Alice in Chains-Fan aber Album ist einfach ein einheitlich Meisterwerk --- 5/5
One of my favorite albums
Masterpiece