Dirt

4.5 Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah

Fair enough, generator. I asked yesterday, with Hybrid Theory, what changed with sad boys between the early and late 90s and, surely, there is no grunge band closer to Linkin Park in feel than Alice in Chains. No fun. No lightness. Torturous guldering from a fucked-up front man. Solid blocks of heaviness. Even your criticism of Hybrid Theory's commercial sheen applies. Dirt was recorded in April 1992, in the wake of Nevermind's success. And, while one must acknowledge that Nevermind was produced with the mainstream in mind, its punk-pop sensibilities are well-suited to the task and survive the double-tracking. However, Dirt, like Hybrid Theory, offers up only slabs of expurgated emotion and the major label polish does little to make it more palatable. But that is what is being attempted. There were six singles released from Dirt - an album that patently has no singles on it. While elements of AIC's glam metal past are still evident, it's not the hookiness nor the libidinous swagger that survive. But, if Dirt's emotional content is, as ill-placed as that of Hybird Theory, to make a pop song, why does Linkin Park sound like slop, while Alice in Chains sounds like morass? Pre-Pro Tools. Nothing on the grid. The 11/8 time riff of Them Bones is both awkward and brutal. Pre-loudness wars, the record is allowed to explore sonic dynamics, even while the emotional dynamics have one setting. They don't do quiet-loud like their contemporaries, but there are swells and surges - more morass and undertow, Dirt hardly an appropriate name for something so densely fluidic. Most satisfying of all, are the janky harmonies, the source of that fluidity. Not exactly pleasant to listen to, they are undoubtedly impressive and effecting in a way much subtler than the Bennington's yowling, an interplay much more musically satisfying than that between Bennington and his rapper. Perhaps Jerden's production cleans up what is an unpleasant album, but the formula for containing abreaction on the radio had not yet been established. This sounds much more like contamination than Hybrid Theory's sterile vaccine-level of exposure. 3.5 Dirt is a good album, but that’s hardly the important issue here. As we know, when a grunge band is invoked, the question of whether they are, in fact, a grunge band is all. Well m’lord, Alice in Chains are undoubtedly too groovy by far. Their clever, absorbing riffs across mixed time signatures anticipate Tool; their sound likewise more California/Arizona than Washington state. This is what would be called ‘Alternative Metal’ by whoever it was that named things. Clever they are, surely, and not clever in a stupid way like Nirvana or Hole - clever in the narrow sense. Their metal pedigree is also hardly questionable. The solo of Them Bones plainly recalls Metallica, as does the intro to Down in a Hole, and Rooster must surely bring One to mind for most listeners. AIC recalls Led Zepp often - but more often the decadent bloat of late Zepp as the nimble blues riffs. As a further mark against their claims to grungedom one could point to the (awesome) intro of Sickman as redolent of Guns N’Roses. Lame. But the main reason that Layne Staley can’t be Kurt Cobain, notwithstanding his nailing of other aspects of the man, is simply that, in song anyway, he’s an outdoorsman. ‘I broke you in the Canyon’ he begins on Dam that River. This is the Pacific Northwest sir, what are you doing in the canyon ffs? Abseiling through waterfalls for sport? That’s hardly the attitude. On Angry Chair Staley declares that ‘a field of pain is where I graze’. How did he find out about cows? We should note that, as recounted on Something in the Way, even when Kurt Cobain is outside, he’s inside. That’s how you grunge. Anyway Dirt is a good album. The lyrics in particular really pop a day after Linkin Park’s Hybrid Theory. *This* is how to do inner turmoil. Even if there is doubtful poetry here there is dramatic conviction - as in the title track. Specific and striking images; confession that rings true. Good songs, whether they are grunge or not. The guitars sound absolutely terrific. 3.5/5

Alice in Chains isn't a band I'd typically listen to. I like their occasional song. And the way they do their vocal harmonies is always a cool touch. The music is well played and it goes pretty hard. Listening to the full album was enjoyable. I think I'm looking forward to hearing more of their stuff now.

solid 4. Acho que nem todas as músicas são tão boas, mas os destaques sã simplesmente surreais.

Dirt is a great album by a good band. one of Grunge's founding bands. "Them Bones", "Dam that River", "Rooster", and "Angry Chair", "Down in a Hole", and "Would?" are the highlights for me.

I really want to like this band more than I do. The instrumentation is excellent, but I cannot get into the vocals for some reason. Still a classic for a reason.

Ideally listened to in a crackhouse.

In an era that saw an over abundance of high quality music, the album stands out. Alice In Chains was more Guns n Roses than Seattle Grunge band. And that hard edge showed.

just realized that alice in chains sounds like illusion-era guns n roses but significantly slower

1000 nostalgia points!

Good

simplemente alice in chains, muy bueno, estás tranquilamente y de repente pum pan pum pum pum

Dirt is the second album from Seattle based Alice in Chains. The band makes a grunge influenced version of metal; they add howling, brooding lyrics to make a sound that's dark and raw. The album is regarded as the band's best work, and appears on many "best metal albums of all time" lists. Dirt is a concept album about heroin addiction, and the songs are dark, morbid, and brutally self-aware. Lead singer Layne Staley struggled with heroin addiction that eventually cost him his life.

Brilliant, depressing and amazing Grunge. How did we survive the 90s?

There's a lot of buttrock elements with this collection of songs, but also some melody and hard rock riffs that stand up with anyone from the era.

Бодрящий, заряжающий, разгоняющий

This goes so fucking hard man. So many classics.

Deep grunge dark

now I understand the hype and why all of my friends and their mothers urged me to listen at least a few songs of this band

Aah, tuttuakin tutumpi, suorastaan puhkikuunneltu albumi. Alice in chainsin kohdalla kävi valitettavasti niin, että en bändin hienoutta jotenkin tajunnut ysärillä teinivuosina, ehkä siksi, että se ei ollut meidän kylillä mitenkään kova sana toisin kuin Nirvana sun muut. Eli fanitukseni, joka bändiä kohtaan on ollut mittavaa, alkoi vasta Lane Staleyn kuoleman jälkeen. Aivan älyttömän hieno bändi. Eikä ”uusi” tuotanto ole mitenkään pliisua vaikka usein niin voi laulajavaihdoksen myötä käydä. Itse albumi; ei yhtään huonoa biisiä, vaikka kestoa tunnin verran. Tosin pitkiä biisejä ja ehkä levy voisi biisin tai parin verran olla lyhyempikin, silloin se tulisi kuunneltua useammin läpi. Olen ilman muuta sitä sukupolvea, että albumi kuunnellaan alusta loppuun :) Jerry Cantrell on armoitettu rockbiisien tekijä ja kova kitaristi. Vahva 4/5. Erityisesti levyn alku, ekat kolme biisiä ottavat kuulijan tiukkaan syleilyyn ja pitävätkin siinä sitten loppuun asti. Metallinen grungealbumi, Seattlen Metallica? Huippuhetket Dam that river, Dirt ja Would? 4/5

Amazing album. But now I'm old and my ears just can't, so have to play at low volume.

7.0/10 Great album... not sure I'd listen to it much anymore though.

I THINK ITS GONNA RAAAAIINNNNNNNNN WHEN I DDIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEE

at times it leans closer to metal than grunge for my usual tastes, but there is no denying layne's greatness.

for years I tell Becky “I don’t like Alice In Chains” and Becky goes “no—you don’t like Alice cooper” and then I go “oh you’re right”

great individual tracks adding up to something not quite as great album. when bunched together jt just comes off pretty rote, the formula becomes apparent and it starts to meld together. if you play any single song off this (besides sickman that one kinda stinks) ill have a pretty great time. most albums just dont need to creep up to an hour in length though

Fin å høre på når det regner ute. Mye sterkt, men er par utskudd som er vanskelig å like også..

The album cuts add the variety that their singles lack. Pleasantly surprised

Interesting. Not finished yet.

dope

Alice in chains- Dirt. Wow ! Un excellent album digne de son temps : les années 90. Je me sentais replonger directement à la sortit de cet album, même si j'étais trop jeune à cet époque la. J'avais jamais écouter ce groupe la, mais c'est sûr que je vais essayer de creuser dans leur discographie suite à cette écoute.

oh yea

Poor dog, I was grooving to this album with noise cancelling albums and almost missed that he was asking me to go outside. Good album, really enjoyed it.

A very classic grunge record. (Surprising that it’s about to hit its 35th birthday soon, as well!)

Grunge'i üks tähtsamaid albumeid. Päris mitu hitti plaadil ja ja Layne Staley vokaalid on suht ajatud. Küll aga tunnen, et albumil on mitu filler-lugu, mis lihtsalt ununevad ära. Nad on tihti ka üpris sarnase meloodia/riffidega ja ma ei saa aru, kas see on lihtsalt albumi "motiivile" viitamine või siis laisk laulukirjutamine. 3.9/5

When you listen to Dirt after knowing what happened to Layne, it's a tough listen. But art isn't always pretty. It's like life that it's sometimes painful, rough, tragic. And that's this album. It's not easy to listen to the songs that directly discuss his addiction, but it paints an unmistakable picture of the pain involved. Having said that, I love every time Layne and Jerry harmonize. It's different than most rock groups in that regards. For all the harsh sludge-style rock they put out, their harmonies give it a smoothness over the guitars. They are part of the early 90s Seattle scene, but they had their own lane (no pun intended), and excelled in it. Just a great band.

great album, but the singles almost stand out too much? the singles are just really good

Gran Álbum, me ha reportado a mi adolescencia, increíble sonido

Not my favourite from them but still love it

One of my all time favourite artists. Minor issue with the album is consistency of energy. Some of the songs are just ever present in my playlist and are pure fuel. But the album just doesn’t make a perfect no skip, so four stars.

Grande album grunge, gli AiC sono i più metal tra tutte le band del genere e si sente, gasano

One of the classic grunge metal albums. Crunchy riffs, vocal harmonies galore, groovy odd times. SICKMAN goes hard 🤘🏽 "What's my drug of choice? Well whaddya got?" Is a killer lyric. Overall a great listen

Nice riffs everywhere. Actually liked it best when the Grunge was turned down and the Doom turned up, like in "Sickman" or "Junkhead". "Rooster" also had a cool vibe. That said, it runs too long (CD age sickness 😮‍💨). Also, whole album about suicide, addiction, mental breakdown? You ok guys? 😅 Negative vibes dragging me down and would prevent me from listening to this often. 3,5/5

AIC was never my first choice when it came to alternative bands that were big in the 90s. And this was 100% my era. They're heavier than the other Seattle bands of the time (excluding The Melvins), but also... sludgier. And I could never really get into slower tempo heavy music. It's a failing. That said, Dirt is by no means a slog. There are parts that bog down for me, but it starts phenomenally and ends strong with a couple classics in between. 3.5 rounded up.

A milestone in the Grunge era.

Alright album, heavy 5-6/10

I enjoyed this album from Alice In Chains! This is an incredibly dark grunge/metal album but it has some great and catchy songs. Music like this used to scare me when I was younger but I feel like my music taste and interests have expanded for the better as I’ve gotten older. Overall, I thought this was a great album and I would listen to it again in the future!

me gusto mucho pero al haver medio largo termina saturando un poco laintensidad de la kuscansolompor eso nones cinconestrellas

i eventually got bored with it. if it didnt have such a heavy tone, it would basically be psychadelic rock. objectively good. but i am no metalhead

What Metallica's self-titled would sound like if they recorded it in Seattle It can feel like a lot of the same, but it's also a welcome same because it's awesome

8/10

ogk

That was cool

Never listened to Alice in Chains before but the whole album was great. Gritty and powerful.

No falla ni una, cada canción es una experiencia y cada canción es diferente a la anterior

the highs are high for sure with this one. Few grunge bands in my opinion make a distinctive name/sound for themselves outside the nirvana elephant in the room. This one is solid. A little more spacey/psychedelic and maybe even more dark than Nirvana in some aspects.

Love his voice. I prefer their lighter songs but still great. Would is a really good song

Hey GTA San Andreas memories. Solid grunge album.

had a few really good songs

In the (massively underrated) movie “This Is 40”, Pete, played by Paul Rudd, is desperately trying to teach his family about artistic merit over commercial accessibility in music. In a rebuttal to some Nicki Minaj song that had his wife and daughters dancing about the room in glee, he plays “Rooster” by Alice in Chains. His argument: “THIS is lyrics, this is poetry. This is what is going to survive in a hundred years.” When his wife Debbie argues that “It just doesn’t make people happy”, he replies that “It makes ME happy. I can dance to it” as he starts to sway slightly from side to side, my trademark move at rock concerts. Debbie breaks it to him: “You’re the only one in the room who’s happy.” Pete stops his music. I’ve been giving TED talks like this for as long as I can remember. I feel represented. “Them Bones” kicks off the album with a jump-scare scream to get your attention, and cause you to spill your coffee all over yourself. Look up Jacob Givens’ hilarious YouTube skit about how it always gets him. It's a fantastic song, and sets the scene for the album you're about to hear. Mixing between the “chugging” sounds of metal guitar and smoother melodies layered with harmonies is the recipe that works so well here. And those vocal harmonies, they're just class. The way that Layne's voice harmonises with Jerry Cantrell’s is smooth as hell. When the more dissonant metal sounds switch to those smooth harmonies, it tunes into some frequency in my brain. My brain tells me: it sounds good. “Sickman” is a great example of that. It’s pretty much three songs stitched together. The first melody is thrash metal, and not my thing at all. The second melody is a much more enjoyable grungier sound, bringing those vocal harmonies into the mix. And then a third song of lighter acoustic-ish melody slows things down. On first listen, I didn’t like it at all, but after a couple of listens, the juxtaposition between the sounds start to make the good parts sound even better. Alice in Chains are framed as grunge, but I wouldn’t call anything here grunge at all. It’s closer to metal or heavy rock than grunge. I think Kurt Cobain said something about them being hair metal wearing flannel to try and ride the grunge popularity. I mean, he was probably just being flippant, but it’s a pretty good description. The metal leanings of this isn’t really my thing, but it’s more than often made up for by the smoother Soundgarden-leaning side of the songs on the album. To put it more concisely: I liked it a hell of a lot more than I expected I would. There are surprises here too. “Down in A Hole” might have all the hallmarks of a hair metal band doing their “get your lighters out” soft anthem, but it’s actually a really enjoyable song. “Hate to Feel” channels Sabbath at times with its descending central riff. Pretty much every other song on the album has moments that catch you off-guard too, and I don't mean in a "spill your coffee" jump-scare way. And of course there’s “Rooster”. This is the real gem in the Dirt. Deep lyrical content about parenthood, PTSD and dealing with the realities of the Vietnam war, with that rising chorus. Again, it’s Layne’s voice (and Cantrell’s harmonies) going into the chorus that absolutely kills it in this song. It causes an involuntary wince when it kicks off, which is always a good sign in a song like this. There’s a reason it was Pete’s song of choice in “This Is 40” to try to win his wife and daughters over. Like the rest of the album, it’s dark, dense and asks a lot of you, so it’s no surprise that Pete found himself as the only one in the room happy to be listening to this, swaying from side to side. I’d be right there with him, making the exact same argument.

Them bones, some track. Badass album

Some classic grunge from one of the OG grunge bands. My fav album of theirs is Jar of Flies.

Høydepunktene er sabla høye. Sterk 4'er.

Så bra på sitt beste, men dessverre litt for mye «fyllstoff». 3,75

Not a huge fan of grunge, but this is as a great album, compelling, brutal and disturbing.

Good

remember when the music league theme was songs about eating ass and someone dropped 'down in a hole' and you died?

Some really good tracks on here. Would? Is probably my favorite on the album and a strong end to the whole thing.

Nothing like a nice grunge album about heroin to wash away the stink of another terrible 70s British album

Classic

90’s Grunge ⭐️Sickman

ÄÄH I really didn't go into this thinking that I would enjoy the album – I was planning to just skim through it and probably give it 3 stars. Instead, I was surprised that I knew and already really liked the first track "Them Bones," mostly from playing ATV Offroad Fury on PlayStation 2 with my best friend in middle school. What really makes this great is the harmony between Staley and Cantrell – their voices blend really well and their harmonies are tight. By the end of the album, I was starting to get a bit sick of Staley's vocal tone, specifically the nasal, vowel-rounding quality that is a bit reminiscent of Cher.

I really wasn't in the right mood for this today but I think it's pretty good. Reminds me of Nirvana.

Alice in Chains is Callie approved. She started stomping her feat and head banging.

Dope, very Accessible grunge music. Great vocals, great lyrics, definitely for times when you've got angst and want to accentuate said angst with some tunes. 8/10

This was gritty and tough and great. Was hooked from the first song.

Dirt immediately starts guns blazing with Them Bones and doesn't let up whatsoever until the end. Great vocals, great hooks, great mixing. Not the first band I reach for on most days, but there's really nothing I can fault here. Favourite track: Would?

some songs are bangers (Them Bones, Would?) some are too long to my taste (Rooster, Sickman, most of the middle of the album)

Pretty decent metal album 4.0

They got the title right.

Interesting grunge sound, but distinct enough from bands like Pearl Jam and Nirvana to justify its existence. Fairly dark and depressing lyrics, as the entire album centers around Layne Staley’s drug addiction. Pretty good as far as 90s grunge dad rock goes.

it's not exactly revelatory at this point to say that the term "grunge" is something of a post-hoc rationalization. sure, many of its major movers and shakers had geography in common, particularly the bands we now call its Big Four, who all came from Seattle or elsewhere in the state of Washington. you could also say these bands were bucking the prevailing trends of the time, and bringing guitar music back to some sort of basics as the 90s began. but even still, those four bands don't sound a whole lot like each other, to my ears anyway. Nirvana was equally fascinated by 60s pop and sheer walls of noise; Pearl Jam are a fairly straightforward alt-rock outfit; Soundgarden's best moments place them in a lineage encompassing lumbering stoner and sludge acts; and Alice in Chains started as a glam metal band! you'd think any band associated with the "grunge" label would want nothing to do with the excesses of glam, right? well, not entirely. of course, Nirvana famously covered Bowie on MTV; and on Dirt, the second Alice in Chains album, you can hear a combination of heavy metal riffing with pop song structures which, from a certain vantage point, feels akin to something Dokken might've put together in the 80s. what sets Alice in Chains apart, of course, is the inescapable darkness surrounding their work. I'm not just referring to Layne Staley and his famous struggles with addiction and depression, which of course he mined for vocal and lyrical gold on almost every track here. I'm also referring to the compositions, which demonstrate Jerry Cantrell's knack for balancing consonance and dissonance, melodicism and fierce aggression. the ♭VI and the minor iv really get a workout, two chords that can take any mood and darken it substantially. the lack of any bright spot in Staley's outlook on Dirt is pretty well-known, what with its replete references to death, suicide, heroin and et cetera; but of course, it would mean nothing if it wasn't set with the right soundtrack. strong 8/10.

Good

I've always liked Alice in Chains as a group, they've made some of my favorite metal songs (aka just Man in the Box), but this album didn't really connect with me the way I was hoping. It's not bad or anything, it's actually littered with pretty amazing songs, but I think it just goes a song or few too long. I was really getting tired by the end, and there's not a ton of variety. Still pretty great though. Favorites: Them Bones, Junkhead, Dirt

du grunge !

Cañero de pelotas

I was scared of Alice in Chains going into this album, but was surprised to find that I thought this album was pretty good. You learn something new every day!

I don;t know why I am reluctant to give this a 5. It has 4-5 bangers. I just have owned this album since it came out and have never put it on...must be a reason?

Really phenomenal album and somehow one that I haven't listened to until now. Layne Staley, man. What a voice. This band rules, this album rules, and if I hadn't already listened to Superunknown as a part of this project, I'd probably call this the best grunge album ever. I'm so conflicted as whether to give this a 4 or 5 stars, but know that it's somewhere in the middle. Favorite track: Them Bones

God I wish Layne hadn't had such a rough go, but this band was destined to burn bright and fast. By far the heaviest, grungiest band Seattle produced, this is a real deep dive into the darkness and anger these four dudes dealt with constantly. It suffers from length and sameness but when it hits it hits like a sledgehammer.

Aliisa Kahleissa. Ihan mukiinmenevää. Tulee ihan nuoruusvuodet mieleen kun grunge oli sikakovajuttu.

Oikein hyvä

Kovaa tykittelyä. Meinas levyn loppupuoliskolla loppua jaksaminen vähän same oldista, mutta viiminen biisi pelasti koko paketin ja virkisti takasin taajuuksille.

I overlooked this band for way too long.

Solid grunge album. They definitely had their own sound. Super guitar/bass driven. A very solid album.

i’d give it a 4.5 if i could. a nearly perfect classic rock album of its time. standouts: them bones, down in a hole, rooster, junkhead, dirt honorable mentions: sickman, hate to feel favorite: dirt

People in the reviews keep saying this is a fusion of metal and grunge. Grunge, itself, was the fusion of metal and punk, so that description is a little bit redundant. Alice in Chains, admittedly, was the closest to the metal corner of the grunge spectrum of the big 4 Seattle bands (Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and AIC). They've also always been my least favorite of those bands. There's a LOT of literal riffing on this album. It's sludgy and histrionic, but occasionally, a little diamond appears, sparkling in all the grime.

i have heard this album a couple times before. i don’t really have much to say about it. it’s just a good album. hits on hits on hits. the bass work so nasty, it’s really damn good. rain when i die hit a lot harder this time. that fake fade out is so cool every time anyone does it. fuck this thing is so good. i’m on down in a hole. first song i don’t really remember is next, sickman. hope it doesn’t fall off. i’ve heard rooster too much. i remember sickman. it’s kickass. i forgot that the bassline in rooster is incredible. i haven’t heard rooster too much, this song is awesome. WHATS MY DRUG OF CHOIIIIIICE 🗣️🗣️🗣️ junkhead might be the best song on this album and that’s saying A LOT. i love when they bring out the queens of the stone age guitar sound. fuck the end of god smack and untitled. corny asf. godsmack is a great song outside of that dumb voice at the end. hate to feel isn’t hitting. holy fucking ending. angry chair into would. christ. i’m sure this goes hard on heroin.

Ok

4/5

I’ve tried listening to this album so many times but every time I get to rooster I hear it and want to watch apocalypse now or sum. The album is actually really good though especially now that I finished it.

I saw Alice in Chains (this band, not my paternal grandmother bound) on April 16, 1993. Layne sat cross legged on the front of the stage wearing a stocking cap and sunglasses, and didn't move a muscle. Just sat in a heap and sang (quite well, considering). After maybe 5 songs he stood up, dropped the mic, and walked off the stage. House lights came on, and the PA announced "show's over, folks" and we were ushered out. High school me was so disappointed. Despite getting ripped off, I still quite enjoy the album. The despair can be a little overwhelming, but I hadn't listened all the way through in decades (still holding a grudge, I suppose). I'm glad it popped up today and gave me a welcome shot of nostalgia.

I remember Rooster from back in the day... given that this is not my typical type of music -- still a few tracks I enjoyed.

8/10

Favourites: Them Bones and God Smack

ROOOOOSTER

One of my favorite 90s bands. Sucks about what happened. We're probably missing out on some good music.

I was originally gonna give this album a 3 based off its popularity on tiktok but after listening to it I decided to give it a 4 bc I really enjoyed it and it deserves the hype

Better than Coldplay

So many great tracks here. At nearly an hour, it does bog down toward the end. Angry Chair and Would close it out strong. I would shave a couple of songs off in order to have 5 stars.

Layne never fails to deliver. What a great voice

Of all the major grunge bands, Alice in Chains are the ones I’m least familiar with. This album is great, a dark and depressing trip through heroin-addiction and self-disgust. I’m 30 years away from this music I grew up with, and it’s even less relevant to my life now than it was then, but it still fits like a glove.

I remember a friend playing AiC at me when we were 15. Decided I didn’t like them and avoided them since. Big mistake. 17 year old me would have loved this. Making up for it a couple of decades later though.

Fantastic 4.5/5

Yeah, this rocks. If you're in the mood to rock, this album is probably a good one to listen to.

Good if you’re in an angry mood, but I couldn’t listen to it all the time.

Right up my street. Don't know how I didn't discover these guys in my grunge era but I very much enjoyed this. A gem in amongst this list of howlers.

Perhaps a 3.5 upgraded to 4 by nostalgia. When we had Sirius satellite radio, my default station was Lithium, the 90s alternative station. They used to have an ad that said, “If Nirvana hadn’t written the song Lithium, what would we have called this station? Rooster?” Followed by a short clip of a tortured vocal from the Alice in Chains song. That’s pretty much how I’ve always thought of Alice in Chains, as a kind of backup to the grunge acts of my youth. My wife confirmed it when I showed her I had Dirt this morning and asked what I thought of them. “Those are the kinda good songs they play between the really good songs,” she said. So I tried to explore them here as more than 90s grunge radio filler. And I found a lot to like. I agree with many reviewers here that the first three songs are a great series of riffs, maybe more metal than the stuff I knew from the radio. And I definitely enjoyed running through the hits again, especially “Down in a Hole.” But overall I don’t know that it changed my mind about these guys so much. I love the sound but am only so-so on the songwriting, particularly because it stays in such a narrow emotional range. I think music can be dark, heavy, brooding, Gothic, whatever, but still give you some room to breathe, and I did not feel that way by the time I got to “Would?”

Grunge!

Памятник героиновой эпидемии.

I’ve always wondered if the title is tied to how murky the production is. Everything sounds heavy, the riffs, the vocals, even the lyrics. By the end I feel kind of exhausted, but also glad I took the journey.

Yeah yeah classic, yeah yeah grunge

Dirt is heavy in a way that feels earned, not performative. This isn’t just loud guitars and misery cosplay. The band locks into that sludgy, oppressive grunge sound with real discipline, and the secret weapon is the harmonies. Those stacked vocals are unsettling, almost beautiful, and they elevate the material far beyond standard grunge rage. Not every track needs to be a single, and some of the deeper cuts don’t fully justify their runtime, but when this record hits, it hits hard. The dynamic contrast matters here. The quieter passages aren’t filler, they create tension so the heavy moments actually land instead of just bludgeoning you nonstop. That push and pull gives the album dimension and keeps it from collapsing into monotony. This is a band fully in control of its sound, capturing that thick, grimy early-90s heaviness while still showing restraint and variation. Dark, punishing, and strangely precise. A cornerstone of the genre, even if not every track is chasing perfection. If grunge had a weight class, Dirt would be fighting at the top, no question.

Solid

7/10

OMG this was my favorite album when I was a freshman in high school. I think I got the cassette for my 15th birthday back in 1993. Let's see how it holds up... I think so far it's nostalgic but my taste in music has definitely changed since then. A lot of the music sounds like sweaty people in a basement somehow. But I guess that's what grunge IS. Writing music in the dead of winter on a rainy Seattle day will result in music that is dark and gray the way Alice In Chains' music sounds. This album features some great guitar riffs, harmonies, and tricky time signatures which I had forgotten about when I listened to this cassette on repeat in 1993. I guess in the depressing state of winter of 2026, maybe depressing, gritty music isn't what I need right now, but I DO love the nostalgia of listening to this album more than 30 years later. Even though it's not what I would select to play in the car anymore, the music still holds up, especially the singles from this album, and the vocals are really great. Rooster is a standout on the album. The best overall song in my opinion is Would?, the final track of the album. It was also on the Singles soundtrack, which was my favorite film when it came out. Highly recommend for anyone wanting to see what early 90s Seattle was like I still love the album and it has a lot of nostalgia for me, but not every track is a banger, maybe like half of them? 4/5 stars.

This one shocked me, I thought I would hate it but it was definitely a banger. Honestly, a the perfect album to hep you lock in and make the day your bitch.

Always dug this album. This one is right in my wheelhouse. Not much to say other than, hell yeah, I'm glad this one came up today.

The drum rhythm is so cool Esp:junkhead

Love the vocals, nasty riffs. More metal vibes than other ‘grunge’ bands, further showing that label isn’t very useful. Like the solos as well, vibey

Olihan tuo ihan jees

Hyvää grungerokkia. Yksi suurista mutta ei yllä Nirvanan tai Pearl Jamin tasolle. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tätä kuunteli mielellään!

Like the lyrics slightly less but still loving my rock renaissance

Standout Tracks: Them Bones - Great song to kick of a lift a the gym Rooster - I had to pack two apartments worth of stuff into a moving trailer overnight once. So basically, I can relate to slogging through the shit in 'Nam now.

Soundgarden encontra Rob Zombie, infelizmente não me pega, mas é um ótimo album.

Hyvä levy, tiukkoja riffejä ja hyviä slovareita

Enjoyed this a lot more than I thought that I would, it seemed quite similar to the Metal I listened to for a while in my 20s, in fact Iwill probably take it out for a run.

I liked this one a lot. I already knew I liked AIC from the songs I was familiar with, but this album as a whole confirmed it for me. I generally like grunge, so this one fits in my wheelhouse more than it might some other listeners. Still, I think it has a lot to like even for those who aren't necessarily fans. The music is powerful, to say the least. The guitar work really makes the songs what they are, though the other pieces complement it nicely. Really, the "weakest" part is probably the vocal work. It's one of those situations where the voices fit the style and tone of the songs regardless of their singing skill. I don't think having a stronger voice on the tracks would really improve them much, since they're going more for impact than anything else. They add an eeriness and honesty to the tracks that really makes them memorable. It's clear that the album comes from the grunge/metal era of the early 90s where the style was popular, which is kind of interesting to think about. The topics on the album aren't really radio friendly, and the music itself is a bit aggressive and dark. I guess it's a counter to the more bright, gaudiness of metal and pop music that reigned in the 80s. Whatever the reason, Dirt feels like it encapsulates its era well. Even so, I didn't find it to feel dated or out of vogue in my listen. It holds up pretty well. I did have a few issues that keep me from rating it a 5. The main one was the length. I didn't think it needed to be over 57 minutes long, even if pretty much all of the songs were strong. It just felt like it had run its course by the end. It also felt a little same-y over the last few tracks (excluding Would?). They did a good job of mixing up feel for the majority of the album, but there was a little bit of stagnation before the last song. That was likely the result of the runtime (and my attention span), though. There were probably a couple songs that could've been left off in that group. Even so, it's more a nitpick than a strong criticism. This ranks as a really good listen for me. I think it's up there for the genre and era it represents. It has some really great songs spread throughout its runtime and demands your attention, even though it runs a little long. I would definitely listen to it again. Overall: 4.1/5

Really more like 3.5. I much prefer the song Would? than the rest. Layne Staley can really sing (or he could when he was Alive!). Many of the lyrics seem to spring from the mind of a sixteen year old guy. Still the singing and musicians make up for that.

Hadde eg vore litt eldre hadde eg sikkert høyrt meir på dette

Great sounding album, but as someone else said it, it's great if you want to feel like shit. Great tunes, and great voice, but it's just for a specific mood.

Other than the 3-4 songs i already knew it was alright

“yes, yes, yes!” awesome album rating: 8.6/10 fav track: junkhead

Classic rock, some goodies in there. Enjoyable listening

One of my favourite albums

Perhaps the best grunge album of all time. Not my favorite but goddamn is it good. 8/10

Grungy and awesome

Rain When I Die Down in a Hole Sickman Rooster Hate to Feel

compelling in that i can't think of another album that would make me feel like i'm on heroin more than this one

i like this album!! i like their voices! i had fun!!! i'm a rock girlie now!!!!! this really is a 3.5 but i'm feeling generous today

Great

Solid metal album. Favourite: rain when We die

What a start to an album. I like Alice In Chains, but they can be a little dirge like in their execution, so this album started off much more lively than I anticipated.

I don't think I've ever listened to all of Dirt, because I was never a fan of Layne Staley's voice. "Would?" is obviously a classic of the grunge era—it's crazy that they close the album with it—and "Them Bones" is a hell of a way to kick off this album. (That riff.) I always found "Rooster" kind of comical, but the run from "Junkhead" to "Hate to Feel" is some of the bleakest music you'll find anywhere. Keep away from the hard drugs, everybody.

Gas

Kind of the anti-Metallica, I think. Undeniably heavy, at least by my non metalhead standards, but still music that's made by and for humans.

sick

Classic grunge album. My only complaint is a lot of the songs sound the same. 4/5

oh yeah i fuck with this MAJORLY

I’ve never really listened to Alice In Chains before of course I’ve heard about them. I really liked this surprisingly, going into it I kinda thought it would be more intense heavy metal. But maybe it’s just this album but it hits on the rock aspect and has lyrics that carry you throughout the songs.

Probably THE Alice In Chains album. They are often grouped into the grunge category from the early 90’s, but they definitely have more of a background influence shared with a lot of metal bands. Notable tracks include Them Bones, Dam That River, Rain When I Die, Down In A Hole, Rooster, Would.

Their Unplugged is a 5 star album. This is close. I wish I could review out of 10, cause this isn’t a 4.

Very important grunge that I've listen to a number of times. Definitely a fan. RiP to Layne.

Chad in Chains

Listened Before? Y When I think of grunge, I think of AIC. This is the grungiest of albums by the grungiest of bands. Well made, and delivered what we all wanted in the 90s. Shame about Lane, but unfortunately he was a tortured soul. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Angry Chair

This album was rad

Say what you want about heroin, it makes some bangers

Overall ass kicker, And I’m not even a grunge guy!

I love this album

Somehow this feels like a symphony conductors approach to metal. Surprisingly peaceful listening. Favorite track was Would?

Particularly excellent pick for someone going through a bit of a mortality crisis at the moment. We'll all turn into a big ol' pile of them bones. Highlights: Them Bones, Dirt.

Pretty good few long ass songs 3-5 amazing songs

Great album

Grunge isn't my go to rock sub genre but Alice in Chains did put out some bangers.

classic grunge rock. groundbreaker, but I think the bands that came after them did it better

At first listen, wasn't a big fan of all the emotional self loathing and drug promotion, but after coming back to it a couple of times I had to admire the albums raw openness. It compares well to other albums of a similar genre, like Nevermind or something by Pearl Jam, and this was probably first out of the stable. Tracks that stand out for me include Rooster and Them Bones. A low 4.

Pleasant surprise! Moody, great riffs, overall a vibe

this album was there for me about a year ago. i didn’t re-listen because i do need to be in a certain mood but i do love this one when in the right mood!

Good soup.

Oh yeah. I love this. Makes me feel like dirt

Hadn’t listened to Alice In Chains before, Staley has a great range. Instrumentals were sick. First half captured me a lot more.

Love Alice in Chains' sound. Unfortunately it's their only sound. Bones is forever a part of me given how many times I played it on Guitar Hero.

3.5 RYM

This is a remarkable album - very tight, great playing, loved the harmonies. A little dark and heavy for my tastes, but objectively great.

This is not my type of album, but it was a good listen. Probably won’t go back to it, but still not a terrible listen by any means.

fuck this rocks

I liked it and the heavy rock vibe sounds. Some of the songs I liked more than others. Def a dude rock band

Rock is rock - nice album, fun. Nostalgic about my childhood. Andrew Caldwell really liked this band.

Didn’t think I’d like it as much as I did! Good intensity and not the worst vocals. Listened a couple times.

I mean, I like this band so.

Alice in Chains is not Alice Cooper.

This album just gets better and better upon each listen, though I don't think it's a five yet. Still very good. Easily one of the best of the grunge era. Favorite track: Rain When I Die 4.5/5

Great album with great songs. Can be a bit drawn out to listen to the full album straight. Has many hits.

Great album. Hard rock with a metal soul front to back

I think it's good I didn't understand much of the lyrics :D

If someone told me this is on par with Nevermind I wouldn't argue

Still holds up. Ahhhhhhh

Baita álbum, gostei bastante. É beeem estilão Alice in Chains mesmo, obviamente. Não é minha pegada favorita, mas acho daóra, bão de ouvir. Destaque pra Them Bones e Would? Feels nostálgico forte do GTA. Boas pra cacete. PS: Que zuera foi essa com Iron Man na Untitled? kkkkkk

I was a little skeptical at first but the later songs of the album I really enjoyed

cool dirty album.

Raw and emotionally gut wrenching. Grunge classic for a reason. Would? Might be one of my favorite songs of all time. That, and the Alice In Chains Unplugged performance of some of these songs (notably Down in a Hole) are some of the most poignant moments in rock history with the lead singer visibly succumbing to addiction as he performed live for one last time.

solid album in the hard rock genre

Classique

Gotdam what a bruising attack of a record. I sure don’t understand why AiC was ever called grunge, this is straight metal to my ears. Love Layne’s sneering voice and those harmonies. Love the ass kicking drum sound. Love the crunchy guitar in small doses. The only downside of this sound (STP’s first album too) is the lack of any real dynamics. After a while it starts to all sound like the same sludgy thing. But one album at a time, this kicks ass.

Progressive, new, stoner... nice

Thoughts before listening: This is my favorite album from Alice in Chains, and it contains some of their best songs. Of the 4 main grunge bands, I probably go back and listen to AIC the least, but I tend to be happy when I do hear them. In general they're a little more dense in their sound than the other groups, but they definitely rock. Review: So the way I remember AIC and this album is accurate. Sludgy, dark grunge music that does definitely have quite a bit of melody in the mix. Layne Staley is a very unique singer and his voice is part of the overall darkness of this album. Layne has more of a growl and snarl than the more accessible vocals of say Eddie Vedder or Chris Cornell. "Rooster" and "Would?" are some of the better songs of this era, and this album has a number of deep cuts that resonate with me as well. I'll give this 4-stars.

Incredible album that takes me right back to my freshman year in college. I understand why some may find this to be lacking, as many of the songs are over-driven. Not all songs on this album are great (some are actually bad), but the overall musicality is very strong, the lyrics (particularly for the time) are well written. This is a defining album of grunge rock with, in my opinion, Nirvana's Nevermind and Pearl Jam's Ten rounding out the big three.

Enjoyed this a lot 4

Incredible. I love this album. It's got great sound, great writing and incredible singing. Very deserving of being on the list, even if this isn't your style of music.

Pre: like this album Post: grunge with melody

Another classic from my college years. For me, this record has some of the very best songs to come out of the grunge scene. Rooster, Would, Them Bones, Down In A Hole. There’s some filler here too, and if it was an LP vs CD, probably a 5 star record with those saved for B sides. Also should note that I have an odd affinity for heroin inspired rock. If you did some smack and sang about it, I probably love it. With more mature ears, it’s a little too much of a Sabbath tribute, and Jerry Cantrell listened to too much Randy Rhoads, but still really enjoy this one

If I rated this purely on the likelihood of me listening to it again, I would have rated it a 3. For some reason I have never really loved Alice In Chains despite them ticking a lot of boxes. However, I recognize this album is very good. It’s full of great metal riffs, big hooks, authenticity, a unique soundscape and production.

4/5 - I haven’t listened to Alice In Chains in 25+ years, but this album holds up really well. If this list needed sludge grunge with some fantastic guitar riffs, this is a great choice.

Good.

I really dig the metal/grunge music but this band always eluded me. Of course I heard all their big hits, and I think that's what drove me away. The songs were fine, but never really captured me. The rest of the album is great and I'm kinda bummed I missed out on them for so long. Will for sure be listening to them more now

Another one of those albums that if you weren't there at the time you probably don't get. The grunge sound hit hard and fast in the 90s and Alice in Chains was at the front of the pack. Some surprisingly good writing here and the hits are really solid. It's just at 13 tracks that heavy, dark sound starts to wear especially with most songs pushing 5-6 minutes.

Heavy stuff.

I have already heard most of the songs of this album and I can easily play them on repeat.

Too track: Them Bones / Would? / Rain When I Die

Great gym album. Got back into running listening to this album, and think it has some real good tracks

ts is good

Very compelling album, normally not an avid listener of grunge and heavier music but I thoroughly enjoyed many of the tracks. The beginning of the record features some incredible guitar work, but towards the latter half of the album, the quality just drops off for me.

Solid album! 🤘

I was more of a Bush fan than Alice In Chains, but I do like them and this album is excellent. RIP Layne!

I'm not sure why but I missed this on release. It's rather good, even if the subject matter is not pretty.

Tight vocal harmonies, sludgy bass lines, overdriven guitar. The evolution of grunge.

Love the guitar sound. Somehow the album sounds more dated than nirvana even though I can feel the era in the sound

I was pleasantly surprised with this record. I didn't think I would like it, but I am glad to have listened to it. Every track bangs. Favourite Track(s): Them Bones, Dirt, Would? Least Favourite Track(s): Godsmack

Fav: Them Bones Least Fav: God Smack I’m yet to figure out why Alice is in chains, good album tho

Rooster is one of the greatest songs ever written. The rest of the album is pretty damn good too.

Never been a fan of Alice in Chains. I find their music oppressive and creepy. That being said - they were really good at what they did. I jumped out of my chair when the album started, even though I'd heard the song before. That's a good rock song. They hit hard from beginning to end.

Solid album. I haven’t listened to much Alice in Chains but hear it on the radio a fair bit. This whole album was quite good.

Wowww ok really liked this one

fave, almost 5

8.5/10 Favourite: Dam That River Least Favourite: God Smack

Cool as fuck. 4.5⭐

A very dark and heavy album from one of the patriarchs of grunge. I know I’m in the minority here, but I’ve always liked the instrumentation of AIC much more than the vocals, which I was reminded of on my relisten here. I think this prevents me from liking the band as much as I should. Musical taste is funny that way. 7/10

Listening to Alice in Chains' "Dirt" right after Pearl Jam's "Ten." While Dirt is really good (I owned the CD), Ten was IMHO way better.

Ein großartiges Album. Nutshell ist eines meinerbesonders häufig gehörten Stücke über all die Jahre.

Thought i was going to hate this, but just kije 'More songs about buildings and food' (Talking Heads) i am very pleasantly surprised. I love it, there are no bad tracks on thus album and it's a solid 4 out of 5.

I don’t think I know any AIC songs. For a first listen knowing nothing of them I quite liked it. I think on a few repeat listens this would make it to 5 but the tradegy of this project is you move on to the next album without having the chance to really get to know an album that is totally new to you.

Great album, classic sound, but just not quite a 5 star for me.

2025-09-18: Listened to lacking sleep, after a cold shower. It reminded me of the sounds of my youth: at times it resonated with me so, though in a distant fashion. The vocals were nice sounding, though at the end I felt s little tired of them. I felt like the lyrics came in short bursts, somehow lacking fluidity, but I would like to go through them once more paying a little more attention. There were oddities in how some tracks sounded, such as the way the fullness of the sound came in and out in “Junkhead” (I specially noticed in the second half), but I don't know if they were intentional, or particular to Spotify's encoding of the supposed remastered version of the album (I initially replayed parts thinking that my sound system or my hearing might be failing me). I rate it above a 3, though I would have to give it another chance to place it a a solid 4 or above.

Grunge - loved it on a second listen. Rain When I Die & Dirt the two highlights.

I like it

Pacific Northwest Grunge. Love the sounds and emotions of this album. So many of Alice in Chains classics come off of this record. My favorite song by them, Down in a Hole, along with Rooster, Angry Chair and the title track Dirt. I have definitely given more time to the acoustic versions of these from the fantastic MTV Unplugged, which is a bit more up my alley. Nonetheless, it is great to play this one loud in all of its grungy glory. RIP Layne! I am sure there could've been so much more great music if you were still with this world.

Staley and Cantrell singing together is rather golden combo. For me this band is Jerry Cantrell with good lead vocalist. Cantrell's riffs an occasional slowness takes this album to its own position. Could this be a five star album? Yes it could be but now listening it as whole for a long time I feel that some last step is missing.

This sounds still nice.

Need to spend more time with this one

Rad as hell

rocky but not to hard

Alongside Nirvana and PJ, Alice In Chains was my other favorite grunge band. I love Layne Staley’s vocals and the great guitar work by Jerry Cantrell. I don’t typically like hard rock, but that early 90’s sound matched up with where I was in my life at the time, acknowledging my own depression and learning to cope with it. Music was one of the best ways I found. I wasn’t sure if this would still hold up, and it does.

435/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑

I loved this album in college. Still great.

I've always loved this album. I think it's still my favorite by Alice in Chains.

Iconic 90s grunge metal, lane Staley's voice is unmatched in the genre

Wish i could do 3.5. Liked it more than i was expecting, great vocals and more melodic than i thought. Sounds like the only grunge band who would admit they listen to Queen and Metallica.

Alice in Chains are a great band and this was a phenomenal album. It did start to lose some of its high quality with the last few songs but there were some break rifts and melodies through that made me feel relaxed but motivated at the same time

понравились 2 песни, первая и последняя, оценка - 4.

Um álbum que eu ouvia durante a infância e adolescência, e sempre acreditei que este fosse um disco de Metal. Só agora em minha maioridade eu entendi melhor a definição de Grunge, e sei que Alice in Chains faz parte do quarteto fantástico do subgênero. Mas mesmo com este meu novo conhecimento adquirido, percebo que ainda assim acredito que o som do Alice seja bem mais pesado que os das outras bandas de Grunge que conheço. Pessoalmente, eu ainda prefiro Nirvana quando quero ouvir Grunge. Talvez seja uma opinião não tão popular, sei lá. Particularmente, quando o assunto é Alice in Chains, prefiro bem mais ouvir o MTV Unplugged deles do que qualquer disco de estúdio. Uma coisa que noto neste álbum, Dirt, é que ele possui um início incrível e um final maravilhoso, mas ele acaba se perdendo um pouco no meio. Possui uma faixa ou outra notável, mas contém também várias canções que eu considero inconsequentes. Pode discordar, eu aceito. Também não sou muito fã da tendência que esta banda tem de alongar suas faixas para durações bem demasiadas, empregando muitas repetições das mesmas passagens. Acaba transformando o disco numa escuta bem tediosa em alguns momentos. Mas como eu disse, essa banda pros meus ouvidos é a mais pesada do Big 4 do Grunge. E há nisso um certíssimo mérito. Aprecio demais os vocais do Layne, e minhas partes favoritas deste disco e dos outros álbuns da banda são as harmonizações melódicas, como no refrão de Them Bones. Adoro o som da voz dele. Além disso, o tom de guitarra neste álbum é inconfundível, um verdadeiro deleite pros ouvidos. E mesmo que algumas faixas sejam alongadas demais, pouco disso importa quando o álbum encerra com Would, fazendo-me esquecer todo o tédio que senti em algumas faixas anteriores. 4/5

nice guitar

Knew the hits of course, but never listened to the full album. It really sure why I never listened to this, I like all the artists that Alice In Chains is normally associated with. Really liked it, though a bit heavier than some of the other grunge I’m familiar with. Would definitely out it for a workout or to just blow off steam.

Really want to like this, because I always want to like metal, and it's got harmonies! Unfortunately, the harmonies sorta feel the same all the time, but I do appreciate the heaviness (especially from the drummer)! That being said, it's still probably my favorite grunge album not from Nirvana.

Peak

Great album. Songwriting, singing and guitar playing are all top tier.

Yea man. Pretty pretty pretty good.

На удивление хороший гранж, на данный момент я не фанат этого направления, он всё ещё чувствуется так называемым middle of the road для меня. Здесь присутствуют хорошие песни, но есть оочень отталкивающие, от чего у меня очень смешанные чувства с ним. 7/10 Highlights: Rain When I Die; Down In A Hole; Sickman; Would?

As context, I was going to offer a spicy take that this album is better than Nevermind. But in listening to it for like the 1000th time, there’s something missing from it. It’s (perhaps unintentionally) a concept album about the destruction of addiction, and grounded by the real tragedy of Layne Staley … it feels like it’s too dark, if that makes sense. Like a book or a movie you experience once, recognize for what it is, but then never need to experience it again. I think there’s utility in using art (music) to feed emotion, even our darker emotions, but this is too much. Maybe this came up on the wrong day, but an album I was for-sure ready to give five stars only gets four because it wasn’t diverse enough. At least, not today.

Dirt is a grunge masterpiece and is a smacker.

Album.is very good. Has not dated as badly as some other Grunge albums have.

First time listening to Alice in chains (at least systematically - entire album at once). Intriguing rock album with some pieces almost drifting into different genres. Overall it’s good ole hard rock, with tasty solos and riffs that bring a metal flavor at times. Some of the tracks had hints of blues, and some had prog vibes. Not sure at which label/studio the album was recorded and mastered at, but it quickly struck how well it was done, with crystal clear overdriven leads and very nice stage separation. Very cool sound overall, but tends to be somewhat agressive given the mediumish tempo of most tracks, requiring a certain mood to be listened 😅 Fav tracks: Them Bones, Rain when I die, Dirt

A solid example of 90s alt rock. Some very catchy stuff but it really beats you over the head with the drug references.

So close to giving this a 5. I don’t think I ever listened to this album from start to finish. It has all the great grunge components and it just delivers.

Dirty grungy deathly good

Fav song- would? (2022 remaster)

What the hell was happening in Seattle in the 80's and 90's? This and Soundgarden, both of which I really love, but my GOD are they dark. This is some of the heaviest and most dismal music ever made, only lumped in with Grunge by the sheer proximity in time and space to that movement. It's all METAL when you boil it down. Dirt indeed. Great musicians, and the tragically short-lived Layne Staley's best work. Powerful, but listen with the lights ON. And don't do drugs.

Badass album. Grunge classic that goes hard and matches the feeling of these guys. Powerful music hits you in the face and grabs your shirt to make you listen. I do have one 90s bone to pick. If the song was good enough to make the album, give it a damn name. Calling it untitled gives it a damn title. It’s a cop out to call a song “untitled.”

Hell yea who's Alice

LONG LIVE THE ROOSTER 🤘

Really enjoyable, and would never have listened otherwise. Feels like a frontiersman for what came later in the genre

4/5. Loved it in the 90s. Still love it now.

I thought I hated this, and then I listened some more and decided I loved it. I too want to moan and groan about the state of the world with some sick guitar playing in the background.

Good album. Dark, soulful lyrics and strong guitar riffs. -3.5/5

Day 29 First listen- What a perfect fusion between grunge and hard rock! My mind has been blown! (4.5/5)

I said yesterday that every generation of rock takes the last generation and builds on it. This is the right takeaway from Hair Metal. Its like they took the trite blues playing and screechy vocals and made them way way way darker and heavier. It really feels more like Black Sabbath than Def Leppard but a continuation of both. And the Black Sabbath vibes were strong. The minor key riffs and the bends and slides are really visceral. It makes a really unique sound. I do think this album is probably 3 or 4 songs too long. I guess thats what happened when CDs came out and we could start loading up albums with more songs? I had fun with this incredible grim album today.

Our first grunge album, and the only one of the 4 big Seattle grunge bands I’d not really listened to. Lyrically it’s very depressing and heroin fuelled but god I love early grunge. Wouldn’t put it as high as Ten or Superunknown but probably becomes a 5 with future listens. Them Bones is such a good opener

Honestly all Alice In Chains songs sound kinda the same to me, but I like the sound so that's no problem.

4/5 many songs sound similar but still great

Them Bones and Rooster are worth the price of admission here! Not a huge fan of hard grunge rock but man this was pretty good. Heavy distortion, deep bass lines and hard solos. It does wear a little thin by the end, but the distinct vocals give a nice flavor to the whole thing. Also its fitting that God Smack being the worst song begat the absolute dumpster fire band of the same name.

Wasn’t expecting much but I kind of dug this! Obviously “Them Bones” and “Rooster” are the standouts but I was grooving on the rest of the album despite how heavy it got at times. Not bad!

Love this sound. Metal/grunge. I'm not sure what would get it a five. Listening to the album a bit more might help but as it is a strong four.

“What’s my drug of choice? / Well, what have you got?” Dirt is a powerful album that is tough to listen to. It’s easily the bleakest breakout from a fairly bleak genre, but it’s a great showcase for Layne Staley’s vocal talents before he snuffed himself out. I also think “Would” is the best song on the “Singles” soundtrack, which has no shortage of bangers.

Pulled my cassette copy out for this one! Unfortunately, this cassette has seen better days. So kinda sounds like shit. And yet, this album is still sounds great.

A banger of an album for sure- so many hits. Alice In Chains have such a powerful sound, mixing hard rock elements withe the alternative essence of the early 90s. Lots of hits with maybe a few songs that get lost in the mix. Overall- great album

Heavy and catchy.

What‘s this? Instrumentation from metal, harmonies from blues, lyrics from grunge. Polyphonic singing? Complex song structures? This one is hard to put in any drawer. I never listened to Alice in chains before. Part of me feels at home, in a mix between Pearl Jam and Linkin Park. The production us superb. The guitar sound thick. Drums sound like Dave Grohls. It somehow ticks all the boxes but still doesn’t stick. Then they lost me in the 2nd part (after untitled) it got too depressing. Maybe I got weary over time or the last songs are more hopeless than the 1st part. Drug addiction is maybe not a theme you should use for a whole album. Favourite track: Rooster.

I've always been aware of Alice In Chains, but never really taken the time to listen to their stuff. It's pretty good. I think that this is one of those albums that really unfolds on repeated listens which this new album per day format doesn't really reward much Standouts Rain When I Die Junkhead God Smack 4/5

Very enjoyable

I have a love/hate relationship with Alice In Chains. I always found them the least appealing of the popular grunge era bands. Yet I cannot deny that Rooster, Angry Chair, and Down in a hole are great and timeless sons. I remember seeing them headlining a lollapalooza and really enjoying the show. So I guess, yeah this is a great album, just not one I’m really willing to pick up very often.