Dirt

Enjoyable grunge album

Butt for me. Sounded like Nirvana but still didn't engaged me.

To Alice in Chains' credit they have managed to create a cohesive blend of grunge, metal and hard rock. There are many more genres besides that you'll be given glimpses of too - shoegazey moments, post-punky moments. It all adds up to one band, which is impressive. However, the vocals, come across as affected to me, leaning into an archetype which I prefer elsewhere.

This Alice in Chains album is punishing, absolutely the heaviest thing we’ve had so far It’s a bit grungy for my tastes but the more metal elements appeal to me and the expression of the feelings and experiences on display are challenging but I think worthy of putting into song, and I think the brutal music does them justice Not quite for me but happy to see some darker and heavier music on the list, going high 3

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.

This is probably their best album for me at least. Not a huge fan, but great grooves. I can’t get over how many of these songs I know.

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

I've listened to all the big "grunge" albums from this era many, many times. There are only a few of them that still draw me back. Dirt is one of them. There's a freshness and urgency about it that still feels new every time I listen. It's got the whole package for me: It sounds friggin great, it's got pleasingly weird song structures, the lyrics are good, the vocal harmonies are fantastic, and Jerry Cantrell's guitar work is just *chef's kiss*. No way this isn't a . . .

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.

I somehow missed AIC the first time around. I think they were big during the -10 years I was mostly listening to singer-songwriters. This is pretty good but seemed monotonous after a while. I should listen to more of it.

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.

meh

Good.

9.5/10

First of all I have to make this clear, Alice in Chains is the best grunge band for two reasons, the first is their EP/album “Jar of Flies” and the other is this album, “Dirt.” Dirt is definitely the bands crown jewel, with pretty much any track on here being able to be taken as your favorite with no complaint. It’s crazy to think about but you’ve got Rooster, Would, Down in a Hole, and Them Bones all on this same album. Layne’s voice is powerful yet haunting and Cantrell provides excellent backing vocals to the mix, all while playing some of the best solos and riffs of the 90’s BY HIMSELF. This is best displayed on the song “Rooster” where Layne sings about his Dad’s experience in Vietnam and the treatment he got coming back, where we get Layne switching between a haunted storyteller style to a powerful chorus, all backed by Cantrell’s virtuoso performance. This album is an absolute classic and worthy of a perfect 5 stars. Favorite Tracks: Rooster Would Least Favorite: None without counting the interlude

Top 5 album oat in my opinion. Would? is my favourite song ever, every song here has some much to come back to, the riffs are perfect, the vocals are passionate, the bass and drums work great and this is just a perfect album. There's an amazing atmosphere all over this that just adds so much emotion and there are countless bangers all over this.

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

Not my thing. Nothing for the hips, but good for building neck muscles I guess.

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.

Not for me

Nice discovery! Dark and energetic

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

Some amazing guitars! I like the use of the different pedals to give the guitar a different feeling. Each song sounds very different without losing ''their'' style.

Enjoyable metal music but the songs all sound pretty similar

Their best!

Not bad, but I'd rather just listen to the Melvins. Waaaay too fuckin long. I was starting to get tired off it around the halfway point. Thought it was almost done and realized there's still 6 more tracks. I'm tapping out. Performances and songwriting ranges from decent to good, just not enough variation to keep it engaging

Half way through Sickman I said "this is a slog", them looked and discovered that was only track five of thirteen.

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

Hell yeah

Ughhhhh. Screams in my ear. Could not bear it.

This is #day433 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… I believe them bones are me! Over a little more than ten years of listening to grunge, I've concluded that Alice in Chains is my favorite band in the genre, with Layne Staley being my favorite vocalist. What sets this band apart is the partnership made in heaven (Heave Beside You?) between Cantrell's guitars/vocals and Staley's vocals... Dirt is all things grunge. A masterclass in melodies, riffs, and lyricism. A sickening trip into a junkhead's darkness... My favorites are the holy trinity of "Rain When I Die," "Down in the Hole" (I love the fact that my wife loves this one too, as much as their MTV Unplugged performance, especially the video version), and "Angry Chair." But honestly, the whole damn record. Fucking perfection. This is a 5 out of 5, of course. Looking forward to #day434.

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

Nostalgisk lyd, selv om jeg aldrig har lyttet meget til dem.

2.5 alright lot of the same sound not amazing but didn't dislike it

Still unsure if this one aged well. It was a great narrative though, from start to finish.

Utterly boring. Not my thing at all. Didn't finish any of the songs because they just did not hit. Abstractly I know some people love this band, which is baffling TBH. Is soft metal a thing? Because this is soft as fuck. Not for me, to be sure.

Rv

Dirt? More like Dirge. I've tried to listen to this before and that did no favours. Look it's fine and I can listen but nothing really stood out apart from Down In A Whole. The lowest of 3s. Give me melody!

It's a lot heavier than I expected, which is good. The guitar playing is pretty great, I'm not a massive fan of the American rock sound, they always seem to go big and stay there. I prefer a bit more nuance. Not being overly familiar with all the output it feels very similar to pearl jam vocally (I'm sure I just don't know enough. And it has elements of Scott Weiland and Chris Cornell, although I am more familiar with (and prefer) bits of their work. With it not having too much in terms of dynamics or movement into other genres it was a lot at nearly an hour long. An acoustic ballad wouldn't have hurt to break it up a bit, or perhaps something less stereotypical. I may try again one day, I quite liked it.

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.

OMG this was unexpected and almost brought a tear to my eye... So many memories... RIP Layne <3

I've loved this album since I was a kid, and it holds up. Staley's vocals are are unlike anything before or since, and he brings a haunting presence to the entirety of this album. It's now back on my normal rotation.

I see why people call them the best of the big 4 grunge bands, although I prefer nirvana and PJ. Best track: sickman Worst track Hard to pick, title track I guess 4.75

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!

Goated

A band I never really got into at the time, always preferred Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots and Nirvana. First half of this is pretty strong though, but it does run out of steam after Sickman for me

Decent but still prefer pearl jam & nirvana

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

5/5 many times over. One of the few albums I would consider to be perfect. Jar of Flies also makes that list. Dark, gritty, and seething. A perfect balance of heavy riffing, acoustic sweetness, immaculate studio production, and harmony...aside from purposefully dissonant moments such as Sickman. I think about Layne Staley often. A true artist both in composition and execution, raw and honest regarding his torments and struggle, and maybe the best voice of in the genre. Cornell and Staley can fight that one out wherever they are. I remember once seeing something along the lines of, "Layne, I will be missing your voice tonight" scrawled on a bathroom wall somewhere. I agreed then, as I do now.

Could’ve been 10 songs shorter otherwise banger.

Paras grungelevy ever. Just sopvan masentunut mutta silti groove 5/5

Kelpo metallilevy.

Maybe the heaviest album from the Seattle grunge scene, if you can even call this grunge. A song like "Dam That River" just crushes you with its riffs, while the slower songs feel like wading through waist deep mud. The lyrics are intense, with stark descriptions of depression and drug use. The imagery on the title track has to be some of the most shocking on a mainstream rock album. Despite all this its biggest strength is that it's actually quite accessible. As uncompromising as they are, these songs are still catchy, from the melodies of "Down in a Hole" to the hooks of "Would?" Layne Staley's voice is a pleasure to listen to and it really sells moments like the soaring chorus of "Rain When I Die." The heaviness of the album is impossible to miss, but it's still always a pleasure, not a drag, to listen to.

Perfect album

This was always a great album and remains to be so. Top Grunge-metal band always pushing the boundaries. Drums are tight, bass and guitar riffs huge. Some big tracks here, "Would?" is a banger! 5.

90s were a trip. Glad I heard the non radio songs on this album, I didn't realize how damn moody the lyrics were (when I could understand them)

Classic. Love it. No notes. Banger. Own on vinyl.......no further questions

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 like sabbath better

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

Achei sensacional, pra mim que só ouvi uma música do Alice In Chains, mas gostei da pegada do álbum, agressivo, mas melódico. Sensacional.

Holy moly this album too good bruuuuh

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.

Liked it more than expected listening on my headphones. Great riffs. But it got old quick. Can’t get too into the whiney cartoonish grunge singing and incessantly “boo hoo” lyrics. Not for me.

Okay classic rock. Nothing crazy.

Didn't love it sorry

I've only given 1s to a couple of albums, because in both cases I couldn't even finish them. I finished this one. But I thought about shutting it off early. More than once.

Standouts Them Bones Rooster Would?

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.

Depresión, depresión y depresión, solo veo eso en la sociedad que se encierra al grunge. No está bien vivir en la linea de la sobredosis

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.

4.5/5

It starts off as a 4 star album with some insane vocals, melodies and riffs. However it does drag on a little with a lot sounding like sub par grunge songs. A solid 3 from me!

Front to back bangers. A perfect album from a band that didn't miss. Vocal harmonization at a master level. The crunchy, the noise, the bass, 5/5. Just under an hour, doesn’t feel it at all, leaves you wanting to pull up the other Alice In Chains albums to listen to more. Strong contender for best album on the list.

I had heard the singles but never the full album. Listen to it twice through, I think I got it now

I've listened to a couple songs off of this before. From memory: grunge-y sort of late 90s rock edge with some pseudo goth undertones? I will admit I have a massive bias for album art, it can make or break an album for me, and in this case massively breaks it for me. I'm not the biggest fan of rock grunge, especially when it seems so 3 door down / creed - adjacent, but I recognize with this album that's probably a case of it being so influential it becomes the norm. A combination of classic rock, grunge, and alternative metal that ends up being a blur of same-y sounds.

The '90s, man. Some things I don't miss about that time. This one just wasn't my thing.

Better than I remember. Great guitar tones.

Forgot how much I liked his album as a teen. On repeat when it came out.

A solid listen

Na gut, noch ein Grunge Album. Wobei ich dieses hier zu den besseren zähle.

Great album, Shid day. My car ist overheat.

okii yay

Wowww ok really liked this one

fave, almost 5

not bad

Wow! So depressing!

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

Grunge broke just as I was getting my musical identity, but Alice In Chains passed me by. This album is fine, but nothing really stood out for me. I may dig it out again, mainly because I know I should listen to them, but I’m pretty sure my next listen will be as if it was my first. Three stars, and a solid top-half of that three, but nothing quite here yet to make it four.

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 Songs: Them Bones, Dam That River, Rain When I Die, Rooster, Junkhead, Dirt, God Smack, Untitled, Hate To Feel Good Songs: Down In a Hole, Sickman, Angry Chair, Would? Mid Songs: Bad Songs:

Staggeringly important record that I've just never understood because grunge outside of Nirvana and the first few Pearl Jam records has never been my thing. It's possible I gave this album one full play through back when I was listening to the Time Crisis hosts discuss it maybe on the 30th anniversary. It still felt like I had never heard "Rooster" until the first quiet part of the chorus so I'm embarrassed to call that my first really standout track. The chorus is pretty memorable though! "Would?" would not in fact be one of my favorite songs of 1992 like rateyourmusic would have you expect by ranking it number 1 for the year.

Second only to Nevermind, this album was an integral part of grunge. The opening songs are in consideration for all-time great 3-song runs, and there's really only one hit single in there. For me, what really stands out about AIC is only teased on this album (but paid in full at their live shows): the insane harmonization between Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell. Coupled with the driving, sludgy guitar parts, this album is a masterpiece, whether you call it grunge, rock, sludge, metal, or anything else. Influence 4. Quality 5. Hits 4. Really good, but a tick heavy and monothematic 4. 4.25

miserable, bleak

Grof gezegd heb ik van alle grunge-acts het minst op met Alice in Chains. Deze band kwam pas op m'n radar toen een mede 1001 luisteraar en grote speler in de bierwereld tijdens een bierproeverij de MTV Unplugged versie van 'Down In A Hole' aanvroeg. Ik schets even de situatie: Je zit afgeladen vol met dikke DIPAs, barrel aged stouts en een overdadige hoeveelheid stinkkaas en dan hoor je zo'n nummer en dan specifiek die versie voor het eerst. Die versie is heerlijk. Je voelt de koorts veroorzaakt door afkickverschijnselen (dan bedoel ik bij de flink verslaafde zanger, niet bij onszelf tijdens die tasting) en je hoort bijna een paar wanhopige restjes van tanden uit de bakkes vallen (ook hier bedoel ik die zanger, al weet je het nooit met al die pastry stouts tegenwoordig). Als die versie van dat nummer op zo'n moment je kennismaking is met Alice in Chains, dan valt dit reguliere album wat tegen. Althans zo ervaarde ik het toen ik deze daarna een keer heb aangezet. Ik zet hem nu nogmaals aan en alsnog hoor ik dit natuurlijk wel liever dan een groot deel van deze lijst, dat is dan weer het mooie. Het is voor mij echter geen Nevermind. Vanwege die Unplugged versie van 'Beneden in een holletje', vanwege bierproeverijen die ontaarden in een ver-plas-wedstrijd als het gaat om de muziekselectie/-kennis en vanwege die eerder genoemde medeluisteraar die zou onsteken in een oneindige, WOESTE monoloog over hoe kinderachtig hiphop en hoe geniaal deze band is als ik dit zou afkraken kan ik niet anders dan een 5 uitdelen.

Not really my cup of tea, but it was okay.

Was more metal sounding than I expected

4 What the hell is this

2/5

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

To repetititve

American hard rock. They're good. Just not amazed by it

I've never really listened to this band much, but I didn't hate this. It's adjacent to a lot of bands that I really love, but it didn't click as much.

Das war anstrengend. Was beim ersten Lied noch okay war, wiederholte sich etwa zehn mal. Immer nur Tod oder Schimpfwörter. Nicht meins. Gar nicht meins.

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.

Based

Jaaaa lekkerrrr

okay so maybe i don't like each genre

Incredible

It’s funny, I was just reading a bunch about Layne Staley a few days ago. I used to listen to this one a lot, but it’s kinda showing its age. Or I am. It's not as good as Madvillainy.

I went into this album expecting shitty grunge-metal—not because it's bad per se, but because it's been so over-referenced to death in rock culture that I assumed it would blend into the weeds it spawned. Fortunately, I was wrong.

As a kid, when it came to grunge, Alice In Chains was delegated to the same realm as Pearl Jam as something I rarely got to listen to, because my focus was heavily directed towards Soundgarden and Nirvana. I still love Superunknown over all other grunge albums, but I do very much enjoy this album as a sound from my adolescent youth.

Best Track - "Would?"

Nah.

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.

This sounds like Motley crue or Guns'n'roses trying to be Black sabbath and misery romanticizing lyrics are a bit juvenile. The vocal harmonies heard on the record add at least some interest, but from halfway on i was just waiting for this to end.

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.

I listened the shit out of this record back in '92. Only Jar of Flies/Sap has been on the tray more that this. I still got nothing negative to say about this album. 7/5

One of the best albums ever. Haunting, harrowing. Harmonies are excellent throughout.

Listening to the album I had one thought in my mind - is this just one long song or are the songs so similar to each other that they're indistinguishable? Turned out it's the latter.

HoooAHHEIEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH, BuuaHHHAAAHEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAHHHHHH, but duHEALAAAAAAAAAAHHHH, bu DUHEALLLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAhaaaaahaaaaaa. Peak lyricism.

I like a few tracks. Not the best not the worst.

When I first saw it was grunge I thought I wouldn't like it but... Wow, I'm really surprised it didn't happen at all. I've loved this album. This is so good! It has a great combination between hard rock and grunge that it doesn't make it feel repetitive or tiring. Instead, it is so fresh and a very enjoyable listening experience. Also, the guitars and the vocals are a highlight for me. But the overall is great, so I've really liked everything there.

Need to spend more time with this one

Have to think on this one a bit. I've listened to this one a thousand times, so for me it's a no-brainer 5*. But, I've got to do better than the nostalgia bit for justifying that ranking. For me, the musicianship in the heaviness, the vocal layering, the storytelling in the lyrics, the depth of it all. Once you let that in, you're hooked. Kind of like a hit. Careful, that shit can be addictive.

The number of times I have heard about Alice in Chains, only to realize that I had never knowingly heard any of their music is honestly pretty comical. I've had mixed results with grunge and hard rock like this. Generally, I lean towards liking most of it (Nirvana, Pearl Jam), but when it gets a little too hard rock, that's when I start to fade with it. This comes in as being too hard for my liking. Too reminiscent of metal. I really don't like metal, as I've come to learn, and I really was hoping to avoid anything like it moving forward. So from the first track I was biased, I'll admit. But for me, seeing track names like "Down in a Hole," "Sickman," "Rain When I Die," and "Hate to Feel," I just have a really, really hard time believing that anyone could be such a dark person to seriously create music on that level that I just tune it out. And I honestly tuned a lot of this album out, unfortunately. I hate saying that, but it's true. Two stars. It wasn't poorly made, I didn't find it offensive, I was just happy when it ended. Standout Track: Rooster

Mildly interesting

There is a way in which I can enjoy this. 2

Went into this with high hopes, and it started off strong with Them Bones. Alas, it was all downhill from there. The whiny elongated vocals really started to grate on me. Wouldn't listen to this again.

I just don't think I'm going to like this hard of rock/metal. It's fun a song or two and then it all starts to blend and feel like the same song for 45 minutes straight.

Rad as hell

After a while, the songs started to sound the same to me. I tried.

Actually one of my favorite albums ever, definitely top 10 if not top 5. The harmonies, wailing guitar riffs, heavy bass lines, seething anger and heroin energy have seeped into my soul for the past 15+ years since first hearing this back in high school. Legit still listen to this one every few months.

big fan of it I have it on vinyl

Some pretty cool grooves and songs. A little longer than necessary but at least it finishes on the best track.

Easy 5 stars , one of my fav albums from the 90s and of all time

nice head bobbin while i look for work

rocky but not to hard

Not a genre I’m drawn too, but I can appreciate the musicianship. I’m not a professional critic, nor am I trying to be … so I’m just going to write about how this album made me feel rather than what *I think* it should make me feel. All that being said, I’m finding myself relating to this album way more than I thought I would. I was 3 when this album came out, so I never caught it while it was part of the nineties grunge scene it’s so integral to. I’m from Seattle and I’m a recovering addict, so I can’t deny that I feel a connection to this. I fuck with Sickman for obvious reasons. I’m in a depressed and down mood today and feeling like using (even with two years clean). I think this album was divine timing because it soothed me while also deterring me from making a horrible choice. Favorite songs: Rooster Junkhead Sickman

This one was hard for me to get through. It’s interesting to me how the 90s sometimes gets talked about as a renaissance for rock, or the last time it was a relevant form. Maybe it has to do with the way bands stripped back some of the excessive and synthetic-sound studio techniques of the 80s. I love some 90s rock but albums like this feel like they didn’t have much they were trying to say.

Some good bangers here but it gets tiring listening to it all at once. It's better in small doses. It's somewhere between 2 and 3 stars for me.

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.

Not my taste

okay, although this is mostly not for me, i was surprised to see there were a couple songs there that i didn't mind.

435/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑

Never been a huge fan but I can see the appeal. There's something about the vocals that is off-putting.

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.

This is not my preferred genre, but I definitely get why it’s considered a great album in the genre. Them Bones and Rooster stand out as the best songs. Impressive vocals - a bit abrasive for my taste but his voice is a great fit for this music. Lots of pain in his voice. The band is clearly talented; in particular, the drummer.

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.

A standard rock experience that a lot of others paired to hit. It's good but it's a saturated market so sounds like I've heard it all before when in actual fact these guys made it first.

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

I enjoyed this one. Pretty run of the mill grunge.

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

One of the best albums of the 90s and actually one of the best albums of all time. Every song is amazing, and contains my favourite closing track on any album. Perfect.

don't like the genre but cool album

the best grunge album (maybe AiC unplugged beats it)

I'm not much for grunge but the guitar work was great

Not my thing

What a band. What an album

In my opinion, “Dirt” by Alice in Chains is the most important single album of the nineties because Jerry Cantrell & Co. succeeded in creating the connection and link between the groundbreaking releases of the “Class of '91” (i.e. “Nevermind” by Nirvana, "Ten" by Pearl Jam, “Badmotorfinger” by Soundgarden, “Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magik” by Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Use Your Illusion I/II” by Guns'n'Roses, “Metallica” by Metallica). Every harder band that followed ultimately built on this foundation—with today's ears, you can already hear the source of inspiration for such diverse bands as Korn, Creed, Avenged Sevenfold, and Disturbed on “Dirt.” A milestone in rock history!

Not really a fan of grunge or progressive rock of this particular flavor. Im more of a minty fresh kinda guy and the vibes of these songs are like muddy. Its for someone, but not for me

The Alpine of albums. Mid as fuck.

eh

generic ahh music

Them bones and would are great. The rest is very meh. This vocal style sucks. Angry chair especially is just shit.

It's nice. Nothing over the top but also not tragic. My kinda sounds

1/5 with much distance to the next star. I hate AIC, always did. Every song sounds the same, there's not a single cool spark of creativity to be found, and that's sad, considering how big of a following these guys have. Their style sounds like they couldn't figure out if they wanted to copy Pearl Jam, Black Label Society or Nirvana. They're one of the reasons I'm very happy that Grunge was only a thing for a couple years and then vanished for good.

The band has one good song and it's not on this album. Dogshit

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

Woof. Loved this as a kid but it was a slog to get through now.

nice guitar

Incredible

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.

ass

Pretty unremarkable heavy grunge from Seattle, the sort of angsty drug tales that appeal to teenagers. Boring.

Peak

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

My favorite AIC album. Laynes voice and his harmonies with Jerry are timeless. In retrospect, some of the lyrics are tough to listen to considering Laynes battles with and eventual loss to addiction.

Ugh! Not my thing and didn't finish it.

Yea man. Pretty pretty pretty good.

I liked a few songs ok... But overall I guess I'm just not a metalhead.

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?

What an album! This record just kicks so much butt, and just about every song on here is a perfect encapsulation of what Alice in Chains is all about. Best Track: Rooster

Langweilig

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.

It was fine

Dirt is a grunge masterpiece and is a smacker.

Well, I already knew I wasn’t a big fan of this band, but I gave the whole album a listen for the first time in 20 years… and still don’t like this band. There are some bangers on here from the long lost grunge era (“Rooster” being by far the best song), but the high school poetry and dismal riffs don’t do much for me. The strange, dark vocal harmonies were a positive that stood out to me (incredibly unique) and served the songs well, but as someone who never worshipped at the altar of Black Sabbath, this album and band still aren’t my cup of tea.

One of the most depressing rock albums ever mad... and absolutely brilliant. It drags you deep into a dark, unsettling place, and while it’s not an easy listen, the sheer power of it is undeniable. You have to be in the right frame of mind to take this trip, but when you are, it’s unforgettable.

Layne Staley’s (RIP) and AIC put out some really great music that was instrumental in defining the 90’s sound. Also, saw them at Lollapalooza and they put in a crazy good show.

More on the metal side of the grunge spectrum. Really enjoyed Rooster.

Sludgy, grungy, and more metal than I understood before *really* listening to it. It's an exceptional album.

I remember the album releasing and just feeling the vibration of the music and angst and emotion

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

This is peak grunge for me. Layne Staley’s voice is so abrasive one moment then switches to beautiful harmonies. It’s unique in the most positive way. “Would” is my favorite grunge song of all time.

Cover 8 Iconic 90s. This is probably more nostalgic based but it's a great album.

I respect it, just not for me.

A great bridge between grunge and heavy metal for anyone who needs it. Growing up, alternative radio sort of jumped around between all of the various alternative/rock genres and I never fully appreciated where Alice In Chains fit into the big picture. I’m realizing that I’ve probably drastically underrated their influence on much of the music I listened to growing up - more than Nirvana, Alice In Chains feels like the wellspring of my early 00s CD case. At least four of these tracks were always in rotation on alternative rock radio in the 90s/00s ("Them Bones", "Down In A Hole", "Rooster", and "Would?"), so you're never very far from a familiar song on this album. After listening, I'm sure Alice In Chains was a gateway to heavy metal for a lot of kids in the early 90s and I'm glad I listened a little closer. All that said, will I revisit this very often? I kinda doubt it.

Yeah that's a no from me dog. This album delves into such dark topics that it is a really tough listen. I don't mind a bit of hard rock or metal, had a grunge phase, but the subject matter on certain songs makes it really difficult to keep investing in it. It's not all bad, some of it is even quite sticky, but I think it's way too small in scope and coherent for my own taste. At first the tracks at the top seem cool, and I liked them, but the longer it goes one the deeper my disinterest sparked. Mostly, the darkness feels unredeemable, and the glorification of heroin is a bit much. You can be not a fraud or a "poser" without talking over and over about the sell outs. In terms of music, it's really isn't very interesting either, sounds a lot like other bands, and honestly I'll probably never listen to any of it ever again. In a way, I feel like the album is trying to be divise and us v them and controversial and whatnot, so in that it is successful somewhat ? I get that it's the first of it's kind (kinda), so the rating will be increased by one star for the legacy and what it ushered but yeah, no.

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

It did not spark much joy. When the metal was toned down it was okay - although does not do much for me.

Not appeal to me. Don't get all the fuss; doesn't sound any different from any late-80s heavy metal band, other than they take themselves too seriously. Poor man's Metallica? Nirvana it ain't.

Pearl Jam, STP, Nirvana, Alice In Chains. Grunge!!!! Give me more Grunge. They’ve got every freaking Nirvana album on here but only one of each for everyone else, besides STP who have NONE!! It’s a crime, really. This album is absolutely perfect. It was always going to be a 5 for me. The hardest part about rolling this today is picking a favorite song. I’d be wasting my time just copying the name of every song on the album to select as my favorite, so I won’t. Just know that the Grunge bands are all extremely important to me and I love all of them. No one has a voice like Layne Staley, and no one ever will. Do you want a truly unique sounding album, complete with sounds you’ve never heard before and absolute bangers song after song? Here it is. It’s Dirt. Bummed this is the only Alice In Chains album, but yeah, they picked the right one. Hitting a good streak of legendary album covers as well. This one is so cool. They do so much with what is essentially a single color and make it stand out at the same time.

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

I hope there aren't many if these. Good chugga chugga in the guitar but clunky song writing and volcals.

Deeply awesome - the inspiration behind velvet revolver and alter bridge

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.

God, those vocals, those lyrics... "I feel so alone Gonna end up a big ol' pile of them bones" "Down in a hole, feeling so small Down in a hole, losing my soul I'd like to fly But my wings have been so denied" Gave up on this one at Sickman. At least this list has made me realise I am really not a grunge guy.

yeah, meh, it's ok, highly charged rock innit! Imagine some of these tracks used for soundtracks in American movies. e.g. -5 punk bank robbers preparing for the heist of the century in the back of a Dodge van, dressed in vests one of them (Brad) is listening to Alice in Chains through a Walkman, tinny sound but loud enough for all the robbers (& viewers) to hear, then cue van wheel spinning away, dust everywhere with the track now in the forefront of the movie, then music fades and your onto the next scene; inside an orderly bank with pleasant honest folk going about their business with a twitchy security guard at the door (who you already know is going to get it!)

Dirty grungy deathly good

Darker, dirtier and heavier than their grunge compatriots but nevertheless, a classic sound backed by heart felt lyrics.

pretty standard grunge

On the surface, this should be an album I love. I'm a fan of metal and hard rock, and like quite a bit of grunge. And this record does have some absolute bangers with great riffs - among them "Down In A Hole" and "Rain When I Die". But there is something about some of the stylistic choice - among them the odd interval harmonies - that just grates. A poster child for everything I hate about this band is "Rooster", which is both ponderous and annoying. If you like this style of music, this is unequivocally a 5* record. But for me it just misses the mark.

Some great songs, including their best.

Grunge by numbers. Not getting any innovation, lacks distinctiveness or flavour. Could be pearl jam

You can't kill the rooster, motherfuckers.

Going in I thought I’d like it more. I think the heavy parts are cool and he’s got a decent voice. Problem is he sings so long. Like hurry up dude. Idk not my favourite. Light 3

Fav song- would? (2022 remaster)

Not really my cup of tea, I can appreciate grunge but usually in small doses. I can hear this is a well made album that deals with dark stuff like addiction and depression, and has good instrumentation, but it's just too muddy with sort of droning vocals. That being said, I do really like Rooster, and Nutshell (not on this album) is in my rotation. Kind of depressed divorced dad rock vibes. Maybe I'd appreciate this album more if i was more depressed or going through a darker time haha. Standouts: Rooster, Would? Rating: 3/5

I already owned this album on cd before appearing on here, one of my first grunge bands i ever listened to, for sure should listen to it before dying, I don't have any words, 10/10, one of the best of grunge

Alice In Chains is decent, but not great. There is better Metal and there is better Grunge from the era.

I have never been a fan of AiC. Back in the day, I was told I had no taste in music because I didn't like this fucking band. I carry that bitterness with me to this day. It's been at least 25 years by now. I should move on but I won't. AiC aren't bad but they definitely wear thin after a few songs. 'Rooster' and 'Would?' are good songs. Staley was an interesting vocalist. RIP.

Great album with Down in a Hole as a chef-d'oeuvre

Too grunge, too monotone, not for me.

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.

not a fan

Nope

One of my favorites

Felt like a very basic and slightly dull ripoff of Nirvana

*no music, screaming and squalling instruments. Not easy listening to. Need to have negative star options

Slick peckers chained up Alice. Crazy, man.

See, I remember listening to this when it came out. Track 1 was awesome, and then it seemed like everything else wasn't as good. This time, I'm much more impressed. Great voice.

Not really for me - just kind of washed over me

I enjoyed the guitar through out the album. Them bones and rooster hard favourites. May have been a more reminiscent album for me as enjoyed the songs when younger. But the heavy guitar and vocals were strong throughout. Good album

Great riffs on this thing, my only gripe is that the songs tend to run abit long for my liking, and I tend to lose attention. Them Bones is a standout

loved the riffs and the instrumental part in general but the vocal part was just boring and unenjoyable (except for the lyrics) maybe i'll get to a point in life where i'll love this album but this moment isn't now at all my mood is worse because of this album :(

This is a certified banger

Dirt was my first time listening to Alice in Chains. I went in expecting something dark, grungy, and heavy — and that’s exactly what I got. Grunge, hard rock, and metal aren’t usually my genres, so I suspected this wouldn’t be for me. I still gave it a fair try, but I struggled to get through it in one sitting. The album feels very one-note, with little variation in sound or mood, and I often found my attention drifting. Favourite track: None — this style just isn’t my thing. Least favourite track: Honestly, all of it. I won’t be revisiting this one. Album artwork: Not something I’d want on my wall.

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.”

Not for me

Cool grunge! Can’t believe I haven’t heard it

Hell yea who's Alice

LONG LIVE THE ROOSTER 🤘

No thank you.

не этим голосом и не этот мессадж + в принципе не любитель тяжёлых гитар

Solid album. Would listen again.

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

Not a fan

The one bright spot of this album is the innovative use of lead and harmony vocals on a lot of the tracks - it's an interesting contrast against the distorted guitars. However, the music itself is a fairly textbook set of metal riffs that don't serve to distinguish the band from any of their contemporaries. Dragging out the songs to 5 or 6 minutes doesn't help either.

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

Not my style

Did not enjoy this. It’s the same ‘herm yarl’ things I generally don’t like about Niravana, Nickelback etc. Just doth not please mine ear.

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

brabo

Outstanding, been too long since I last listened...

Better than one would think

Always a bad sign when music that's so busy still manages to be so dull - couldn't survive past 'Rain When I Die'.

Better and heavier than many grunge albums, but still the type of album that it’s hard to muster up much enthusiasm for. The tracks blend together in a homogenous sludge that makes it hard to sustain focus. Favorites: Rooster, Would?

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

Weird to get yet another early 90s album in a row, but I'll admit much nicer than the string of 80s albums from a bit ago. And of course I feel a bit of pride to have another hometown band show up, although I never really understood why Alice in Chains was as popular as they were back in the day. Layne Staley's voice is quite distinctive, though, and I'm sure that's part of it; a shame that the band and their music/lyrics weren't quite as distinctive or interesting, but it's hard to deny their popularity given that they managed five singles from the album (and one of them appropriately pulled from Cameron Crowe's film "Singles", whose popularity was equally baffling). Funny too to see this album (and band) described as both metal and grunge; they always seemed to me to be more metal- and guitar-oriented, and really more in a Guns-N-Roses orientation, but those all seem like meaningless distinctions 30 years later. The highlights for me off the album are a few of the singles: the opening track "Them bones" (despite the pretentious video), "Rooster" (also despite a disappointingly simplistic video about the Vietnam experience), "Dirt" (which along with "Sickman" are almost dead ringers for Soundgarten) and of course "Would?" (another disappointing video, sadly). (And while it wasn't a great track, I liked the "Untitled" bit that even included Slayer's Tom Araya, mainly because of how it included some riff by Cantrell that apparently annoyed the rest of the band and he promised to stop playing it if they could record it...) Very weird to read that the album was recorded in the midst of the 1992 LA riots, and kind of disappointing that none of the tracks reflect this piece of history. Sad too that heroin addiction played such a prominent role in yet another Seattle band in the early 90s.

Almost worth listening to for the relief you feel when you turn it off.

Listened on August 8th. 6/10.

A great album but it could have been a perfect album. It's simply way too long, with a number of songs that can be regarded as fillers. However, the highlights are fantastic: 'Them bones', 'Darn that river', 'Down in a hole', 'Rooster', the incredibly sexy - probably the most sexy song in 79 albums so far - title track 'Dirt', and of course 'Would?'. Typically 1992: almost filling a cd. In 45 minutes this would have been a total killer.

I wanted to hate this. But I cleared my head and listened and gave it a real chance. Then I hated it. The end.

not a big fan, don’t like his voice and it’s a bit heavy for me

Dumb lyrics, lame songs, don’t love the vocals…

I owned an Alice In Chains “greatest hits” album in high school. I see now it was called “nothing safe - best of [a box set].” But they were always behind Nirvana and Pearl Jam, in my estimation. As an adult I’ve come to appreciate Layne Staley’s voice much more. And Jerry Cantrell’s, for that matter. That has elevated my appreciation of this band. The unrelenting gloom is still maybe a little much for me—just a thought, but maybe the 30-minute Jar of Flies EP would be a better intro to those who are unfamiliar with this band—but I like this. Also, they really have a knack for devastating final lines. See Would?, Nutshell.

Is this 90s hair metal? Alice in Chains reminds me of 2 different things. The first is it reminds me of an ATV video game that my brothers and I would play on the PS2 when I was a kid. We treated it like it was an open world exploration game and we'd tried to find weird physics bugs when really I think it was maybe a racing game? The second thing it reminds me of is a high school acquaintance/ex roommate that wishes he could be the frontman of a band like Alice in Chains more than anything. Rooster is pretty sick but honestly I've never actually really liked Alice in Chains very much. I didn't really enjoy listening to this and I felt kind of embarrassed pulling up in the dentist parking lot with it playing in my car.

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.

Dirt. That about sums it up.

Heard it before. One of the most important bands from my early teen years. Their self titled album is probably my favourite in their discography but this one also gets 5/5 for being so iconic 5/5

Every song here sounded the exact same - that faraway yelling vocal effect. Too long. High 2.

Heavy and thick sounding without a whole lot of melody. Drones on too much for me.

Grittier than I’d like and not my personal taste, but I can see why others would like it.

Competent

Couple I love rest I hate…those two saved Dirt from 1 star

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

This really irritated me

It's a particular heavy sound I just don't like. Not much subtlety in the songwriting. Pretty monotone and dreary, without melancholy. If this is what heroin addiction feels like, I'm not missing much.

i appreciate what they did for the genre, but i’ve never been a big fan

Head banging heaven

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