Dirt

3.5/5 - favorites were Rooster, God Smack and Hate to Feel

Pure, unfiltered grunge. Alice in Chains was probably the more hardcore of the grunge groups, but not as sludgy as Soundgarden with the riffs. The vocal team of Jerry Cantrell and Layne Staley was dynamic. Especially when they sang in harmony. Love this album from start to finish. For some reason, I remember the track order being different than when I bought the CD back in college. Is it just me or was it different back then? Hit like if you agree. 5/5

4/5 many songs sound similar but still great

Perfect, just classic grunge goodness through and through.

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!

just wasn't my type of album.

I LOVEEE THIS ALBUM!! In my opinion it’s a no skip and it’s perfect for when you are doing something active! The vocals go insane and the album doesn’t have a single song I don’t like! I will probably relisten to it in the future!

Woof another top 5 album of all time for me. I saw Alice In Chains open for Van Halen in support for Facelift. I had already seen Van Halen once but when the “Man In The Box” video dropped I was instantly a life long AIC fan and when it was announced they were opening for Van Halen my friend and I immediately got tickets. It was a hot summer day and not many people were there early to see Layne and crew. My friend and I were the only long haired metal head kids there head banging Beavis and Butthead style to a band that to this day I still consider one of the best to ever do it. I say all this to illustrate just how primed I was for Dirt to be unleashed to the world. The impact it had on me wasn’t immediate, I did love it right away but as time went on the genius in each song became more and more apparent to me. After all these years this album still hits hard and remains one of the longest running constants in my rotation. All of AIC’s releases with Layne are contenders for top albums for me and really I’ve enjoyed the 3 with William DuVall, highlight being Black Gives Way To Blue as well although not as much, also note worthy Jerry Cantrell’s recent release, I Want Blood is a solid album. AIC Dirt, Easy 5 for me!

YES! They kick your ass from the start of the opening track. I was an MTV kid around this time, so that was my first into to this band. My sister was into 80's hair metal, so this came along and ran that shit away. I love the odd harmonies and the heavy, sludgy, grimey music. Dirt is a great name for this album, because it's dirty. There isn't another band like these guys, save Soundgarden maybe. Both killer bands. Rain When I Die is fucking hard and beautiful. This is a 5, easy. The worst thing about this album is the band God Smack got their name from the song God Smack. That band sucks. That song is great.

Perfect fifths and perfect fourths. These are the note intervals for the harmonies used on the vocals throughout this album and nothing sounded like this back then because of it. A lot doesn't sound like this now, even though Staind and Taproot did their Layne Staley homework for sure. What a great album that really took me back. I really wore this one out. Would is a masterpiece. RIP Layne. You can hear the struggle with addiction all through the album.

Pretty alright all things considered. Prefer the grunge side of the 90's Seattle music scene, but there are some solid tracks here worth the time to find.

Possibly thr best album of the grunge era.

El álbum tienen un comienzo muy sólido. Me gusta como trabajan con tipos de compases fuera del 4/4 en los primeros temas, pero con cierta sutileza, sin que esto llame demasiado la atención (como suelen hacer, aunque me guste también, bandas como Tool). Luego de los primeros temas el álbum se vuelve monótono y poco imaginativo, además de que los temas son un tanto largos. Hacia el final el álbum vuelve a cobrar vida, con riffs más notorios e interesantes. Si hubiesen descartado algunos temas el álbum tendría una mejor experiencia de escucha. Pero considero que, a menos que te guste este estilo grunge pesado, el álbum aburre un poco. Tiene un buen sonido, las letras son interesantes y genera momentos con mucho groove, por lo que el álbum está bueno, solo que no me pareció grandioso.

Depressing stuff. Made me feel quite anxious throughout. I guess that's the goal here. I can see how this is important for grunge history. Just not important for me.

Another throwback to the college years. I definitely leaned more into punk/grunge than heavy metal/grunge, and, honestly, Alice in Chains was a band I knew and liked but never loved. Still, listening to all of "Dirt," I definitely heard a bit more I was drawn to than in my earlier years. I feel like "Would?" was always my favorite on this LP, but now I liked "Untitled" and "Angry Chair" a tad more, though "Would?" still holds up. Still, a like and not a love, but that's more personal preference. I completely respect what they brought to the grunge scene, but I was more a Nirvana and PJ kind of guy.

Not my thing

Powerful and angry

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.

Didn't hate it, but not my favorite. Some interesting moments. Would try it again, but I think I'd have to be in the right mood.

Heavy listening. Very minor key but good dynamics. Guitar good throughout but love solo in Hate to Feel. The cover reflected my listening experience. I enjoyed the album but I would need to be in a very specific mood to listen to this and this would be a mood I wouldn't frequent very often.

One of my favorite albums of all time. 1990s classic.

Alice in Chains woke some kraken in the American males of my generation that is still wreaking its havoc on our dwindling armadas. It is the oversized Ford pickup of hard rock. Sure, powerful, immaculate, unstoppable, but not the kind of vehicle that has ever helped an actual loser in any palpable way like a beat up Toyota Tacoma has.

“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.

This has some moments of great vocalising and some okay songs, but I can't help but think its on the list because a talented musician died before his time.

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.

Not my jam. Got bored quickly.

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

Yeah... I've always loved this album. Listening to it again in its entirety after a while, I can say this is truly one of the greatest albums I've listened to. Songwriting, musicianship, singing, production, lyricism... everything. 5/5. A no-brainer.

Heavy and catchy.

3/5

all sounds the same

There are parts of this I like but I would never sit and listen to a full album of this for any reason but this list. 3 stars or C-.

I know the hits but never really dug into AiC's full albums - really very good!

I disliked Jar of Flies and didn't expect anything from this album but Dirt works so much better for my taste with its darker sound, I really loved it

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.

One of the greatest albums. Every song is a banger.

I thought I would like this more. The songs I remember are surprisingly slow and dull.

I like the sound (mostly), but it gets a bit samey. Way too long of an album for how similar all the songs sound. None of them really stood out to me

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

I like grunge and have heard a lot of these songs before, but it’s not something I would listen to regularly.

I used to think all those kids in high school wearing Alice In Chains shirts were tougher and cooler than me but now I know they really just had bad taste rock. Age really has a way of disarming you.

Whaaaaaaa raaaummm de raaum raaum

I never got to see Alice In Chains play live while Layne Staley was still alive. When I finally did get to catch them in concert when they were touring for Black Gives Way To Blue, the band played quite a few songs off of this record. It was like Layne was being channeled through the music. Will DuVall of course did a great job at stepping up into Layne's old roll, and he sang Layne's parts with an obvious reverence and respect. It was haunting, just like this album is. Dirt is a very appropriate title for a record that has all of Layne's demons on display for us to see. It's not just the Layne show, though. Jerry Cantrell's “Rooster” is haunting in a different way, giving listeners a taste of what wartime in a foreign land is like. “Would” is a tribute to the late, great Andy Wood of Mother Love Bone. The whole record is haunting, and not just because of the ghost of Layne Staley. “Rain When I Die”, “Dam That River”, “Down In A Hole”, “Hate To Feel”, and “Angry Chair” are all standouts on a record that is very nearly perfect.

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.

Nirvana if you take away Kurt Cobain’s charisma or talent for melody. This is dull.

Classic heavy 90s grunge. Layne Staley‘s voice pretty much defines the era for me.

Lot of iconic songs on this one, with lots of staying power. Surely a Seminal work for the genre at large. Only nit pick is that a few of the songs felt self aggrandizing. Length for the sake of length. Good album overall

5/5 Sure, the lyrics are haunting and deeply depressing, but this album slaps! Would and Rooster would be enough to make this a masterpiece. But wait, here comes Them Bones, Down in a hole, and Angry chair to pile on even more glorious grunge ear-spank. RIP Layne!

Alice in Chains is a lot more proggy than I knew.

Just enough variation to keep it palatable, but the longer it goes the heavier it drags. Four songs? Four stars. Full album? The sludge becomes a slog

Decent but never rehit the heights of them bones

So nice I had to listen twice.

God I hate this so much. Would? is the only song that is halfway listenable. The rest is just shit

ngl, a lot of that was painful on the ole' ears.

#DÍA 7: 1001 Discos Que Hay Que Escuchar Antes De Morir (English Translation Below) Hoy ha tocado uno de esos álbumes que llevo milenios queriendo escuchar pero que nunca encontraba el momento, así que al fin lo pongo en mis oídos. Oídos ahora reventados tras los gritos maníacos con los que arranca Them Bones y lo pesadas que suenan las guitarras durante todo Dirt. Como buen álbum de Stoner te hace botar la cabeza lentamente, hipnotizado por las cuerdas y la distorsión. Las vocals de Layne Staley junto a Jerry Cantrell son vigorosas y muy expresivas, lo que bien busco en un disco de grunge. Letras que tratan principalmente de la adicción a las drogas y al hoyo al que te llevan, a querer ser enterrado. Los temas contienen una ira que parece insostenible, las guitarras y el bajo te hacen sentir que vas romper tus dientes de apretarlos. La lista de canciones es prácticamente impecable, quizá me falta algo más de dinamismo, puesto que empieza a perder sabor hacia el final, principalmente con God Smack y Hate to Feel, a parte del extrañísimo interludio con Tom Araya de Slayer. Aún así consigue terminar por lo alto con Would?, un tema oscuro pero de lo más pegadizo. No he escuchado mucho grunge aún, pero desde luego que este disco me da ganas de explorar más. Favoritas: Them Bones, Dam That River, Rain When I Die, Down In a Hole, Sickman, Dirt, Angry Chair, Would? Menos favorita: Hate to Feel #DAY 7: 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die Today we will talk about one of those albums I’ve been wanting to listen to for ages but never seemed to find the right moment—so I finally put it in my ears. Ears now blown out by the manic screams that kick off Them Bones and the crushing weight of the guitars throughout Dirt. Like any good stoner album, it makes your head slowly bob, hypnotized by the strings and distortion. Layne Staley’s vocals alongside Jerry Cantrell’s are powerful and deeply expressive—exactly what I look for in a grunge record. The lyrics mostly deal with drug addiction and the downward spiral it leads to—wanting to be buried. The songs carry a rage that feels barely containable, and the guitars and bass make you feel like you're going to break your teeth from clenching them so hard. The tracklist is nearly flawless—though I do wish there was a bit more dynamism, as it starts to lose flavor toward the end, especially with God Smack and Hate to Feel, not to mention the bizarre interlude with Tom Araya from Slayer. Even so, it manages to close on a high note with Would?, a dark yet incredibly catchy track. I haven’t listened to much grunge yet, but this album definitely makes me want to explore more. Favorites: Them Bones, Dam That River, Rain When I Die, Down In a Hole, Sickman, Dirt, Angry Chair, Would?

This gets a little dirge-like at times for me to truly love it. I've always been a fan, though.

Driving percussion. Melancholy lyrics. Great bookend tracks. Yup, that's an excellent 90s rock album.

Hm

They're really almost a 4 for me. Unfortunately, they struggle to keep my attention it seems? There keeps being songs I almost like more, but then they all blend together into a similar if enjoyable sound.

This one caught me off guard. I'm normally not a fan of "metal" (and yeah I know it's a wide genre !), but the heaviness never felt overbearing here. Instead we got some intense almost-leading bass guitar and some really fun vocal harmonies that never felt like too much for me. This is teetering on a 4, and the only reason it doesn't quite hit that mark is because I don't really see myself returning to it. But very cool!

Haters be hatin. This is a great example of what grunge can be, with its mixture of sludgey heavy songs and more emotional ballads.

I was expecting a lot worse given how a lot of reviews thought it was awful. I really liked a lot of it! A lot of sameyness, but that’s not necessarily bad. Lot of good guitar work too.

These guys are insanely talented at playing the same song for 57 minutes. Sometimes they would have an interesting idea at the start of a track to have you think it's finally gonna be a good one - and then they go back to the exact same sound you've heard for the past 7 tracks. Not terrible, not enjoyable. Standout: the sick nasty bass groove at the start of Rain When I Die (that got promptly replaced by some bland shit)

I know this is objectively a bunch of very talented musicians but as an album it is excruciating. If it was 30 minutes long I would have been thrilled. However, it is almost twice that long with nothing justifying its length. Definitely felt like I was in the Angry Chair for this one.

One of my faves - probably not actually their best and tbh probably only 4 stars but nostalgia factor adds an extra

a classic? i guess

Highlights: ‘Rooster’

Probably the 2nd best grunge album to be made. A lot is discussed about Layne’s powerful vocals (rightfully so) but what is extremely underrated is Jerry’s guitar playing throughout this album. Definitely made the correct single choices as they’re the best songs on the album. The first half of this is phenomenal and closes with their best ever song. Couldn’t recommend it more. 1. WOULD? 2. THEM BONES 3. DOWN IN A HOLE 4. ROOSTER 5. RAIN WHEN I DIE 6. DAM THAT RIVER 7. ANGRY CHAIR 8. DIRT 9. JUNKHEAD 10. SICKMAN 11. HATE TO FEEL 12. GOD SMACK 13. UNTITLED (IRON GLAND)

All-time classic

Wow this is bleaker than I remembered, and I listened to this every day at one point

whateva

Klassiker. Fet låt på fet låt, og med en nydelig nerve. Noen partier gjør det ikke helt for meg, og vokalen har en tendens til å bli litt for overbærende for min smak. Beste låt: Them Bones

Noen hits. Ellers litt for mye grunge for min smak.

Overraskende fet plate. Vipper alltid mellom å irritere meg over og digge vokalen, men den gjør jo denne plata. To første låtene smalt gøtt, men refrenget på Would? er jo chefs kiss.

Kan rigtig godt lide Alice in chains og jeg Kan rigtig godt lide grunge. Jeg er lige kommet tilbage fra festival hvor vi har lyttet til meget hårdt rock som læner ind i metal. Derfor læner jeg ind i at give det 5 stjerner.

#107 - the first half of the album feels like the same song. Very distinctive style but I find it s bit boring.

3.5 dad rock kinda cool

1.5 Just not my thing

Favorite Track: Down In A Hole

I am not a grunge person, and I really dislike Alice In Chains, I think the vocals are annoying and it sounds like it’s being recorded too slow, like it’s not fast enough for the sound. It’s long, it’s depressing, it’s not an enjoyable listen

A superb Grunge Rock piece, perhaps a 5 within its Genre, but a bit repetitive in tone. Missing perhaps a Man in the Box or Nutshell to push it over.

'I feel so alone / Gonna end up a big ol' pile of them bones.' Sincerity does not certify aesthetic pleasure, or aesthetic success, but Layne Staley is so reliably upfront and naked in his truth that he does engender a palpable experience, even if, sonically, it's not my sort of heavy: 'Look at me now, a man who won't let himself be.' Like Jane's Addiction before them, Alice in Chains returns to Zeppelin, but w/ the same shortage of a bluesy register. It's more than just loud, but the persistence of melodies that aren't exactly melodic is tiresome, as is Staley's low-register howl, which is only slightly more soulful than Eddie Vedder's monotone. Oscar Wilde said that all bad poetry is sincere. This is sincere, and tho it's not bad, it's not great either.

Grunge classic, loved it then and love it now

List has been cooking lately. 4.5 stars

Good name for a dirty album. It's hard and surprisingly melodic in places, and from the era before anyone had discovered metronomes. Can it be called organic? I like it.

One of the great PNW bands of the 90's! Brilliant

Layers of sound

Not my thing

dogshit

Started off with a banger and then proceeds to dish out more bangers. The production is dirty but in the best way possible. The vocals were immaculate with some decent range that beefed up the album as a whole. This was a great listen. Shoutout to Radio X for putting me on early on. Top 4: Them Bones, Down In A Hole, Rooster, and Would? / Honorable Mention: Sickman (love the switch ups in it) No bad songs 4.00-4.25/5

Not my style but pretty catchy.

2 3/4 Not my type of music but there are a few great songs.

The guitar work here is so good, the riffs are all really solid. Very much closer to the metal side of grunge. Wastes absolutely no time getting started too. Doesn’t outstay its welcome. Lyrics are good. Just all around really great.

Iconic but not “great”

A little heavy for my liking. Brings me back to 90's grunge phase, maybe 15 year old.

Awesome, so many great songs

Didn't expect much from this to be honest. But was pleasantly surprised by the first tracks, unfortunately the surprise faded and that was that. Didn't expect much and to be honest didn't get much. Better than a one though.

An iconic album from that scene for sure, but not at the levels of other bands in my uneducated opinion. Still a great album that gets a play when I’m in the mood for Layne Staley’s tones. Standout tune ‘Down In A Hole’.

I thought Alice In Chains were Metal trying to be Grunge back in the day, I still do. It's awful.

I don't really like grunge and I thought this would be the same as Nirvana, but somehow it was even better

Arguably the best Grunge album of them all. Brilliant from start to finish.

Kings of CHUNKY Guitar. Would and Rooster are their best songs and it's not even close past that. My hot take of this era is that Alice In Chains is overrated. The album is fine, but there are plenty of others in this vein that are MUCH better.

I was going to go with a three star, but I think the best songs are just too good.

Sounds just like Alice in chains

Amazing from start to finish

Alice gotta stop playing in the dirt she gonna mess her chains

Absolute banger! Superb rock album!

Good album, some fantastic songs some filler

The sonic assault begins with the first track (Them Bones) with all the early 90's grunge swagger and dirty delivery you could hope for. This is a high energy album, but one dealing with somber subjects: death, addiction and war among them. It was literally recorded during the LA riots of 1992 while the core of the band teetered on the edge of rehab. So be ready for the darkness and your descent into it. 1-800-273-TALK(8255) is the US national hotline if you need help dealing with your feelings. The album feels like a triumph over the darkness, and the members treated the songs like a purge of poison.

Some awesome songs, and some that drag. Love the style, don’t always love the execution. Still, the high points are amazing. 4 stars.

Once of the greatest albums of all time! WOULD!!! JUNKHEAD!!! FUCK1

enjoyed this one!!! i felt like some of the songs sounded the same though

Them Bones is solid Down in a hole is closeish to black hole sun level, just don’t like the lyrics Rooster is good Angry Chair is okay Everything between Rooster and Angry Chair is meh/didnt listen

Even though this came out in the height of my teenage music idolatry years, I was never into them. Maybe too nasally, too dark. I was surprised by how much I dug this. That voice is otherworldly. 4.5 stars that I'll round up to 5 why the f not.

Love this album, great memories

Huge album for young people from NN who spend too much time in CEX. He is an incredible hook writer and singer I guess. Rain when I die slaps!! They do have a tendency to over extended hooks/refrains tho. Sickman has the circus rock vibe that’s put me off in the past. Early 90s huge time for the white guy with dreads thing. Junkhead is crazy! People used to write songs where the whole bit was “I like taking drugs” and it would be massive. Godsmack vocal effects 🧐🧐🧐 It’s v hard to detach yourself from a modern lens when revisiting these things, but idk if you just submit on a SICK RIFFS level this is great. I weirdly think most modern rock bands would sooner aim for a purist version of the 80s heavy metal vibe than going for the revisionist take on here, but it’s fun! Why can’t BOTH be fun??? Hate to Feel intro rules. Hate to Feel rules.

Solid 90s metal, some good tracks on there iirc

Not bad. Enjoyed it. Metal/grunge

These guys always sat in an uncanny valley of heavy music for me, in a similar area where nu metal ended up. There's some great heavy parts but the vocals yank me out of it. I'm not saying buddy wasn't a great singer, or even that his style doesn't suit the music. I just don't like the way it all comes together. That said, they're way better than all the other shit that was going around in the early 90s, the Pearl jams and the Nirvanas and all that other slop. And of course, better than Radiohead.

Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell’s vocal harmonies range from beautiful to haunting. Given the pervasive and all-encompassing theme of addiction this record sounds ugly and gloomy, but it mostly works out really well. Alice In Chains played darker and heaver melodic songs when few others were doing the same. Not to mention the variety of softer, harder, faster, and slower songs. Truly a high water mark for 90's rock. Highlights: most of the album, especially "Would?", "Them Bones", "Rooster", and "Down in a Hole" Lowlight: "Sickman" Absolutely essential

4.4 As close to 5* as you can get without quite making it. I think the biggest hurdle for AIC is Layne's vocals. I imagine it'll score poorly on here for that reason. Once you're over that hurdle though, wow. One of those vocalists were the singing style actually helps the instrumentals despite it initially sounding like he just just can't sing (Morrissey/Smith's spring to mind). Rooster is when you first realise the power of the vocals, and then makes the entire thing accessible. Anyway, musically phenomenal, Cantrell is a brilliant writer. Lyrically great as well, if you ever want to be out off heroin listen to this (or arguably their self titled even more so). Only thing thats stopping it from greatness is a couple of weak tracks - Rain When I Die being third is unfortunate as that's such a key album spot, 8th or 9th would have been ideal for that. Iron Gland through to Angry Chair isn't a great spell also. Good, but not great.

Classic grunge metal album. I already own it on vinyl and only buy albums I truly love. 5/5

I like the song Rooster, but overall, this album just wasn't for me.

first chords of the first song...this is going to be unbearable. and it pretty much was. wanky rock in the guise of grunge. I remember how everyone was going on about this band in the 90s and I just didn't get it. I still dont get it. Thank god we all have different tastes in music. Nothing even remotely appealing . kept on looking how many songs i had left. 2 stars

Here's the thing. I love heavy music. I enjoy a good amount of grunge and alt rock. I was never really a big AiC fan. I love the lyrics on this album. There are some really good songs. There are also some songs that I absolutely cannot stand. Musically, it lands in a spot that just isn't very appealing to me. Not heavy enough but also not very catchy. I realize this is heresay for many people. But, again, the 3-4 songs I like on this album are very good.

Pretty good, especially for someone who didn't listen to grunge except Nirvana and the occasional Pearl Jam. It is a lot groovier then I expected, reminding me of Kyuss a lot. Added to my album list.

Another band that I want to like but just don’t. This album is a painful listen, which I think is what they were going for. It’s a perfect fusion of everything I dislike about both grunge and metal. Not for me.

great

one of my favorite all time albums

This got old fast. It started off well enough but I swear every song sounded the same and the singers voice just progressed into parody haha. Like that scene from Ted where they're doing karaoke.

Not bad. But nothing stood out to me. Pretty average metal album

Really good. I enjoyed this alot, and its my first real listen of AIC. I had heard their hits on the radio a bunch but its nice to get to know their work a bit more. Awesome rock album. I will revisit this.

Jason S and I walked into what looked like a really nice home but turned out to his mother's Cafe. He poured some coffee out of a silver cup put it on a tray and passed it to me. I poured myself a cup and it spilled everywhere but in the cup. He didn't say I did anything wrong but the vibe was I did something wrong. I was trying to spot wash the coffee when he pulled me aside to sit on the couch with him. It was as though the couch was getting smaller bc (all white couch) He kept getting pushed closer., but now there were 3 of us on the couch the 3rd being Anna who sometimes turned into Aliena. Jason patted me on the back and walked off with some mystery girl. She was wearing a long black silk night gown. We started when she started crying. I felt very uncomfortable and asked her should I stop. She said no this is what she does. We moved to a more bed like pull out couch and started again. Again she started crying and when I looked down it looked like pee everywhere. I stopped, she was crying, I said this feels weird and when I looked down at the bed there was egg yolks everywhere. I was afraid Jason would be mad so I went to another room and it looked at first like Eric was giving Jeremy a back massage. I kept making faces at him to get him to come and help me when I realized it was Eric getting the massage by some young blonde. Jeremy was just sitting in front of him. Weall looked like we did 30 years ago. I went into the room to apologize and it was full of people. Young people. I heard my daughter introduce me to someone but I couldn't see my daughter. I didn't recognize anyone and what was once Jason's moms quaint house like Cafe was a big party. I went to Eric to apologize. Then everyone was gone. Just Eric Jeremy and Jason and the few girls that started that my mind has already erased. I made a mess I said.

This grunge works a bit, but doesn’t grab me near as much as Pearl Jam. Damn that river is probably the strongest.

A mandatory listen of grunge and imo the best Alice in Chains album

Poor Alice, being in chains.. but apart from that, overall not too bad of an album, pretty chill for what I always thought was a pretty harsh-sounding band. It was nice having it in the background and although it wasn't super chill, it sounded pretty nicely.

Justo some rock

This album is so damn good. It blends alternative, metal, grunge, and rock so damn well. Lane and Cantrell are so damn good together, their voices and lyrics are unmatched - and listening to this again, for the 1,000th time, I am reminded of how many bands and act that they have influenced in the 3-plus decades since this album has come out. 8.8/10 80/1001

I regret not hearing this in middle school, I would have loved it. I like the guitar solos. I like the heaviness. Really happy I finally gave this band a shot.

Dec

No cóż. To jest kawałek porządnego, ciężkiego rocka. Nie jest to moja muzyka, ale doceniam. Niestety, nie jestem w stanie się wczuć w te kawałki. Może dlatego, że jednak wychowałam się tylko na Nirvanie a teraz jest już we mnie za mało buntu, aby się zakochać. 6.5/10 równane w dół.

Easy 5 for me

Its top tier and nostalgic

Not the biggest fans of hard rocks songs

Esse foi um breve mergulho de volta à minha adolescência. Acho que o disco tem hits óbvios e não é tão consistente de cabo a rabo quanto eu achava na adolescência, mas ainda assim, um ótimo disco.

If I was disturbed I would like this music. 1/5

This album is a masterpiece. The harmonies are absolutely sick, the music is killer and the cover art is iconic. 1001 album worthy: yes 92/169

I liked it, painful grunge.

Just not great. Maybe I don’t like the distortion?

Lowkey reminds me of OTH.

Definitive 90s rock album, RIP Layne 🤘

Sounds like the cover.

Perfectly combines two genres I don’t like: grunge and metal. I can see how this is something people like, but I sure don’t. The longer I listened, the harder this became for me. A slog

This sucks. It’s Proto-Butt Rock. I can’t imagine what scenario I would ever play this in.

Almost gave it a 4. I see this as more of a grunge album and not a metal and maybe that’s why it’s a 3 and not a 2 star :). The subject matter of the songs was what kept me from giving it a 4. I don’t come to music to get depressed

Of course someone should listen to this. Still rips. As strong a statement about what a certain demographic of 90s young person was thinking about as any. It's an album about demons, created by a band haunted by them. I was only tangentially into this as a teenager in the 90s--I couldn't deny Rooster or Them Bones when they came on in my friends' cars, but overall to my ears at the time there was too much 80s metal in its genes and it sounded kinda dated--but sounds great to my 40 something ears now.

Burde ha hørt mer på dette på 90-tallet.

I appreciate this as being iconic for many and I did enjoy a few of the songs but was generally outside of my preference - both for genres as well as outlet for

grunge, op zich niet slecht van muziek, maar zang is meestal waar het fout loopt... zo ook hier

this was ok. i listened to it in a heatwave on a sunday with a headcold after a really difficult week and it sort of made sense in that context.

Gross.

06/06/2025 Good bit of grunge that.

A grunge masterpiece. It almost veers into heavy metal territory but with some great vocals and sounds. I love this album.

I wanted to give this a five and say it's made me re-evaluate my opinion of grunge and I was regretful for not being an Alice in Chains fan before. Unfortunately, I just thought it was OK. I love the way the record sounds; but I don't love a lot of the songs. The song lengths feel quite bloated, with little development over five or six minutes.

Heuuuree come da ROOOSTUUUUUHHHH

16yo me would love this

SSSLUUUUURRPPPPP SSSSHHHLLLLOOUUURPPPP SCHLUUUURRRRPPP SCHLOOOUUUURRRPPPPPP RRRRRUFFF RRRRAWK KA KAAAAWWW SCHELUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRP progledat ću kroz prste činjenicu to što nije jar of flies

I somehow got into The Smiths after my breakup. I found comfort in their sound — brooding, bleak, and strangely healing. Morrissey, insufferable as he is, felt like he understood me. My ex, on the other hand, dove headfirst into divorced dad rock. Nirvana, Alice In Chains, all that grayscale grunge. I stand by my pick. This album doesn’t uplift — it just makes me feel emotionally constipated.

some decent guitar grunge but uninspiring and lacks spark

Didn't really like his voice. Some nice harmonies but the music was pretty heavy

Just really not my cup of tea ! Sorry ! I think it's probably 'good' but I still don't like it very much. Down in a Hole was nice enough

Anonymt och intetsägande. Tuffa poser men inte så mycket att hämta efter att man skrapat lite på ytan.

A classic for the era, but way too dark & heavy for my taste.

Un album fundacional para mí. Una gloriosa mezcla de metal, hard rock y grunge.

didnt like it when it was current rotation on the radio. still dont like it. maybe if they quit using drugs they could have written better

Admittedly, I am a big fan of 90s alternative. There is a ton of great albums from this genre in the decade, from Pearl Jam’s Ten to Live’s Throwing Copper to Soundgarden’s Superunknown and Nirvana’s Nevermind. Lots of great music. That said, admittedly, I was not a fan of Alice In Chains when they first came out. It took me a while to come around on them, so I’ve never owned this album. Upon my first full listen to it, I realize I have been missing out all these years. The opener, Them Bones, really sets the tone for the rest of the album. It’s just in your face right from the jump. Lane Staley’s vocals are great throughout and the harmonies with Jerry Cantrell are excellent. Of course, the songs that everyone has heard like Down in a Hole, Rooster, and Angry Chair (saving Would for later) are highlights, but others like Rain When I Die help this record hold up from beginning to end. And as for that ending track, Would? is one of those songs that just defines this era of rock. A killer track that is one of my favorites of the decade, and a great end to what I found to be a tremendous album.

Grew up on this.

Another album I enjoyed a lot more than I expected. It has elements of grunge, sludge and metal but also has a lot of hooky songs and was very consistent. Them Bones and Rooster are maybe my favourites but half the album is in contention.

This is probably one of the best "metal" albums of the era. It still has 80s-metal undertones (Cantrell's style is van halen-esque at times), but it's also grungy and clearly influenced some late 90s/early 00s bands. Great album.

Classic "metal grunge"

I only knew one of their songs beforehand - but I assumed I would like this based off similar bands It was ok. I enjoyed the guitars, but a lot of this just seemed a bit bland. I found it lacking something 3 ⭐️

2+ Stars (6/15)

2/5. Just not for me. Dark, unrelenting, strangling. Only the fourth track love song appealed to me at all. I may be destined to not like grunge. That’s two now- one more strike.

10/10. I feel blessed that I was given this album after Iron Maiden's self-titled album. This is one of my favourite albums of all time. I love this album very much! It's perfect!!! :)

Aldri falt meg inn å høre på dette bandet, men absolutt verdt å lytte gjennom dette albumet. Mange gode riff med god tyngde, og Layne Staley gjør en praktfull jobb med å levere overraskende gode sangtekster. En snau time blir dog litt for langt for min smak. Det kunne nærmet seg fireren om skiva hadde lengden til en vanlig LP.

Fucking awesome

At age 12 I was a huge fan of Nirvana. Circa 2007 I got wind of Alice In Chains. If I knew them 5 years before that they would have probably been my obsession instead of their counterparts. This has a nice heavy feel to it overall, even the slower songs. The one grunge band that leaned very close to metal, considering they opened the 1991 Clash of the titans tour with Anthrax, Slayer and Megadeth. I own a best off of AIC and I think only one song of Dirt isn't on that. Banger!

There are moments of inspiration - Rooster is obviously a stand-out - but mostly, I found this to be an exercise in depressing noise

An actual heavy metal band! The voice keeps up a very monotonous pace and sound, so most songs get boring fast. Some are really nice, but that doesn't make the others less boring.

Noh, ihan ok. Hiukan alitti odotuksia, kun ei oikein tarjonnut tunnettujen biisien jälkeen muuta ihmeellistä. Perus hyvää hard rokkia, mutta ei omaan makuun erikoista. Parhaat: Them Bones, Down In A Hole, Angry Chair, Would?

I thought I would like this album more, because I like Pearl Jam, but I was wrong. The one-noted, unvaried instrumentation, the depressing vocals, the same sounding songs made it a difficult listen. And a long one, where the one hour album seemed like a two hour long album...Not really my cup of tea overall.

Ratings: 5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background The nostalgia factor is strong for this one. Summer of 91 I was listening to Facelift a lot and the release of Would? and the Singles Soundtrack in 92 really ramped the anticipation of Dirt. When Dirt finally arrived it did not disappoint. Standouts to me are Would?, Rooster and Down in a Whole, but all the tracks are great minus the throwaway Iron Gland. Cantrell's harmonies on top of Staley's voice are a combination truly unique to me.

Not for me

What a way to open album: “AAAAUUHHHH!” Some decent riffs, but pretty repetitive.

Im always impressed by this album. Kind of foregt about it but its an amazing album as a whole. The song order is perfection and hemos make this album a great top one for the 1990

Magnific record, a cornerstone for the grunge. A very heavy dark and solid band with tons of deppressive feelings. Layne Staley nails each vocal here. Jerry Cantrell its a riff master, the sound of this record is massive. Please check the best track "Down In A Hole"

This is immediately familiar to me. I would be I have heard this album before sometime in my childhood- this is exactly the stuff my dad listened to, and the the kind of music that was heavily influencing the music his band was making at the time. It all kinda sounds the same until Down In a Hole. Really like the drum intro to Sickman. Really like the drums overall in this song, and the changes in timing. Rooster is classic. Everyone knows this. I get why: it has the most texture and diversity of sound from everything else on the album. I love this genre, but this album wasn’t for me.

Actively didn’t enjoy. Other bands have done it better, had better lyrics, songs and voices.

Very good heavy metal album. Groovy, with heavy riffs and melodic choruses. Definite grunge influence. Overall very enjoyable. Favorites: Dam That River, Down in a Hole, Dirt

Heavy grunge isn't my style. Not badly performed though

I am an Alice In Chains fan but unfortunately I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with the album Dirt. The songs on here that I like, I really like. That is about half the album. And the songs I don’t like on Dirt, I really don’t like. In further contrast, Would is my favorite AIC song while Sickman is my least favorite song. I’m speaking only of the Layne era here. (However I do like some of the albums post Layne as well.) Listening to Dirt for this project didn’t change my mind on this feeling. Even a few of the songs I like just hit different now that Layne is no longer with us. Feels weird actually. Especially with Them Bones and Rain When I Die. My biggest struggle with AIC has always been the despair and drug references. When done well, like Down In a Hole for example, it works for me. But a song like Junkhead or Hate To Feel misses the mark. Overall I have to give Dirt a 3 rating. I’ll keep listening to the songs I like but a full album play just won’t happen. 3/5

Well that was sad. Awesome guitar

Only knew the hits going into this. Good & grungy. Vocals get whiny sounding at times, but when they hit, they hit.

A classic

A well known and acclaimed album from the grunge era. The music recalls the early 70's hard rock/metal era with similarities that make it sound familiar. It's good and definitely listenable, but really it's nothing special and doesn't offer anything new. The audience for this band is the next generation (20 years later) from the original era this is influenced by and I would suggest they have a listen to the band's influences. This is not innovative music, but it's well performed and accessible.

Buena batería

Could not discern one song from the next.

Well.....I guess I've finally found the album people who think they're into prog but aren't really into prog like. They ripped a Rush guitar sound and riff in one song, and for the most part they continued to sound like a no talent dream theater that played the same soundscape over and over and over. Woof. I can at least see the songs were put together, so I guess we'll give it 2, but it's sorta a pity 2.

Never been dope sick but I think this is how it would feel

Unique harmonies. Solid album. Fairly heavy rotation for me back in 1993. Never liked Rooster, but it was good hearing a lot of these songs for the first time in many years. 4

Another album of it's era (in the best way possible). Love the contrast of vocal harmonies and heaviness of the music. Bless 90s rock

Great album, already very familiar with many of the tracks. I'm an especially big fan of Down In A Hole.

9.5/10

Damn, didn't know i enjoyed rock genere so much?? wow So far Rooster didn't grab my attention, and God Smack is a skip, but other than that...wow this album surprised me haha. 8/10. didn't expect i'd like it

5 for Layne Staley and 5 for Jerry Cantrell. Oh and also there are amazing songs on this album so 5 for that too lol

8/10 Wow. Dirt really suprised me. I’m usually not a big fan of loud rock and metal-esque music but this one on the other hand has mastered it for me. I definitely need to relisten to this when I have more albums under my belt because I can see myself appreciating it more then. The hard hitting nature of this album just works and there aren’t any cringey lyrics that some metal bands have. The writing on the songs are super concise, which I love.

Great

Нормальный альбом, средней тяжести рок

I'd heard of AiC, but couldn't name a single track by them, not even a hit. They sort of passed me by somehow. I feel this album went the same way. It started quick, real quick, no messing about with a fade-in, straight in your face with the one track I think I might have heard before. But nothing really stood out, and it felt just a little too much on the pop side for my tastes. Harmonising vocals, a little more like glam-metal than grunge in places. I tried a second and then a third lesson, mainly for the guitar, as it's a nice sound. I feel like I'm being over-generous with 4 stars, but it did grow on me a bit, and I did like the guitar.

Rock is not my genre, could not understand most of what they are saying Enjoyed some tracks tho 3/5

Eh, not my kind of music. Some of the songs had decent background music, but the singer was not my cup of tea. They're all talented, but it isn't my thing. Best song: Would?

So good. This is one of the 90’s Seattle band that I still listen to quite a bit. Along with Soundgarden they’re keeping it alive for me.

Certified 90s/grunge classic! It always blew my mind that AiC only actually released 3 full length studio albums in the Layne era. Of course the EPs are sufficiently strong enough to consider alongside the LPs, though. Dirt is relatively unanimously considered their best, and I can certain respect that. This album is a front to back killer, showcasing the significant talents of this band and in particular the incredible voice of Layne Stanley, and signature vocal harmonies supported by Jerry Cantrell. Their self titled album is still my favorite of theirs, because I really appreciate how dark and gloomy it is, but there is still no shortage of those things here, either. There really is no bad song here, and some of the deeper cuts, such as "Sickman" and "Junkhead" are almost as strong as the well known and loved radio cuts. Would absolutely be an appropriate pick for a desert island grunge disc that I don't think many grunge fans would be upset being stuck with, myself included. Again, it's not my favorite AiC record, and probably not my favorite 90's album, but I would certainly not challenge anyone who wanted to put this one on top of the pedestal.

Amazing beginning and end, consistent energy throughout. Many iconic songs but starts to blend together after a while. 8/10

Throw this album Down In A Hole with Them Bones and cover with Dirt. The lead singer is whining or yelling about some depressing topic on every song making this a poor listening experience. L = (0.8*s) the last song “Would?” actually bumped it up. J = (1.1*s) someone please explain why Dirt is on the 1001 Must Listen list, it’s near the top of the Too Long list.

I was hoping for more from this album...maybe because "Man in a Box" is so good. Alice in Chains never really got my attention and Dirt felt a little flat. Top tracks are "Rooster" and "Would?" but the rest did not hit me as hard as their hard-rock titan reputation should. To be ranked by Guitar World and other heavy metal top lists is not what I expect. The guitar work is muddled and dirty. I don't feel the shred. Staley doesn't belt it out like he did on the debut. Maybe the heroin was getting to him. Overall, not a bad record but didn't deliver...2.25.

I've always considered Alice In Chains the odd man out from the popular 90's Seattle scene. Something about their sound never resonated with me. They were lucky to get caught up in the wave of their more talented peers in my opinion. Dirt was yet another example of this. After 60 minutes I was ready to shrug my shoulders and move on completely unmoved. For the time being I will continue to hit the skip button on AIC. I won't fault anyone who is a fan of them, but I wonder what it is I am missing because they do nothing for me. 2.12 stars

Do i like music

Love this album front to back

need to listen again on headphones. listened to this in the background while working but a friend of mine said it was a very depressing album.

Rock, grunge, alternative, 1992 -> 2

The lessest of the Seattle grunge bands. Absolutely has some standout tracks, but a bit uneven overall. Really a 3.49. I would've given it 3.5 and rounded up buy Layne Staley's chin ponytail and wraparound shades STILL annoy the shit out of me.

Did not like it

El sonido del grunge muy refinado. Quizás el mejor disco de la época destacando las voces y las guitarras.

probably the darkest grunge album, with a lot of classic songs, I hear a lot of Sabbath in the music as well. high 3.5

its alr, better than 2nd, not as good as oasis quite mcr core icl

YEAAAAAAAAAAAH Eu não sou muito de metal e esse tipo de música, mas os caras são foda. Talvez um dia eu consiga apreciar com mais gosto o quão bom eles são.

Ein klassikar Skitten grunge. Litt kjedelig. For seigt 7/10

10/10

I understand the appeal of divorce dad rock, but it is not for me. I feel like I should’ve slammed down a case of Bud Light while listening to this.

It's a GREAT ALBUM!

Album 766 of 1089 Alice In Chains - Dirt (1992) Rating : 5 / 5 Heard tracks from this album on the radio quite steadily in the early grunge years. I like this album more each time I hear it. While only a few tracks jump out really strong, the album as a whole, holds up very well. It is becoming apparent that grunge is at the top of my preferences and this, while not my favorite from the genre, represents that well.

Boring and overrated band.

It's not bad, but I couldn't get charmed by it, a bit on one note, and it doesn't feel too special either.

It's 3 in the morning and its your turn to take the wheel on the way home from family vacation. You just walked out of a Sheetz in a tiny Pennsylvania town that you've never heard. Turn this album on and crack open a watermelon RedBull. Time to lock in.

Layne and Jerry are my favorite post 1990 rock harmonists. So many great songs on this album, and I was really pleased this came up this morning and I "got to listen" to an album I really like. "Am I wrong? Have I run too far to get home?" is one of my favorite lyrics. ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

Angry, dirty and nihilism. Just like me now.

Soundtrack to my youth. Quality.

Hated every second of this experience.

You can definitely feel the heavy metal influence.

Lolla '93 may have changed my life more than any other single show/festival I attended. This album is sublime. These guys were at the top of their game (and would remain so through Jar of Flies.)

I liked it! one of my first grunge records, and it lived up to what i imagined grunge to be. Sickman was my favorite.

Not really my thing!! <3

Epic album loved it

Cool

Mediocre grunge music which eventually sounds like the same song over, and over. I will say it goes well as background music while shooting pool in a public. Favorite Track: "Rooster".

it was okay, grew on me as it went, but then it grew off me, i heard one song i liked and then they did just that for about 2 hours and i stopped liking it, thanks for this i guess, uhh, high 2

Pre-listening thoughts: oh… Post/during listening thoughts: well that was certainly what I expected from an album called dirt. It’s like off brand Nirvana. And I really only like Nirvana occasionally so this was just bad. 3/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: no Fav tracks: them bones I GUESS Least fav tracks: Sickman

not the best of alice in chains

Was ok, very like pearl jam and difficult to tell the difference between songs. I do have nirvana stuck in my head now today

Brand new to me, this album packs a punch. It's easy to understand why this album gets attention and stands among the best of grunge.

One of the best grunge albums, very concise from beginning to the end.

I came late to the Alice In Chains party, but this has become one of my favorite albums. Definitely in my wheelhouse just passed over when I was younger for some reason or another.

Solid metal album, a couple of not-remarkable songs in the second third of the album, but a great listening experience overall. It easily has the best album closer to the whole grunge era. Embrace the darkness.

Not my favorite style, but I enjoyed it for what it was. 2.5 stars

Solid. Made me think of Nirvana, but just a step below.

Another sub-Nevermind grunge album. Nothing much wrong with it, but it doesn't really stand out.

Dirt is truly a great album, one of the hallmarks of Grunge and Hard Rock, and has stood the test of time flawlessly. The vocals are crisp, well delivered and hard hitting. Remarkably, the vocal range allows for catchy rock choruses like "Rain when I die" and mellow moments like the beginning of "Down in a hole". The instrumentals are also great, with a powerful guitar with an exquisite distinctive Grunge tone. Drums, bass and the mix work perfectly too. There are a couple of moments that take away from the album. The singing on the "God Smack" verses doesn't fully stick the landing with that vibrato-y delivery. After that, we get "Untitled", a weirdly placed interlude that feels a bit out of place and mostly breaks the momentum towards the end. The standout tracks for me are the excellent "Would?" and "Rain When I Die".

Their second album. Metal / Heavy Metal / Grunge. Themes of depression, angst, death, rage, war and drugs. The music is cliche Grungey Metal, the lyrics are okay and an occasional sign of hope. A dark journey overall though. Lyrically there is a story, musically it goes nowhere for me. It's almost a caricature Seattle, Grunge, Metal, early 90s album.

Rocky Docky Whatever

I don't need this in my life, but it's not bad. I'd say it's a 3.5.

Not really grunge in my opinion, far too metal sounding. Standard screeching singer. Having said that wasn't as bad as I thought. Thought Rooster was pretty good

Liked this more than I thought - interesting metal/grunge hybrid - some good harmonizing, original guitar sounds, visceral lyrics. A Mood! Did think the 2nd half dropped off but some bangers on the 1st half.

I have zero idea why this album is on this list aside from being a good example of how a massively overhyped genre and scene (grunge/Seattle) enabled plentiful mediocrity to receive a higher profile than it deserved. This is largely just bland and uninteresting heavy rock. The vocal is whiny, far from engaging, and monotonous. It’s just not a particularly good album in any discernible way and certainly proved a tedious listen for me. In fact, thinking about it, my sentiment towards it is strangely similar to the bland Foo fighters album this list threw up. File in a dark draw never to be played again.

Epic, monumental, classic

My original review was essentially that it good, but it just wasn’t really my thing and I couldn’t see myself listening to it in the future. Well, since then I’ve seen so much praise for this album that I found myself constantly wondering what I had missed when I listened to it. Honestly, I’m not sure why I didn’t originally enjoy this album. Thoroughly enjoyed it this time around and will be checking out more Alice in Chains in the future

Awesome...

I was a freshman in high school when this album came out, and I was the perfect angsty age for grunge. I don't know, then, why Alice in Chains never clicked for me. I used to actively dislike it. Upon this listen, I've softened that stance, but I'm still not a fan. It's solid, though, and I can see why most people vibe with it. 3 stars.

I was not initially pleased to see this one pop up. I have no relationship to this band and only really liked Nirvana from that era. This was always an album that someone's older brother had. This is a great album and goes pretty hard. I very much liked it! This is what this project is all about!

My first album on this journey. And wow, what a good start! I've heard a lot from these guys without realising while growing up in late 90s and early 2000s. Surprisingly nostalgic and just awesome. This dirty, grungy album is really cool and touches on a lot of subjects that are still relevant. This is the kind of music kids need to listen to today, builds some character.

Was ok. Nothing sounded particularly original

This album is a microcosm of why grunge is such a weird genre to talk about. Because… it’s not really a genre in the first place? I mean, think about the “big four” of grunge, sure they all have things in common, but think about where they emerged from in terms of rock music Nirvana came from punk and alternative, Pearl Jam from a more classic rock background, Soundgarden from heavy metal, and the subject of this album, Alice In Chains, I mean, they came from hair metal! Y’know, the thing grunge supposedly killed? And it’s not like you can’t hear it, I can certainly hear the sleaze from Guns N’ Roses and Motley Crüe, just with a much less glamorous coat of paint and some sludgier riffs in odd time signatures. That’s all I really have to say tbh, I wrote of all of this cause I don’t have a ton to say about the actual album, it’s great! I’d have a lot more to say if this was jar of flies.

I liked the parts with no guitars or singing.

One of the best grunge albums. This one hits hard. Angry Chair alone is a masterpiece.

Better than I expected. Always placed Alice In Chains as a 'bottom-of-the-barrel' grunge band, but they're certainly above average. grunge in general just isn't that good.

Well made music to rock to.

This album is like a pair of cargo pants. Thick, sweaty and awesome in so many ways yet not fit for every occasion.

This album is good has some classic songs on it, but the songs start to blend together. Would need more listens to really hear the difference. Maybe.

I have not listened to this album in a very long time and was surprised that I still know most of the lyrics. AIC was more straight metal than most of the bands who were labeled "grunge." It's a hauntingly ugly and depressing album. But the vocal harmonies can be rather beautiful at times. They were definitely a force in the 90s and I understand went they made the list, but they are not one of my favorite bands of that era. Nevertheless, this is a solid album that I'm sure sure I'll check out again some day. 3.5/5 Album 43/1001

I really enjoy hard rock and grunge when it's got a bit more more musicality than the usual screaming, and this album is exactly that for me. I may not have loved every song, but I can see why this album is so beloved by both critics and fans, it's just really good music. Highlights: Them Bones, Down in the hole, Dirt, Rooster 4 stars

Was good music, but wasn't exceptional

Sludgy and very much a product of its time. Its marriage of metal to grunge introspection was surely innovative at the time though. Them Bones is a great song.

90s classic. The style is very distinctive and very similar across all bends from that period. This feels a lot more repetetive and bit... boring?

Lovely album and an iconic one

I understand that it’s good but I just can’t get into heavy metal sorry

Layne Staley's Songs About Using Drugs and Imagining The Moment After You Die, Volume II. The knife edge between hard rock and metal is my happy place. I don't like screaming. I want melody and musicality and thoughtfulness. But I also want the raw power that metal can provide. There are very few bands that can pull this off. Soundgarden and Alice in Chains were the best of the grunge era in this regard. AIC is so unique because of Staley's vocals, and it is easy to see the influence he had on nu metal which followed grunge. But the combo of Staley's vocals and Cantrell's guitar playing really is what really elevated AIC. Not every song worked, but the ones that did are like a unique art form that is almost impossible to duplicate. Great album.

Alice in Chains is a band that I never seek out, but do enjoy listening to. They remind me of Rob Zombie, but they aren't as.... Horror focused. Like the album has horror themes and motifs in the music, but lacks the super natural. It's really good. I just don't know if it is for me. I can see where Godsmack got their influence from.

Perfect album!!