Dirt

Seminal Seattle grungy-metal sound. Strong finish with Would?, one of the best rock songs of the early 90s IMO

Great debut album-nearly at the height of their powers already.

Dark, hard, and depressing. I didn't expect to like it as much as I did.

Another one I came to later despite it being right up my alley on release, trouble is there was a lot of music to absorb in those days if you liked rock / grunge / alternative and then the wave of UK electronic music that wasn't just doof-doof-doof. Of course I liked all the singles at the time due to continual rotation on MTV Europe, but the album is actually very solid. I preferred the less shouty 'Jar of Flies' album back then and still do, but really this is jam-packed with banging riffs and ripping solos, great vocals and harmonies. It moves pace nicely opening with the hard charging 'Them bones' and 'Dam that river' before later giving way to the meditative 'Rooster' and self-hatred anthems of 'Dirt' and 'Down in a hole' before ending with the stone-cold-classic 'Would?' The lyrics are troubling and explicit about drug use and psychological pain, which clearly transpired to be honest at least. There are some misses like 'Stickman' and a few others at the tail of the album that could have been happily omitted to no ill effect. All in all a well played serious but accessible staple of that era of MTV botty-kicking rawk, with a sleazy and soulful but druggy edge.

I see the appeal, and it’s really well done, but it’s not what I’d pick to listen to

Pile of bones- nice and edgy Damn that river-“you piss upon my candle” Rain When I Die-edgy and nice Down in a Hole- I zoned out Sickman-I’m starting to get sick of this music, man Rooster- hell yeah I would watch the Super Bowl while downing Budweisers to this song Junkhead-yeah Dirt-yeah God Smack-yeah Untitled-yeah Angry Chair-A good song for people who don’t like this genre Would I-An excellent song to round off the album My Top 3: 1-Would I 2-Rain When I Die 3-Rooster

Alice in chains are an amazing band, the sounds of this album are impeccable, great melancholy and grungy sound, however I like jar of flies more

Yeah it was pretty good although not quite to my taste. I'll give it like a low 4/5

Classic. I listened to this one start-to-finish for the first pretty recently, so it's fresh.

Good album. Definitely one of the great grunge albums. That said, I didn't add it to my library because I grew out of grunge rock after high school. Nothing against it, there is some great craftsmanship in this album. From the razor-sharp guitar work and the super tight rhythm section, and the vocals that sit surprisingly well in a very full mix. Worth a spin.

Alice in chain, this fits right up my alley, but never really listened to them, so I was very exited about this one. It took some time, but after the first time listening it got so much better. His voice is so powerful. The album goes up and down, but overall it’s solid. Favourite songs: - Them bones - Rooster - Would?

Really enjoyed this. Fun album from a band I had heard about but never listened to. Will check out some of their other stuff

altisimo rok'n roll metalpaco flow, ta be ta be, no habia sentit mai pero me sonaba, mol be mucha guitarra pum chaka pum modo diablo

Von Alice in Chains kenne ich nur das "Unplugged"-Album. Grunge gehört nicht unbedingt zu meiner Favoritenliste. Das Album "Dirt" ist meiner Meinung nach ein anspruchsvolles, melodisches Album mit tollen Arrangements. Gefällt mir sehr gut. "Them Bones", Down in a hole", "Dirt", "Rooster und "Would?" sind wertvolle Anhörtipps.

I was never a huge fan of Alice In Chains as a teen. I much preferred Bush and Nirvana. This album is ok. A lot of it sounds the same and the depressive lyrics get a little much. There are some great songs here though and nothing I strongly disliked. Overall not bad, not great. Favorite song - Them Bones and Would. Added both to my playlist Solid 4 for me

A few strong tracks but the remainder didn't click for me.

Pissefed! En del tungere end de andre Seattle grunge bands. Du kunne godt overbevise mig om, at det var et sydstats heavyband

Kæft noget fed fredagstråd. Kæmpe banger. Lyder virkelig beskidt (gik først op for mig hvor meget det er en pun efter jeg havde skrevet det)

Fornøjelse! I den hårde del af grunge-land

A little heavier than I like, but every song was worth the listen

4.2

Easily my favorite Alice In Chains record.

One of those bands where I'd always nod sagely whenever they were mentioned, because obviously, I should know them, without ever really listening to them. HEAVY going, but totally worth it.

I’d love to be able to say that I was cool enough to be down with grunge in 1992, but the truth is I was gettin’ down to Young MC and Public Enemy. It was only some years later that I came around to appreciate some of this stuff. I know the big songs (Rooster is still the shee-it), but first time I’ve ever listened to the whole album. It’s pretty f&@ing good! Between the vocal style and the crunchy riffs it somehow reminded me of an updated version of Black Sabbath. They may classify this one as grunge, but it’s every bit guitar-hero as anything AC/DC or GnR ever put out. What’s my drug of choice?….well whippets of course, but 2/3 of the way through this album you almost believe it was a great life being a cranked out, flannel wearing grunge god…

One of the first cassettes I can recall buying with my own money in middle school. Had no clue what the lyrics were about, I just thought it sounded cool. Not an album that is unskippable, but lots of songs that were really good. Them Bones still gets volume all the way up every time it comes on. The unplugged album maybe even better?

Call it hard rock, heavy metal, grunge or whatever the eff you want…All I know is that when this comes on, my head starts banging like my dudes Beavis and Butthead! Love Jerry Cantrell’s guitar (tune that shit down a half step and get dirty) and it’s crazy how good of a vocalist Layne Staley was (I know it’s not on this album but Man in the Box live is insane). Great album right out of the gate with first 4 songs and anchored by some solid hits (although very much overplayed on the radio…esp rooster). Didn’t love God Smack but enjoyed the rest. RIP Layne!

I’m torn between a 3 or 4 for this album. It has many certified bangers, but I found my self struggling through some of the other tracks. Not sure if that’s a knock on those tracks or a testament to the quality of the songs we know and love. It feels like a stretch to call this a 4 against the pantheon of amazing albums, but against those we’ve heard thus far and giving a bump for nostalgia factor… I’m going 4* but more of a 3.75/4

Alice In Chains has never been my favorite in the grunge scene but I was actually pretty impressed with this album. I get bored of it as a genre pretty quick but this was really great. I have a feeling 4 stars is the ceiling for a grunge album without Chris Cornell.

A bit samey at times but still a decent grunge album. Stand outs - rooster - them bones - would - angry chair

Finally, an album that's actually kind of my vibe. Probably not going in the regular album rotation - I don't know that I found any song to be a standout - but overall a good proto-grunge post-metal time.

I'm not in a mood to fully enjoy this genre of music, but I can appreciate it nonetheless. The lush sound is enjoyable. The dissidence is just about right for grunge. I look forward to enjoying this album/band when I'm in the right mood.

Znakomite otwarcie płyty, mało miejsca na oddech w trakcie piosenek. Bardzo przybijająca muzyka. Niektóre kawałki dobre, niektóre wybitne. 4/5

Fun listen, good guitar and drums

Good stuff. PreNirvana grunge from the old days.

Best guitar playing in grunge? Pearl Jam's "Alive." Second best guitar playing in grunge? Alice in Chains' "Them Bones." I've listened to a fair amount of Alice in Chains' music, but this is my first time listening to one of their albums from start to finish. Honestly, I find Alice in Chains' music incredibly unpleasant to listen to, so I had to mentally prepare myself for the hour long run time of this album. And sure enough, this was a tough album to get through, but not because it was a bad album. Alice in Chains' brand of grunge is somehow grungier than regular grunge. Their overall sound is incredibly dark, but it definitely matches the tone of their lyrics. About half the songs on this album are about heroin addiction, which is depressing enough, but knowing that Layne Staley would die eventually die from that addiction makes it even more difficult to get through those songs. And if that wasn't enough, there's the Vietnam War POW story of "Rooster," which might actually be the most brutal and depressing song of the whole album. Even though the songs are depressing, they're incredibly well written; the lyrics create such a vivid imagery, that as the listener, I really found myself being pulled down with the band. Musically, this album is fantastic as well. Even though the grunge scene was packed to the gills when this album came out, it's incredibly easy to recognize an Alice in Chains song, even if you take away Layne Staley's haunting voice. Jerry Cantrell's guitar playing is unmistakable, and the guitar parts he wrote for this album were unique, but gave the album a cohesive feel. My biggest complaint with this album is that it overstays its welcome pretty often. The overall album run time is long and drags on, and the individual songs can drag on as well. "Them Bones" is my favorite Alice in Chains song, and it's no coincidence that it's also one of their shortest. This album is still really good though, and any music fan should give it a listen.

The most Black Sabbath sounding of the grunge cohort, this album is all about the top of the line sludgy sludgy riffs coupled with some great guitar lead lines that reinforce the main idea before going off course into some wah-wah territory. The chorus-effect on the dirty leads sounds really cool, bringing some bright tone tone the dark moody pallette. The vocals are the star though, soaring and diving they cut through the thick heavy mire of the slow grooves, belting out some massive anthemic lines. How he makes YEAH HERE COME THE ROOTSER sound so badass is hard to explain. They shouldn't held responsible for the Butt Rock that came after them, but you can see the template here - slow distorted and heavy with a hint of groove and a pissed-off sad guy wailing over top of it. They're so good at it you can see why it spawned so many pale imitators.

Dirt is great. Many songs don't hit me as hard as they do for other people, but the ones that grab me are flawless. Grade: 4/5

Good songs I remember from an ATV game I used to play as a kid.

Drullugóð plata. Alveg hægt að headbanga yfir henni.

Good grunge album

I liked them when they were on the radio, but never had their CDs. I thought the album was pretty good, a few of the songs got stuck in my head. Overall, good album, but not something I'll listen to often.

Oh hell yeah! Some hard rock that makes me rock hard. Getting added to my gym playlist. Unfortunately some songs could be done without so maybe just a couple songs from this album are worthwhile. Still enjoyed most of it. 7/10

Arguably the hard rock kings. Bordering between hard rock, traditional metal and grunge they are ones of those instantly recognizable groups. This and Nirvana were on heavy rotation in my teens and similarly to Nirvana I don’t really listen to this kind of music anymore. Even though my musical tastes changed they are still an iconic group that sounds just as good as when I listened to them almost twenty years ago. 8/10

8.2

Best song “Would?” 4/5

a classic! Teilweise kommt es mir so vor als ob sich Tool vom Bass einiges abgeschaut hat. Oft sehr prominent.

First three tracks in weird time signatures while still sounding accessible - no mean feat, both to achieve musically and also to get that past record company executives! Five singles from this album. Bones - Maybe the only 7/8 song that charted in the 90s? Great, heavy without being too weird. Dam that River - 12/8 (or three lots of 4) love it! Rain when I die - 3/4 - It's so hard to do anything but waltz in 3. Like bones, back into 4 for the chorus. Weird - normal, rhythmic tension and release. Down in a hole. 4th track is a ballad - gutsy move for a heavy band at this time. Sickman - At least three different time signatures in this one, discordant vocal line in verse and bridge. Tempted to say it's accidental, but in the 2nd half of the song he shows he can sing in chromatic harmonies, so have to assume it's a very cool artistic choice. Lyrics tend towards self-loathing, which I think is a new, defining feature of grunge - the lyrics are based more on empathy, personal truth and sadness rather than the hedonism, anger and recklessness of rock lyrics in the 80s. Throw misogyny in there too (80s wise). Rooster - beautiful, powerful song. Guitar player's Dad was a Vietnam vet with spiky hair - hence Rooster was his nickname. He and his family left his Dad, Rooster to live with a Gran because of his PTSD issues. The song is an attempt to empathise with his Dad. I love the ambiguity caused by the pronoun omission in the first line "Ain't found a way to kill me yet" (They / I?). This guy is a battle survivor - internal and external. Dirt - Title track. Phrygian dominant scale (Egyptian sounding). Another good slowish one demonstrating that heavy doesn't have to be fast. God Smack. Very weird vocal line on the verse - same four times, so again, have to conclude he's being intentionally very oddly discordant. I have no idea what I'd sing over such an odd riff. Iron Gland. (Iron Man parody/tribute) Hate to Feel (Almost a Dazed & Confused tribute). More time signature malarkey - bridge is a bar of 7/8 followed by a bar of 9/8. Interesting, more weird vocals. Angry Chair. A single, but never really stood out to me. Would? Definitely a classic grunge track - verse quiet, chorus loud. A song about Andy Wood (singer who died of a heroin overdose) whose band mates formed Pearl Jam. Prominent bass. A great, classic album forming part of the heart of the 90's Seattle sound. This is very much my kind of thing.

Some great songs and some filler. 4/5

4.5

I like the singer voice and dark melodies of guitars and drums

Geggjað seattle grunge

lowkey they slayed

4/5. A heavy grunge/metal album chock full of bangers. I didn't realize this is where my favorite metal bands clearly got their influence from. This honestly just rocks so hard and each song has an amazing accessibility despite the lyrical content and music atmosphere. Love this genre, and love to find new albums within it.

Het ruigere gitaarwerk. Soms geforceerd zoals bij Sickman. Maar meestal houdt alles elkaar wel in balans. Ergens op drie kwart had ik er wel genoeg wel. Zo'n herrie intermezzo zorgt wel dat je je daar bewust van bent.

3.5

3.69 per track. Grew up in the grunge era but didn't get into Alice in Chains, probably should have, its pretty good.

I’ve listened to this album extensively

Liked this, very similar throughout but I think it’s that’s a good thing. Favourite songs ‘Rooster’, ‘Dirt’ and ‘Hate to Feel’

Just good album

Heavier than I like but it has some really great musical moments and vocals. Some songs really turned down the aggressiveness. Behind the grit and dirt is great writing and musicality. Double bass is gritty and the guitar solos are epic. Overall this was a pretty solid album. Fun to listen to.

Once again brings me back to high school, and San Andreas GTA.

Of the grunge big four these guys are easily the darkest and angriest. This album is very good but unfortunately Jar of Flies overshadows their entire discography for me and I wish *all* their albums sounded like that one. Still this is solid. Probably my least favourite act of the 4 though.

This thing rocks. I was not ready to like this as much as I did.

Nice

Favorite songs: Down in a Hole; Rooster; Would? This album rocks. Guitar riffs abound. Rooster is the best of AIC. Very good album.

AJ: excellent

I liked it, it was fun :) probably less iconic than most of the other ones so far but I liked it more

Jerry for the love of god I can't understand what you're saying but it does make me feel pretty cool. Yeah I'm a rooster don't mess with me 🐔🐔 ANGRY CHAIRRRRR

Didn’t think I’d like it but it’s pretty good

While grunge isn’t my favourite genre, I still think this album is really great due to its hard-hitting riffs and introspective lyrics Favourite tracks: Them Bones, Dam That River, Down In a Hole, Sickman, Rooster, Angry Chair, Would

THEM BONES

i was prepared not to enjoy this but i am favorably impressed

Low 4 but I enjoyed this one! Didn’t realize that Alice In Chains was a Seattle grunge band?? Always thought of them as late 80s arena rock for some reason. I hope things got better for their lyricist because this is not a happy man. Running late to work bye

Cover me in all this dirt, great production, songs are movin and groovin.

Has the best opening note of any album.

One of my favorite early 90's rock albums. Staley's lyrics and singing are powerful, Cantrell's lines are absolute bangers. Not always in the mood for the entire album as a whole, but the first half is fantastic. 4/5!

Great, not really my style, but still really good nevertheless

Great sound, I heard Would? before, but the whole album is great.

A heavy hitting, dark album from the underground kings of grunge.

Actually quite enjoyable

Heroin, the musical!

Rooster!

i know this is going to be a contentious album for entourage. but i'm sorry. this absolutely whips. i hated myself after listening to this chef's kiss

Good stuff grunge

Classic. Not a perfect 5 but I enjoy this album and would give it 4.5

An album with down in a hole, rooster, Angry Chair and Would? Deserves a high rating regardless however is a long album and a couple songs that didn’t have to be there. 8.7

I already liked Alice In Chains so it was nice

Good album love the guitar voice/tone/whatever. Rooster such a banger my stepmom said that would be her walk up song for baseball if she was a pro player.

I like the album that came after this better, but this is the one with a lot of their famous songs.

Hell yeah give me the grunge. I love how all 90s grunge bands sing in the exact same voice. The harmonized vocals are pretty cool. I like how sludgy the album feels, idk if that's the right word but it feels very thick ya know? Like you have to wade through the sound it doesn't just wash over you. Am I cooking or does this not make any sense?

Really good, just not my favorite.

Dirty grungy sound with bleak ish lyrics

I thought this was a pretty good album will have to explore more Alice in Chains

I've never really listened to Alice in Chains, but I dig this album. Will definitely have to listen to more. 4.5/5

Amazing album..not as perfect as jar of flies but great nonetheless. Junkhead is one of my favorite AIC deep cuts

whats ma drug of choy, yoice?

The junkie album, this album could as well being call heroin. But more than drugs, its the pain and the torture with dark subject and lyrics that really define this album. Depression and death are very sensitive subject that they are not ashamed of talking off, Jerry Cantrell the lead guitarist is credited for allmost all track and he clearly was a big influence on this reccord, he co-sing on 3 songs. I think Rooster is the best track here, an dark but destructive guiatr riff intro and the chorus "they come to snuff the Rooster", bring a more political and social tone that this album needed. It talk about Jerry's father that was a veteran of the Vietnam war and was nicknam "Rooster" but could be associate to the Gulf war in 1991. Anyway a incredible song with a good story is a pefect song. Other song that i liked are: Junkhead, Godsmack and Would? I generaly liked song about drugs, and three song reference explicitly heroin use with a very open, but not in a candid way, a very dark, trouble and honnest way. Those are Godsmack, sickman and Junkhead. I always though Layne Staley voice look like Kurt cocain, but when we listen closely we see differences and Layne have his own style that we could spot easly. I'm gonna say that this is the ultimate grunge album, i love nevermind, Nirvana and all, but i think the grunge spirit is more honnest and brutal here, the musicality is very good too and althought not very catchy, it is very powerfull and perfetcly fit the vibe of this album. I think this album recived all the credits it deserved, in the peak of grunge and alternative music this reccord push it a another level like Black Sabbath or the Stooges in their respective genra, Heavy Metal and Punk rock were big influences on this band, and you see The 70's punk in the attitude, subject and the hard rock/heavy metal in the music. It sold more than 5 millions of albums in the US alone, so its not just a undeground random reccord, its a phenomenon part of a bigger mouvement and i think its well deserved for them. On the bad side, (not so much to say on paper) i was not attarcted by those tracks, expect the Rooster wich is one of my favorite grunge song, i dont feel the same for a lot of thoses song, That why i would not give him the perfect notation, but i really praise everything, i just don't connect with it at the same level as some of my favorite bands, but its on the music side, not the vibe, the deepnest or the lyrics that i respect a lot.

first listen such a real and raw sound

Very bleak.

Alice In Chains is as distinctive and recognizable a band as there ever was, and when they hit, it's stellar (in the darkest possible use of that word). My experience is that the detuned guitars, vocal 5th harmonies, and bleak lyrics and landscape wear on my soul after 5-6 songs. They're a great EP band! But seriously, this is an excellent album, it starts to slip just after the midway point and then picks up again, and I chalk it up to employing the same formula throughout. They retread ground as the album gets into the marathon in the middle. But one by one... The Rooster, Them Bones, Would?, Dam That River, Down In A Whole... this is a strong album of material with just those songs alone. Another that might warrant a 3.5 just for the damage it does to its listener's psyche, but for that very reason, it gets the bump for being so consistently stark.

Fantastic album

Essential Tracks: Down in a Hole (Playlist) Them Bones Rooster

Noice. Chugga chugga

Probably 5 Stars but it’s my second album so not sure.

Did they love tom toms in every other decade as much as they did in the 90s? Opens and closes hard, full of dissonance in the middle. Gonna listen again on headphones 🎧

Amazing album just a few songs didn’t jazz me up like the others.

I've listened to Alice in Chains before, usually through radio or in soundtracks but I've never really tried to seek out any of their albums despite loving the grunge genre/rock of the 90's

Extremely biased, but this holds up.

I’ve never really been into Alice In Chains, but I’m sure there are songs that I would recognize. I didn’t recognize any on this album, but quite liked it. I might have to explore their music a little more. 4

Boa surpresa.

Groovy grunge

This was one of my favourite albums growing up must have listened to it so many times as a result probably given it a star too many

FIRE

Même s’ils me criait dessus j’étais pas très attentif, ça ressemble pas mal à Metallica mais de plus grande qualité, je devrais le réécouter une autre fois

Classic 90's album. The vocals are great, the riffs are great, and so many songs are straight classics. The only downside is that I've heard these songs a billion times so their impact is a bit muffled for me. I still think it's a great album though and always worth a relisten from time to time. Favorite Songs: Rooster, Angry Chair, Would?, Them Bones Least Favorite Songs: Untitled, Dam That River

Grunge 1990s. AIC is a classic.

Alice in chains is great grunge I always love their acoustic unplugged stuff as well

I liked this album. Some really good songs on it. The only complaint is that, unlike some of the other grunge bands from that era, Alice and Chains' music sounds dated.

Love me some AiC. Just looking at the tracklist, this album is stacked: Them Bones, Rooster, Down in a Hole, Would? Them Bones starts the album with a sludgy set of power chords and Layne Staley's unmistakable vocals paired with a set of face-melting guitar solos. Sets the mood nicely for the album to come. Dam That River is propelled by a Slash-esq riff that climbs up and down over and over again. Good head-bobbing, grass-cutting tune. Rain When I Die changes gears with a keyed down bass intro with some warbly guitars scratching around on top. Hard to imagine anyone other than Layne Staley holding this song together. His vocals always give me goosebumps. Love this song. Down in a Hole turns 90 degrees into the closest thing to a ballad that AiC ever wrote. Despite its popularity, I'm not that huge on this song. That said, its a well-written song and I understand the appeal as a sort of anthem to depression and exile. Sickman is an interesting number. Oscillates between a driving metal riff and down-tempo crooning from Staley. Another depression anthem about a man staring down death and feeling a lack of control over their life. Disturbing with interesting instrumentals. Not something I would listen to on its own, but it fits in with the rest of the album. Gives way to Rooster, which I understand to be about Staley's father who was a Vietnam vet who struggled to re-adapt after the war and as a result was not present in his life. Song has always been, and always will be an absolute jam. Man had a voice. Junkhead is written from the perspective of a hopeless addict. Makes sense given the scene in which AiC ran in the Pacific NW. Bleak chorus lyrics... "what's my drug of choice? Well what have you got? I don't go broke and I do it a lot." Feels a bit cheesy, but they pull it off. Dirt, has an interesting arabic-style riff. Fine song, but more of a slog than anything else. Bassline on Would? is classic. Strong finish to a great album. I'd say a hard 4/5.

Haven't really ever gotten into Alice In Chains too much so I'm excited for this. Heard Them Bones before and it fucks. Same with Dam That River. Like how in Rain When I Die you think it's ending and then comes back and gets louder. Obvs Rooster is a jam. I need to listen to some more Alice In Chains.

Denna var najs!! Yäää

Not sure what genre Alice In Chains is (unease?), but they sure are the best at it. Classic 90s hits in a style that most people would never bother trying to ingest. Alice In Chains made it so good, the average neanderthal could enjoy it. Good shit, love to see, it hear, be with it. 4/5

Unfortunately an album with allot of themes involving addiction and despair is just too on the mark this week

Dark, but delicious!

p699. 1992. 4 stars. Nirvana clones with some decent tunes. Came cold to this and was pleasantly surprised. On the replay list.

With the caveat that this type of hard rock rarely does anything for me, there were moments on this album when the vocals were a bit clearer and I really started to appreciate the melodies and hooks. I’m rating this a 4 because it overcame my natural disinterest in the genre. Standouts: Rooster; Rain When I Die.

3.6 A classic, a bit samey at times but still a great grunge album. Fave songs: Would?, Rain when i die, them bones

great album, solid work

If you want to know what raw unfiltered GRUNGE sounds like you have this. An absolutely spectacular example of the emotion and feeling that can be portrayed in this rather new, at the time, genre.

really enjoyed!!! the grunge wasn’t too heavy. So interested to really think about “metal heads” when this almost felt like east listenings with the right speakers on the best edible.

Hey, seminal album from this era of music. I enjoy many of the songs, but not all of them. However, the ones that I do enjoy, transporting me back to a time in my life faster than many others.

Pretty great

Every good grunge album ticks a couple on the grunge checklist: •A suicidal lead singer •killer guitarist • thinly veiled references to drugs Dirt has all three, so of course it's great.

4 - Pero en su género

gr8t

Haven't listened to this in a long time. It was a fun listen, and I sang along to pretty much the whole thing. I was never super into AIC, but this is their best album as far as I've heard. 4/5

I love AIC and this is probably their best album… but it’s pretty frontloaded and peaks with “Rooster”. There aren’t any bad songs at all, but it does feel like the second half largely runs out of ideas and repeats its themes pretty heavily. I’d still take it over Nirvana any day though. B+

Love this album

Alice In Chains isn’t my favorite grunge era band. But this is their best album, with arguably their 2nd best song “Rooster”, & also their best overall, this album’s closer “Would?” Like I wrote in the Anthrax review, grunge (especially the way AIC plays it) has many similar qualities as the metal of the era. But grunge keeps its blues roots and the music is more emotionally appealing. Because this album is dark as shit. It sings of death & specifically about heroin which would derail the band in the late 90s & then kill Layne Staley within 8 years. The lyrical themes on the Anthrax album aren’t exactly the same, but they want to play music that is dark, heavy, but it just doesn’t cut it. And sometimes I just can’t listen to AIC, but even if I don’t want to hear them, I still get more imagery and emotional rush from this album than from any Anthrax record.

This is good stuff. Real thick, sludgey grunge that reminded me of Soundgarden’s Superunknown at times, albeit not as consistently strong. Also like NIN’s Downward Spiral, in that it feels like you’re getting an authentic weather report from Personal Hell. The weather in Personal Hell, it seems, is usually dark and stormy. Not somewhere you’d ever want to visit, but still strangely fascinating to view from afar. It occasionally felt like a bit of a slog to get through, but then I suppose wading through such thick sludge is always going to take time and effort. 3.5

This album was a fun experience, and I mostly really liked my experience, has the few Alice in Chains songs that I knew before this, so that's a bonus!

Dark and gritty. Read up on some trivia, really sad. + Down In A Hole + Sickman + Rooster + Junkhead

Vanha grungediggari tykkää, vaikka Alice In Chains löytyki vasta vähän vanhemmalla iällä

I liked this a decent amount better than Superunknown. Maybe the short runtime and commitment to a heavier sound made me like this more. For some reason this album cover is so unintentionally funny to me. 7/10

Already a favourite of mine, great surprise

I generally like Alice in Chains and that they took 90s grunge and made it even grungier. Was shocked to find that the majority of the hits that I could name are all on this one album. Overall it was good, found it got a bit repetitive, but makes sense why this album would be on the list.

Love the singles, the album is OK. Layne Staleys voice is a little whiney but I do like it when he opens his range up a bit

Not bad!

My freshman year college roommate introduced me to this album and was one of our dorm room staples. Jerry Cantrell and Layne Staley were a common bond between me and my roommate, and let us overcome very different backgrounds, personal, political, and religious beliefs. Maybe it hasn't aged as well as I had hoped but I can't give it less than 4 stars.

it’s juvenile and there’s more than a whiff of hair metal but cantrell constructs the heaviest riffs, it’s not even close, and staley was a truly gifted vocalist with an incredible range

I think it helps to really sink "Down in a Hole" to get the most out of Alice In Chains. If you really let yourself wallow with it, "Dirt" will absorb you into it. Yeah, AiC are some long-haired guys in combat boots sharing their depression and addiction. But they share it courageously and intensely. It's raw. It's powerful. They were pretty tortured, especially lead singer Layne Staley, but he fought it. You can read about the fight. Or you can just hear that fight here. There are some gems on "Dirt," especially "Rain When I Die" and "Would?" But Alice In Chains' best work is actually on their acoustic EPs "Sap" and "Jar of Flies." Those projects led to primary songwriter and amazing guitarist Jerry Cantrell singing more, and Cantrell and Staley would develop a complimentary style with some harmonies that really stood out in the genre. It all culminated with their "MTV Unplugged" performance, often underrated but a total masterpiece. With AiC only getting one album on the 1001, it should have been that one.

Its funny to me that on the list of "100 Greatest Metal Albums" in Rolling Stone, #24 is Rage Against the Machine, #25 is Metallica's Black Album, and #26 is Dirt. I agree with this order, but there is little daylight between these and I enjoy each of them immensely for different reasons.

I had already heard most songs on this album, so was glad to give it a full listen from start to finish for once. Definitely one of the defining albums of the genre of grunge. Love it.

I didn't really appreciate AIC growing up, but the metal, grunge, melody, harmonic elements of these songs is so unique that I'm glad I've been a bit more exposed to them over the years. A weird, somber album that still gets stuck in your head all day

Grunge ist nicht 100% meine richtung aber dafür fand ichs echt stark.

Chunky. Rough in a clean way (if that makes sense). 90s af.

This slaps on the basis of the sick guitar tones and 'Rooster' alone. 'Rooster' is utterly brilliant, a thick with atmosphere, and a song that's neither ostensibly anti- or glorifying of war - it's just a war song. A few draggy moments but just crank the volume and enjoy the electric maelstrom.

Andy! I completely forgot about that, but yes - Layne's sister (or step-sister?) did indeed go to School of the Arts. Jamie Elmer. The first picture that popped up on Google is of the two of them when she must have been a pre-teen, but I remember that face. Crazy. What a weird, sad thing to have hanging over your head at that age. Easy to understand why there's not much middle ground on this band, but for me they were a huge gateway band from metal to alternative and other types of music. Not unlike Nirvana and Soundgarden, I'm 99.9% certain I was first exposed to Alice in Chains through Headbanger's Ball on MTV. (And speaking of, I swear to God the 'Ball - which was on Saturdays - played "Smells Like Teen Spirit" before 120 Minutes - which was on Sundays - did.) If you were a young teenage ding-dong getting bored with hair metal, then boom: "Man in the Box" was there to hold your hand and lead you to a strange new land. And oddly, I've forever remembered being more of a fan of the album and EP that came out before this one, but listening again I'm wondering if that holds true any more. I enjoyed all of this. The words were all still in the recesses of my brain and I really like the overall sequencing. If it were 9 songs instead of 13, I would rank it even higher. I don't know that we need ALL three of "Sickman," "Junkhead," and "God Smack," but it helps sell the theme. And what a depressing, grimy ass theme it is! Made all the worse by what inevitably happened. Can a cry for help also be multi-platinum and on the radio? Strange. Anyway, I'll die on the hill that "Would?" is the best album closer of the entire grunge era. Also, that hill will be made of heroin.

I've not listened to Alice In Chains before and they'r enot bad. A cross between the heavy metals riffs of metal kings Black Sabbath and the harmonies of Wishbone Ash. I like them and might even get the album.

One of the best albums of all time. Is starting to show its age a little, but still amazing.

Not bad, I'll always enjoy some metal. I do think, however, that this is another album best sprinkled through a playlist. It all feels a bit samey after a while. None of it was really bad in my opinion, just didn't seem to me like there was much variation. However, it was alright though, and I'm sure I'll save some of these tracks into other playlists. Favourite: Would?

Know that album; own it myself; good straight rock; liked it very much in my younger years;

I actually just recently listened to this album for the first time a few months ago, and I loved it, so we'll see if that love sticks for this re-listen. I must admit, after re-listening to this album, I think the honeymoon era for me is over with it. Its still extremely good, don't get me wrong, but I don't find myself wanting to come back soon after this recent listen, and am satisfied with fewer of the songs overall. Once again, still a really good album, but not quite as perfect as I once thought. The songs present are really good at making your head bop around during, and the vocals hit this perfect blend of being unique without being annoying. This may have dropped from a five star to a four star album for myself, but I still enjoy it deeply, and must state this is a high four star.

Para ser el primer álbum de Alice in Chains me gustó bastante, ese ambiente agresivo que tiene sumado a las vocales lo disfruté bastante, lo único de lo que no soy tan partidaria es la duración, hermano casi una hora de esto me dejó rip. Aún así lo volvería a escuchar. Temas favoritos: Rooster, Them Bones, Dirt y God Smack.

Primer disco de Alice in Chains que escucho y fue una grata escucha. Si bien considero que 13 canciones son un buen número (casi cualquier LP que se precie tiene esa cantidad) lo que más le juega en contra a este disco es su duración en tiempo. Casi una hora, es muchísimo y siendo grunge, no tenés mucho desde donde variar. Hay muchos temas que suenan exactamente igual, sin variar mucho en su sonoridad, composición o ambos. Por otra parte, destaco su ambiente opresivo, deprimente y furioso. Es enojo, bronca, todo junto y todo el rato. Es consistente durante su extensión.

ok

This album is a more conventional hard rock/grunge/alternative album when compared to their contemporaries. The music is guitar driven with a decent amount of wah thrown in giving an almost dark psychedelic feel. Lyrically this is a dark album. It deals heavily with addiction, particularly to heroin, and also discusses inner turmoil, death, and losing one’s mind. This is an incredible consistent album and is widely regarded as Alice In Chains’ best.

Music holds up. I did not remember most of there songs being about heroin, but I guess it makes sense in hindsight.....not something I would listen to all the time, but even rooster is still good even after years of radio play.

Sick! Grundge exemplified. Still mostly just enjoying the popular hits, but good overall. Also Heroin! So many heroin lyrics!

🤘🏼

Good album, nice guitar riffs and overall pretty good songs. Just don't see me listening to this that often due to the dark vibe it has

Grunge usually sucks, but this is one of the tolerable acts of the genre.

Good grunge, better than I thought.

I'm not a grunge fan, but this album is a very great example of the right way to do it, with strong, catchy, loud and emotive songs. It's an album you can easily dive in and live something. There is also nice subtleties in the production and arrangements.

You know how some bands put out a great song and you think they might be good, but then you listen to another one of their songs and you realize they just got "lucky" somehow? For some reason I always thought that about Alice in Chains even though I liked all their songs. "They got lucky again!" I'd think, every time I heard a new one. Eventually I realized I was wrong but it was well after their heyday. Anyway, this album is great and I'm pretty sure it's not from luck.

Very of its time, not bad though.

Man.. This record touches on some very dark themes. Through the years i've only ever listened to the big hits of Alice In Chains. But diving in this record, the lyrics, it's pretty rough. That being said, musically this is some of grunge's greatest records. Jerry Cantrell has some serious riffs and solo's. And Layne Staley can paint a very gruesome picture about addiction. Definitely a moody record I need to find the time for to listen to. But all in all, pretty great stuff! 8 out of 10

4.75

Classic

This is peak 90s rock. Down in a Hole is so damn downbeat. There is so much of that early thrash metal sound in this record. Slayer and Metallica are all over the guitar sounds. Rooster is really where that unique Alice In Chains sound really congeals and becomes its own. Would is great album closer.

Didn't listen to it before. I like it.

Good heavy grunge. Liked track 'Would?'

Brings back memories. Some classics of my 20s here.

Never listener to any AIC before, but thought this was great.

Wow that takes me back. I was ambivalent about Alice in Chains back in the day but listening now I find myself impressed. Still not my personal vibe, but a really solid album.

Easily one of darkest, most crude grunge albums. I don't think I can listen to it complete again tho.

At first was reluctant to enjoy what this record that I and relegated as a B rated album from the 90s - but… there are surprisingly many good bangers here with Rooster, Would, Angry Chair, Down in a Hole and more - that I could get past the dated production and the very 90s-shopping-spree-at-a-guitar-shop tone. And as pacing goes it’s excellent - the lesser songs are supported by the many good singles and so the record never saga in energy and interest - even though it’s not a short record.

I was never an Alice In Chains fan. Though I have heard this record enough that I knew it by heart. Maybe I am a fan...

Alice in Chains has never been my favourite of the early 90s grunge acts. I always found their style a little too heavy, a little too sludgey for my tastes. Dirt is easily my favourite of theirs though, as it has some fucking awesome songs (all of the singles and a handful of others). But the deeper cuts remind me of that unique AiC style that doesn't really do it for me. The more plodding, darker tracks don't resonate like the rest.

I liked it, was basic. Nothing amazing nor bad, solid album.

A pillar of grunge. Dirt is a fitting album name because even in it's cleanest moments, Alice In Chains carriers a certain aura of grittiness to them. I was already familiar with the excellent opener Them Bones, which has me singing along to the chorus every time. I am pleased to report that the rest of the album is just as good. The album carries a consistent dark and crunchy tone that embodies the dynamic range of grunge. If I were to describe it best, Nirvana is like grunge for punks while Alice in Chains is grunge for metalheads. Dirt is a fantastic show of Alice in Chains and absolutely deserving of a spot on the list.

Brace yourself… another band where the familiarity comes from Guitar Hero. I truly didn’t recognise until recently how much music those games introduced me to. Songs I already knew: Them Bones Favourites: Them Bones, Rain When I Die Almost all of this album was a pleasure to listen to. I like the tone of the guitars, and I’m always a fan of odd time signatures (there seems to be a fair amount of 7/8 going on here). The vocals would sometimes remind me a little of James Hetfield, and other times would remind me of Mike Patton. I was teetering on giving this album an 8 out of 10 because I did really enjoy it, but then I asked myself, “Am I likely to come back to this and listen again?” The answer was no. I enjoyed it, it was good fun, but it didn’t leave me wanting more. Overall, an enjoyable album and an easy recommend for rock fans.

I literally just bought this on vinyl a few weeks ago, just to see what the hype was about! I'm a little familiar with some of their hits but the non-singles on this album really rock. The guitar work is sublime as well. Excited to give this another listen today. Update: This record rocks! I think some of the guitar work and effects are a little dated but the core songwriting is still phenomenal. Really great album, I'll have to spend more time with AiC's other work.

Clearly a big influence on QotSA, Incubus etc.

Don't do drugs kids.

I preferred this album to "Facelift" both then and now, it has a little more range and depth to it. I liked the quote from the producer that described them as Tommy Iommi slowed down (vs sped up for Metallica). Unlike, STP, Alice in Chains seemed authentically great and not there to capitalize on a trend driven by music companies. I had the good fortune of seeing them in concert, even helping to hold up Layne Staley while he sang from within the crowd.

This is the kind of music I can't listen to for too long. Musically and lyrically...it's intense. But it should be heard.

This album was heavy without me feeling like I was being screamed at, so I really like it this. Would be good to listen to while at the gym or cleaning the house. They lost me a minute for “Godsmack” and “Untitled” but brought it back for “Hate to Feel”. Great bass and drums in this!

Bra

Didn't think I liked Alice in Chains but apparently I do.

So many good angry songs on here.

I like this album but it gets a little drone-y and sounds a little repetitive at times...

I feel in love with Alice in chains as a teenager. I don't think I realized at the time how deep his addiction was. That being said this album wasn't my favorite one but lots of his songs.

Great rock album

It is actually dirty. But that's just fine. I managed a very deep sleep whilst trying to listen to this. I'll have to give it another go sometime.

Classic grunge. Rooster, and Would are great tracks off this album.

Not all songs great, but a few good ones.

Memory lane!

An incredible album. There are a few clunkers that could have been dropped and brought the runtime down away from an hour. Overall, an incredibly heavy and introspective album with some of the best vocal harmonies in rock music.

Bra början, gillade att det kändes lite sorgligt men samtidigt inte.

Hard hitting powerful rock. Amps you up! And incredible use of vocal harmonies. Really takes it up a notch.

No soft introduction to this album - right away you're launched into a screaming 7/4 odd time signature heavy guitar riff. Welcome to the album if you've never heard this before ha. It was always a bit fascinating to me how big this band got - not because I didn't like them - which I did quite a bit - but they seemed a band that could only have gotten huge at that particular point in musical history. Grunge had just taken hold so abrasive/angry music was the sound of the times but this took it to a new level - this album was everywhere in 1992. There was really nothing like these guys and this album was their peak - bizarre and unsettling vocal harmonies, thickythicc guitar sound, great dynamics, sludgy-stonery in a Black Sabbath kind of style yet much better musicianship, angular and unpredictably dissonant chord progressions that could then resolve into something gorgeous - all the hallmarks of the best of this band. They got the singles right on this album: "Rooster" "Would?" "Down In A Hole" are definitely the three best tracks - "Them Bones" "Dam That River" and What keeps this down just a bit is the overly-dissonant songs - which sounds like a total contradiction from what I'd just praised this album for - but some of them just don't resolve well at all (e.g. "Sickman" "God Smack" "Hate to Feel") - Although...now that I'm listening again I might be off on this critique because those are the moments that likely make the gloriously-melodic resolutions shine even more. e.g. would the album be as dramatic and awesome if those ugly moments didn't exist? hmm maybe not. But they also make the album feel a bit longer than it is, which is a shame - knock like 3 songs from this album and it would have been pretty much flawless. It's not a pretty album by design so I'm sure it's not going to be in everyone's wheelhouse, but I love it. 8/10 4 stars.

Some solid tracks, great to run to. Bit long. 7/10

Early 90s in a can!

Good metal album.

banger, definitely one of the best Seattle grunge albums, 4/5

One of the essential grunge albums, a harrowing portrait of the destruction and misery wrought by drug addiction. Sludgy guitars and yowling, pain-filled vocals combine to make this a memorable listening experience, if not an especially pleasant one.

Very good grunge album with some very iconic songs.

One of the darkest, most depressing albums I've listened to. Highly recommend.

Huge mountains of sound It amazes me how pretty the guitar solos are Beautifully written lyrics allow me to hear voices from a unique perspective Thematically, it's so dark The singles all ~smack~

Classic album with a lot of heavy hitters

I've listened to this one a few times before. It holds up as a classic grunge album. Favorite: Them Bones

The vocal combo really draws me in, despite the lyrical content.

Don’t really like hard rock so I had low expectations, but those vocals went kinda dummy. Had me sitting at work at 10 am on a Wednesday wanting to kill myself, but in a good way.

I'm fully shocked at how good Dirt is. As expected, the slower, acoustic cuts lost me a little. In more of a surprise, Would? didn't do much of anything at all. But the rest of the album is extremely good, a metallic take on grunge which affects me much the same way Skunk Anansie's funk did at first blush. The choice to integrate doomy sounds was inspired, and the writing I caught, especially on Rooster and the title track, hit hard.

'Them Bones' is a top-5 track in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. 'Rooster' is also a song. Also: most ypt (yeah's per track) - Layne Staley or James Hetfield?

Best: Rain When I Die / Rooster / Would? Worst: God Smack / Hate to Feel

Pretty dope

Amazing that an album so angsty and introspective can be so listenable. Amidst all the gloom there is some serious musicianship going and a tightness and structure to the music that avoids the excesses, speed and maximalist sound of equally gloomy traditional heavy metal, say. I kind of dug it.

Grungy like I expect from Alice in Chains. Mostly newer songs to me with a couple old classics I knew.

4.5

Perfectly blends 80s and 90s hard rock into something fresh and pummeling

Var på tide med litt grunge Ikkje hørt heile før Ganske bra

Great album.

A cool slice of grunge that I missed the first time around. Great vocals and guitars.

Very good heavy metal.

Heavy. Dirty. Consistent. A recipe for a good album. Had much fun listening to it. Highlight: Would

Wow, zaskoczyli mnie. Potężny, grunge'owo-rockowo-metalowy krążek. Pozamieniałbym trochę kolejność, żeby bardziej przepleść te mocne kawałki ze słabszymi, ale jest tu dużo solidnych utworków. Mocne riffy, koncepcja za tym jakaś stoi, niemniej jednak też przesłuchałem niemało z gatunku i nie siedzi mi na tyle, żeby dać 5.

I really liked this one. Hadn't heard any Alice in Chains that I remember (maybe I have) but this reminded me of a mixture of Korn, Nirvana and maybe Pantera even. Cool hard rock and I think the vocals are what elevated it for me. There is a time and place for screaming and shouting but I liked that the singer here chose less of that so his words could come across.

Sounds a little like Nirvana, a little like Tool, but not too much like either. Some nicely written grunge

Not my favorite of the big 4 grunge bands or of their biggest albums but it's still very good. Killer first half. 7-8/10

I love it, 8,5/10

This album manages to combine some of the best hard rock melodies and prolific yet subdued vocals. Where metal is high octane and delivered in shots in rapid succession, what we have here is high octane delivered in a steady IV drip. This type of rock is some of the best to work out to, fast enough to maintain a disciplined rhythm, slow enough to keep focused on what is being done. Hard enough to be motivated, and soft enough to sing along without attracting too much judgment. Granted, none of the aforementioned qualities a great album make. Outside of the context of a great day in the gym, "Dirt" is simply a good album. It is heavy, it is melodic, the vocals are solid, the ingredients of a solid album are all here and they pull it off. The album ages well, as the reviewer was still in grade school when this album came out in 1992. First impression guess would have placed it much later, and while the sound of the album could sound a bit dated in 21st century, there is reason to really complain here.

Wasn’t a huge fan of music in this era but this is an exception.

ah, grunge. otkrivanje ovog benda isto kao i nirvane je bilo odlično u to vrijeme, samo je što se tiče ovog benda ostalo u tim godinama, nisam ih dalje slušao kao što tipa znam nirvanu tu i tamo pustiti. dost dobar bend, sa dost dobrim stvarima, ne znam zašto, al sjećam se da sam si ovaj album pustio kada sam imao onaj sobni bicikli i onda sam opleo po tome (poput Mladena do Dubrovnika). uglavnom, najbolji njihov album, no cap. pjesme poput Them Bones, Down In a Hole, Rooster, Would? obilježile dio moje srednje.

Mid 90’s at its finest. 4.75 if I could. So only 4

Geweldig album. Was in die tijd iets minder van Alice In Chains en toch meer van Pearl Jam en Nirvana, maar nummers als Them Bones, Down in a Hole en Would? zijn echt fenomenaal.

Grunge heaven

Considered to be the album that established grunge as a genre.

Classic! Just listened through this album for the first time in ages a couple weeks ago. Alice in Chains were so great because they were a grungier, more metal inspired grunge band from the era. All these songs take me back.

Very solid emotional grunge. Very moody in a good way. Pain and depression comes across in every track.

Man, I hated AiC growing up, but as an adult, this album has got to be one of the high points for grunge. I've always been more of a Soundgarden man than a Nirvana man (and don't even think about bringing up Pearl Jam), but this ranks up there with some of Soundgarden's best.

I'm not a big fan of the grunge, but this album is quite nice- it even has some metal overtones. 4/5

Think this will grow on me. Heavy chugging and irregular times usually do it for me. Would? is a highlight. High three/low four.

4.0 - All the hits off this record still grab me with their intricate guitar work, soaring vocals, surprising harmonies and hooks. I like some of the deeper cuts that I wasn’t as familiar with, especially “Dam That River.” A couple of the late-middle tracks, “Dirt” and “God Smack”, seem to keep pounding in themes of drugs and despair, and I find myself lulled by too much of the same. But “Angry Chair” and “Would?” round out the album perfectly.

OVERALL I liked this one a lot! I think it's similar to a lot of stuff I listened to when I was smol Chlo, so there's a bit of nostalgia in there for me, but I think it's a good version of what it is (if that makes sense??) Somehow I missed Alice In Chains when I was in my grungy phase...lets go Them Bones: c r u n c h y (also did NOT age well in the context of Layne Staleys death aaaaaaa don't Google it its bloody tragic) Rain When I Die: I like the melody in the chorus where he goes \"I think its gonna raaAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIyaaaiyaaaaiyaaaaiyaaaaainnnnn\" Down In A Hole: props for rhyming \"hole\" with \"small\" Sickman: really like the twisty time change (not sure this song needed to be as long as it is though, it's getting a bit repetitive now) Rooster: I'm a sucker for an intro with this floaty guitar effect on it (what's it called?? Music people help pls??) ooooo I also like this guitar about 3 mins in that goes WHA WHA WHA WHAAAA (I did listen to the rest of the album eventually but I didn't write as I went)

An interesting experience re listening to this album now I don’t dye my hair and am reasonably mentally healthy.

This album is one of my top 90s picks.

Bit hard, but iconic

Strong 4 stars. Best Album Opener? YES. Another collection of great 90's hard rock and grunge.

Not my favorite 90s grunge band but this album has some great guitarwork and powerful vocals.

solid grunge album, jerry cantrell riffage

Seriously miss the grudge sound...solid album from a time when I was just discovering "my own" music as opposed to just what my parents had on the radio

An underrated grundge record, but hella, hella cool! 4/5

4.5 for sure. So many good tracks on here and pretty much the quintessential grunge sound.

Un espectáculo de disco grunge con el estilo inconfundible del estilo en sí. Voz característica con canciones muy emblemáticas y genialmente interpretadas

Very grueling in the right ways. Gritty, Angry, frustrated. Missing the pump up to a 5, but a damn fine mood album.

I have always needed a great excuse to listen to this album and here we are! Well, I’ve got to say, I loved this album. It’ll definitely be on high rotation.

This album rules. New workout soundtrack

Ja ga ik nog eens beluisteren

Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Them bones, Dam that river, Rooster, Would?

good

overall thoughts: oh yeah this sum good 90s hard rock right here. I've always heard of this band yet hadn't listened to their material until now. the first track is SICK with those AHHs in the beginning lol. lotta goodies, & tho I do like his voice he does pronounce some things funny. lyrically, pretty sick too. 4/5. fave tracks: them bones, dirt, junkhead, untitled, angry chair, would?

Mitte bis Ende des Albums ist sehr gut!

Lot of nostalgia tied up on this album.

Solid, have listened to multiple plays in the past. Rooster is a well done song.

Alice in Chains redore le blason du metal, jusque la sali par des groupes minables pratiquant le desormais tristement celebre trash metal

I could write lots about Alice in Chains. Been listening to them since I was... 11? Listening to this album in full, as an adult... Holy crap, the content is a new level of heavy. Some seriously strong music here, classic Alice in Chains, amazing vocal harmonies, hugely influential album.. Okay I'll stop. A 4 but not 5 as I don't think this is their strongest album, but it is a classic.

Solid album. Really enjoyed it. I think I would have given it a 5 if it was either slightly shorter or less repetitive but great overall.

Great album! So many bangers. Stands out as more metal than grunge

Never listened to them before. a lot better than I thought!

Its the more metally side of grunge (for me) and was a few years before i really gave a shit about music but I enjoyed this album. Some great guitars and decent tunes on this. 4/5

Boa, melhor desses rock que ouvi até agora

Bon album grunge, 4*

Maybe it's because I was frustrated today but damn I've always thought alice in chains was overrated, but really enjoyed the tracks of this album that weren't always on the radio when I was growing up. Hits still were exhausting, but the stuff in between was way better than I ever would have expected!

That whole album is tops

Perfect album to celebrate Fat Riff Friday

Levy/bändi jonka tiesin olevan suuri aukko omassa musiikkisivistyksessä. Ihan täysin tämä ei vastannut korkeita odotuksia, vaikka erittäin mielellään levyn muutamaan kertaan läpi kuuntelikin. Biisit olivat ehkä keskenään hieman liian samankaltaisia, joskin keskimäärin laatukkaita.

It's fine. Rooster is a standout. Junkhead is depressing

I enjoyed listening to this, until some of the songs started to sound the same and blended into each other.

Röyheetä, rouheeta. En ollu hahmottanu että AiC on näin grungea (tän myötä opein että sitä jos mikä ja tää levy oikeastaan yks tyylilajin määrittäviä kulmakiviä :o). Alkupäässä oli myös hauska pilkahdusta vähän semmosta goottirockin suuntaista ja jännästi tuli mielleyhtymä esim. HIMiin. Hyvää tasaista jynttäystä, mut tuskin tulee palattua ja vähän tuntui jotenkin työltä päästä loppuun asti.

Aivan ok. Tuli mieleen soundin puolesta vähän se NIN mikä kuunneltiin aiemmin, mut näitä on rakastettu lapsena.

I can see why this album, along the others usual suspects, felt identity-changing as a teen, after the gradiose of the 80s. I, however, am a millennial so to me these were just some pretty good songs you'd hear on MTV Nordic's Superrock or 90s nostalgia programs. So yeah, pretty good (better than I thought AIC is, to be frank), but that's about it.

It was okay

Щось цікаве) Ну таке.....

Uhhhh. Idk. I mean I really like the guitar and the drums. Vocally and melody wise I would say it’s safe to say I’m not impressed. For me, it’s a 3. I can totally see how this might be a 5 for someone else. But this is my list. And I am too old to be rating things on how they “should be rated” or whatever. I can no longer pretend there is any objectivity in this exercise. And being such, I reserve 4’s for albums I will certainly, perhaps even excitedly, return to for repeat listening. I will not be returning to this.

Not my cup of tea but it is far better than Guns’n’Roses

Grunge going on Alternative Metal. Definitely not one of my favorite Grunge bands, Alice in Chains steer a bit too closely to that dreadful aesthetic that would dominate the late-90's/early-00's. But that's not their fault, those bands just took their entire sound from Alice in Chain, specifically this album and its immediate follow-up, the Jar of Flies EP. Not amazing, but without a doubt miles better than the bands it inspired. Key tracks: Them Bones Would?

I liked the vibe and some of the songs, but it felt repetitive after awhile.

I've know this album for some years now, with my first listening being back in 2021, if I can remember correctly. The thing is that I never really dedicated it much time, not having listened to it more than five times or so in total, not because I didn't have the time, but due to never really be super interested in the project, and there are two main reasons: First, this style of alternative metal is not really my thing. The combination of sludge riffs with the touches of psychedelic and disoriented guitars from stoner is not a sound that I particularly love, but at least I enjoy to some extent, as it is undeniably heavy. Second, the voice. I both love and dislike Layne Staley's vocals. His screams, what I liked the most about him, are spectacular, liberating, energetic and full of spirit. Really really loved how powerful he sounds in songs like "Them Bones", "Rooster" and "Would?". Another great aspect about him is his ability to write very catchy and memorable vocal lines. Along with the previous mentioned tracks, "Dam That River" and "Down In a Hole" are also quite nice in this aspect. In addition, I should mention how much desperation is portrayed through the lyrics. No doubt why people call this album depressing and dark, touching themes such as nihilism, drugs, worthlessness and loneliness in a very deep and personal manner. What I don't really like are the sang verses with heavy twang and overuse of vibrato, being way more present in the second half than the first one, specially from the songs "Junkhead" to "Angry Chair". Ultimately, I think it is a great album. Not being one of my favourite genres and some issues I have with the voice may bring down the score a lot. Nonetheless, the album itself is very memorable and there are some moments that definitively impacted me.