Dirt

Grunge is such a weird genre in retrospect. Really nirvana was a complete outlier and this is more like the typical grunge sound. I enjoyed listening to it. But not so engaging that I imagine I’ll come back and listen again.

Solid grunge here but nothing too special.

Fuzzy guitar and driving bass make it unmistakably grunge, but it has a darker, heavier bent. There's a heavy metal soul to this. "Would?" is a favorite, and "Rooster" is solid, but other tracks left me wondering how long till the next track. Distinctive sound with some Soundgarden vibes, but Layne Staley was never Chris Cornell.

6/10

I don’t typically listen to hard rock/heavy metal but I do think this is a good album.

Good to revisit. Still don't like the vocalizations, but the guitar licks are pretty awesome.

Not a huge grunge head but you know what I enjoyed this more than I was expecting, big walls of angst that feel pretty all-consuming in quite a nice way. I think these guitar tones that would have felt really dated about five years ago have benefitted from the revival of this kind of aesthetic so it actually feels quite fresh. This is still just not the kind of music I'm that into, but I was pleasantly surprised by it. 3 stars but would give it an extra half if I could.

mid

Some bangers and then some very samey sounding tracks between the bangers

pretty good its like nirvana but better

It's fine, Alice in Chains isn't my favorite personally

not really my thing

oh Stu LOL you must be thrilled (I hear you can't buy a thrill these days HAAAA) Steely Dan today - yay!!!! As for Alice in Chains, never could vibe with their sound, too dark, menacing and threatening - all that wailing in that key is depressing. Talented musicians but only 2 tracks on here I like

It feels like having butterflies in your stomach. I can't tell if it's excitement, fear, anxiety, or something else. All I know is it is present, lingering, and steady, persisting throughout the album. A steady strumming in my belly.

AIC was a phase that I went through that embodied a dating phase that I went through. It was great at the time but I left it all behind.

The highs are really high. The lows are just mediocre, generic sludge rock. Still, not bad. 3/5

I feel like I should have liked this more. But I never made it there.

Okay. Didn't love it, didn't hate it.

Good. Big 90s grunge vibes

Bättre än jag förväntade mig, men också för långt för det den erbjuder. 3.5.

Thanks to Headbangers Ball I was pretty early to AiC. “Man in the Box” was just different enough from the metal bands to keep my attention, but also seemed, well, kinda disturbed. But with big choruses! Dirt took that further, probably too much for normie teenage me. One song about a problem with heroin? Cool, speak your truth. A whole suite? Mostly in dirge form? Hmm. But, the songs that hit still work for me and Cantrell’s playing goes well past the metal trappings of the non-grunge bands they were initially associated with. It’s no wonder this is such a formative record for genres that followed.

More towards the metal end of the Seattle grunge groups with this album which is probably one of their better ones early in their career.

Some really cool stuff on this but often feels like a repetitive soundscape. A little bit too metalic for my taste. Alice In Chains is warranted as being one of the big 4 of grunge, but they are behind Soundgarden, Pearl Jam and Nirvana still in my book.

I think this gets better the more you listen to it, which is good, but at impact I've found the instrumentals not varied enough, probably because grunge is not my favourite genre (I don't dislike it though, like I said, it probably would take me more than a day to get used to it. A good album overall, I just don't like really coesive albums.

just dont like the nasal ahhhhhh voice

The highs of this album are incredibly high. Opening track rips, Rooster and Would are fuckin amazing! Vocally top performances in the genre ever. Second half of the album drags for me, a few skip songs too many.

This album is a bit of a mixed bag for me. The highlights are some of the best songwriting examples of the grunge era in songs like Down In A Hole and Rooster, with some amazing vocal performances in songs like Rain When I Die, Junkhead, and Them Bones. There's some good riffs, interesting rhythmic changes, effective harmonies, and some interesting structures and progressions. But the flip side is how depressed it left me feeling. There are many songs with no tonal centre or intentionally dissonant chord usage that - while theoretically interesting - left me feeling unsettled lead my mind to wander. There are also some pretty lacklustre and forgettable verses that just drag when compared to highs this album. Best song - Rooster Notable mentions - Them Bones, Down In A Hole, Rain When I Die

meh

J’ai besoin de le réécouter

3/5

It's a shame that Alice in Chains often gets relegated to B-team grunge status behind the stratospheric success of Pearl Jam and Nirvana. I suspect that their music is a bit less accessible than some of the other bands. Like Soundgarden, Alice in Chains is closer to metal, whereas Nirvana was more linked to punk, and Pearl Jam was closer to straight-forward arena rock with a serious Gen-X bent. Dirt can be seriously creepy at times. I've always loved the harmony vocals and sludge of Alice in Chains, but they just don't hit me the way they used to when I was a teen. So, how to rate this album? It's a grunge classic from the start of my most formative years. It's an excellent representation of the genre, but that genre just doesn't do it for me much anymore. The punchiness and raw testosterone from the chords were incredible when I was a young teen. I still get excited when one of the hits from this record comes on randomly in a playlist or a cover band in a bar strikes one up, but I'm not really seeking out Alice and Chains at this point in my life. This is probably a four-star quality record in general terms, and of course, fans of the grunge era will probably like it even more than that. It's a personal three from me, though.

I was into the whole grunge thing at the time, but not Alice in Chains so much (I was a Pearl Jam girly). Nonetheless, I did enjoy hearing this album again.

Classic

3/5

Solid, pretty dark, a bit of a slog in subject matter wise and there are no out and out bangers but good production and musicianship and pretty consistently decent

Never listened to them before but quite liked this album, it's quite punky but borders on metal. I'd definitely listen to more of their stuff!

Not my thing but I can see why people are fans

It is probably not wise to judge a band against itself, but this album is limited in my mind as it competes against Jar of Flies which I am more partial to. Still solid, however, and I like the memento mori theme!

Sludgy as hell. I always dug how Staley and Cantrell's vocals worked together. Favorite song: Would?!

6.3/10

Not my type of album, it sounded too repetitive for me.

esta bueno, nada del otro mundo

One of the grunge giants but I liked their second album Jar of flies much more.

meh, all kinda sounded the same, not really my vibe tbh 3

1/12/26. I was feeling too soft for this album today but still not bad. 6.5/10

I'm excited to listen to this as I don't listen to a lot of Heavy Metal. First impression is it's pretty solid. It's heavy without screaming so I'm in. I think I can understand the appeal, however i'm not so into it that I'd search and listen to it. However, if it were on at a party I wouldn't turn it off. This feels like an album you'd crank in a garage by yourself when you're feeling sad and crush some beers. Then cry a little.

This one rolled around while I was an angsty teen, it was good timing. Dark, heavy, and tortured sound with exceptionally good production. It’s not a daily listen for happy people, but it has its place.

More of a mood piece than an individual track piece, I enjoyed playing the whole album from start to finish. But I don't think Grunge is really for me.

I dags album var lidt bedre. Stadig ikke helt min smag men jeg kunne godt lide det lidt

Like there are some bangers, maybe in a different setting I would enjoy more. Fav: Would?

Nice sound

Has not aged well, repackaged hair metal for the grunge era.

It’s not my cup of tea, but I appreciated the lyrics and the harmonizing. I was almost warming up to it by the time I got to Would?might be worth another listen, but I’ll give it a three for now, reserving the right to change my mind.

Very heavy grunge, great guitar riffs but repetitive feeling lyrics

i can see some appeal in this as well it

First song was pretty great but this album is so fucking edgy. Yes, yes, we know you are a sad boy.

Heavier album than I expected and not a sound I would lean towards normally. Some great guitar work on this album which I can hear echoes of other bands of the era. Not a bad album, just not my cup of tea.

Very good rock album, deep and personally on drug addiction and coming up from rock bottom. An easy and strong 3.

sick man was good

começou bem paulera logo de cara,, eu tava gostando bastante mas aí perto do meio começou a ficar meio repetitivo e eu não tava mais tão interessada. foi de um 4 pra um 2 mas a última música eu achei a mais diferenciado então subiu pra um 3

This made me think of the line "Her CD changer's full of singers that are mad at their Dads", from Bowling For Soup's "Girl All The Bad Guys Want". Rage, misery, brutally expressed in metallic grunge

I liked this a lot. I would only re-listen to a few on the regular. LOVE rooster, God Smack, Down in a Hole, Would. Sickman and Rain when I die were alright.

It has a very dark and heavy sound, from the music to the vocals and themes. It was an interesting and intense listen, but good overall.

I resonated with this album a bit. It did feel like a long album but some songs hit just right. I did already know 2 songs in there but the extra songs around them are good. It was a great first listen through and I am already looking forward to my next listen but I am not sure I'll be able to listen to the whole thing again. The drums are what I mostly vibes with, that drummer is amazing and the guitar has some riffs that I vibe with for sure. It's definitely an album that I've been sleeping on for a while so I am glad I got to listen through the whole thing now. 7.6/10

really cool rock sounds, superb instrumentals- but it's not my fav kind of sounds, I imagine a rock head would 1000% love this album

The guitar in Them Bones was really good. Whole album reminded me of Soundgarden & Pearl Jam, now wondering how I missed this band the first time around.

Beim Lesen des Namens der Band kam mir nicht in den Sinn, so ein "Metal"-Album zu hören. An sich ordentlich harter Klang, aber mir fehlte etwas die Varianz zwischen den Liedern.

Solid record, the singles were definitely the strongest tracks but there were a few others that came close. Definitely would benefit from cutting 2 or 3 of the weaker songs but even those had some cool ideas. 3.5

Net schlecht

released 1992 (2022 remaster album). heavy metal / rock band formed in 1987. songs i already knew: none songs i liked: dirt facts: lead singer layne staley died of an overdose of a speedball (mix of speed and heroine) age 34 part of the ‘big four of grunge’; others are nirvana, pearl jam and soundgarden

fave songs: rain when i die down in a hole rooster 3.5 🌕🌕🌕🌗

To me I wasn’t a huge fan of the album. I liked the guitar and bass riffs. Would? was my favorite song on the album. A lot of the songs had similar vibes. It just wasn’t for me.

Metal. Too much metal. Decent album with a few recognizable songs. Too much metal. Pitchfork: n/a Rolling Stone: n/a Best Songs Rooster Would?

- uskotteko kotona, mulla ei oo yhtään alice in chainsin biisiä soittolistoilla - dam that river, potkii - sickman, potkii - miten mä tykkäänki näistä vähiten kuunnelluista biiseistä - never forget vh1 mainospätkä missä soi would - ei paskempi levy, iha jees

Not bad. Just not bad

Album #11: Dirt - Alice in Chains Genre (according to Wikipedia): Grunge, alternative metal, heavy metal, hard rock Singles?: Would?, Them Bones, Angry Chair, Rooster, Down in a Hole Have you listened to this album or anything by this group before?: I have listened to this album once before. I have also heard “Man in a Box” and “Get Born Again”. Thoughts?: This is one of my mom’s favorite bands. I enjoy Rooster and Down in a Hole, and I have listened to this album. I like the concept, despite it being depressing. What an intro to start the album. I like depressing music, but I feel like because I’m a sensitive individual, certain music is overwhelming (like hip-hop or specific rock). I’m nervous about the listening experience here. Maybe it’s pretentious of me to say. Favorite songs: Them Bones, Dam That River, Down in a Hole, Sickman, Rooster, Junkhead*, God Smack, Angry Chair As a writer, what can you use this album for to hone your craft?: Darker, depressing scenes deserve this type of music for inspiration. But I’d sit and listen many times first. I don’t want to be insensitive. File correlations: File #009: Force Devils (certain scenes)

Super heavy but good, a little angry sounding

Something about this didn't then and doesn't still appeal to me. Too heavy? Too much butt-rock remnant? Not sure. I like one song a lot, the rest... less.

Not my favourite grunge band of the era, and grunge is not my favourite genre, but this was not bad.

There were some good things about this album. Brought me back to 90s alternative radio for sure.

Heard this one almost 20 years ago. Doesn't hit the same. Some great riffs but too long and a bit too samey. I'll give it a 3

Not what you need to be in a chill mood. More so if you wanna be moody. It did appease my temporary moodiness though.

Considered listening a second time to follow the lyrics, but it's just too loud. Perfectly fine album, almost wish I could give it 4 stars. Just can't imagine listening to that much noise all the way through again, willingly. If this was my style it would rank high. - Pop metal? What is this... I don't hate it tbh - Probably too loud to get a 4 either way, but I am enjoying it

53/1001 First listen. I love the big names in grunge but just never got into Alice In Chains. I have heard the singles but never listened to them. I could get into this album though and will revisit this band again in the future based on everything I heard between the singles. 5/10

Missed this music while my kids were little. Good. Just good.

Music good. Singing style is interesting but a no for me.

Everyone I hung around with played this album a lot, and I did. It was on the juke box where I worked. Patrons liked to play it. I heard it again and again and again. And again. Metal grunge. Heroin withdrawal depression music. Great time!

This is a good, albeit too long, grunge album. Grunge isn't one of my best jams but damned if Alice In Chains doesn't have some bangers. Top tracks: "Rooster," "Them Bones," "Would?"

not quite my tempo, I can appreciate what it is. Prime Matt Linville Listening hours for sure.

--Them Bones...power stance! --Dam that River...solid --Rain When I Die...like the guitar work here --Down in a Hole...getting a little long --Sickman...this is weird. not sure if it's my brand of weird --Rooster...sudden urge to grab my crotch --Junkhead...mildly interesting sludge --Dirt.../checks watch --God Smack...not digging the vocals --Untitled...interlude --Hate to Feel...I like the heaviness --Angry Chair...what did you do to the chair, Layne?! --Would?...is that a heavy bass intro? don't mind if I do

Doomy, grungy, and lots more

A bit too hard to be found on most "divorced dad rock" playlists but could fit into the genre. Has some good stuff. The melodies in particular hit pretty universally on this project. 'Them Bones' solo was great. 'Dam That River' solo was also great. Honestly, guitar work all over this project is fantastic. Favorite song: Down In A Hole/Would? Least favorite song: Rooster

Cool

Inte så bra som jag mindes den. Rooster är en monsterhit men resten är bara ok. Tungt välspelat men utan hookar. En trea

Rooster

Rooster time

Some compelling songs and really nice riffs, but ended up not feeling as exciting or impactful as I was expecting going in. I also never really got into the singer’s voice.

There's a lot going on here--some of it I like, some of it I find irritating. For me, it's just too much all at one. It's overwhelming. I can see why people love it: the music, the vocals, the atmosphere of it all. I can also see why people hate it, for all the same reasons. What a sad existence Layne Staley had.

This has a harder rock tone. I loved "Them Bones" and the talent on guitar.

Pretty solid - didn't pay much attention to them at the time. One of those bands that are good, but didn't particularly catch me.

Grungy goodness though it's way too long. There are some really good songs like "Rooster", "Down in a Hole" "Hate to Feel," and they keep things interesting most of the time. I enjoyed the layered vocals and more complex rhythmic structures. But, come on, almost an hour is too much and on one song in particular ("God Smack") the vocal was like nails on a chalkboard with an exagerrated vibrato that made me want to gouge my eyes out.

Album was alright, some groovy beats in there and I liked Them Bones, Down In A Hole, and Rooster, but it could feel a little generic/samey at times and the lyrics are a bit too heavy for these songs to be something I will be returning to again and again

Bom que já começa num AAAAAHHHH hehueuheuhe. Vibe massa de cara já, me lembra a banda dos brother... Álbum vai pra uma vibe mais tensa e pesada que não costumo curtir tanto. Rooster é legalzinha, curti. Voz do cara é bem foda. Álbum legalzinho, algumas músicas muito foda, mas não é tanto meu estilo, então dou 3 estrelas.

Popular grunge band that I have not listened to, really. Recognized some of the songs, but as I am not a huge grunge fan, I'll only give this three stars since it has some of the band's best work.

I had the Singles soundtrack. That was enough grunge for me in the 90s. This wasn’t bad though; I enjoyed the sludgier songs more than the guitar solo-y stuff.

Was already a big fan of Them Bones for a long time. Obviously Down In A Hole, Rooster and Would? are classics. Great album!

Grunge but a little more polished, big vocals and production on this. Didn't love it but liked it enough, maybe another or listen or 2 is needed.

I'm already familiar with the album from late school/early university and enjoyed the singles when working on homework so this has a strong nostalgia vote going for it. The rest of the album isn't quite strong enough, maybe it needed some more variation to help the heavy elements shine again.

Enjoyable grunge album

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

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

meh

Nice discovery! Dark and energetic

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

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

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

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

Rv

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

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

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

Decent but still prefer pearl jam & nirvana

Could’ve been 10 songs shorter otherwise banger.

Kelpo metallilevy.

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

Okay classic rock. Nothing crazy.

Standouts Them Bones Rooster Would?

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

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

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

Better than I remember. Great guitar tones.

A solid listen

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

okii yay

not bad

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

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

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

Was more metal sounding than I expected

To repetititve

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

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

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

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

Best Track - "Would?"

Mildly interesting

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

nice head bobbin while i look for work

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I respect it, just not for me.

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

pretty standard grunge

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

You can't kill the rooster, motherfuckers.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Better than one would think

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

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

Listened on August 8th. 6/10.

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

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

Competent

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

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.

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.

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

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.

3/5

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

Whaaaaaaa raaaummm de raaum raaum

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

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

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!

Highlights: ‘Rooster’

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

3.5 dad rock kinda cool

Favorite Track: Down In A Hole

'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.

Not my style but pretty catchy.

Iconic but not “great”

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

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

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.

Sounds just like Alice in chains

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

Lowkey reminds me of OTH.

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

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.

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

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

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 ⭐️

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.

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?

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

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.

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

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

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.

Нормальный альбом, средней тяжести рок

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

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.

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.

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

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.

Epic album loved it

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".

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

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

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 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.

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.

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.

Was good music, but wasn't exceptional

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?

Them Bones on Guitar Hero. Surprising number of songs that survived to modern radio era.

Great classic grunge album.

Some good stuff. But not really for me.

Not exactly cheerful. But a solid album and I can see the argument for some grunge albums to be on the list. Made me wonder what made all these Seattle lead singers decide to sing in the same way. Most of the songs were too long Clearly they have an excellent guitarist.

this is a pretty cool nirvana album I want to like it. At times it's entertaining and holds my attention, but the album loses my attention just as quickly. I didn't care for "Nevermind" or "In Utero" either, so maybe I just don't like grunge? Maybe I just don't get it? Maybe I wasn't in the right mood while listening to this? This album has been a breaking point for me. I wrote up a whole rant about how I've enjoyed a mere 6 of the 28 albums I've listened to so far, but I deleted it. I'm taking a break from this website, who knows when or if I'll be back.

rewarding when it caught my attention but too samey overall

good but i would probably like it more if my head hurt a little less

Alice in chains was never my favorite band from this era but this is a pretty good album -- If I could I would probably give it more of a 3.5 but it is what it is....

Its ok.

Solid 3.5 but won’t let me do halves

Ok

Mid

I thought this was much later in the 90s than 92. It's not really my style and if it was about twenty minutes shorter, I probably would have liked it more.

"Rooster" [++] "Would" [++] "Them Bones" [+]

Multiple hits from the 90s grunge era. This one is a tweener for me...rounding down because on the whole I don't find it to be an enjoyable listen.

I've never been a fan of Dirt compare to "heavier" albums like the three legged dog one or Black Gives Way To Blue, but I didn't dislike this. I just think most of the songs sound the same and didn't move me much. But it's still a cool sound.

Didn't really do anything for me, sorry.

Decent, not my style. Some songs I really enjoyed

I was born in '87. Mostly Christian music in the house. Every now and then I'd get glimpses of my dad's taste in Led Zeppelin and hair metal. I grew up listening to Christian and local punk bands. My sister was the one who introduced me to cool music, like Portishead and Smashing Pumpkins. By the time I had developed my own music life I gravitated toward post-hardcore and indie rock. All that to say, I kinda missed the 90s grunge era. Looking backwards, its tricky for me to appreciate bands like Pearl Jam, STP, Alice in Chains, Metallica. Feels like the nu metal lineage, like aesthetically closer to Slipknot or Creed. Kinda trashy. Not super relatable to me. It's not the worst though.

Just background noise on an airport run nothing really grabbed me.

Lieblingssongs: Dam that River, Down in a Hole, Hate to Feel, Would? Mag das Album generell schon, doch manchmal ist es so geballt auch ein bisschen viel, zu viele ähnliche Sounds und man muss in der Stimmung sein für den Gesangsstil.

His voice is whiney

Is this a grunge, huh?

I have often listened to Alice in Chains but never really been a fan. Their albums are ok but have not really convinced me.

Not my favourite genre … but wasn’t bad.

Started off feeling pretty dated... I don't know if I just got used to it or that it got better, but it jumped from a 2 to a 3 for me about half way through. Still sounded dated regardless.

Like if Metallica listened to Nirvana and SoaD. Not bad as it is, but also one of my least favorite parts of 90s rock.

this was fine but certainly not good

6/10 Best track: "Rooster“

Llevo con el álbum en bucle lo menos tres horas y no me llamó la atención ni una sola canción, de hecho, me está empezando a rayar vivo, pero me mola, yo diría que más que Nirvana, pero simplemente no me parece memorable. Igual lo vuelvo a escuchar otro día y me vuelve loco así que me lo guardo, pero meh.

Another bit of rock that feels rather slow and casual. Perhaps I'm not a big fan of classic rock in general.

Mixed feelings. Deze site zet me wel aan het denken, dat ik grunge hoger heb zitten dan ik dacht. De esthetiek, de vocalen, en vooral de metal gitaren zijn niet echt mijn pakkie an over het algemeen, maar de verscheidene grungey acts die wel al hebben mogen beoordelen bekleden allemaal wel echt hun eigen niche. Dat had ik niet gedacht. Ik had in mijn hoofd dat bands gedurende die tijdspanne van een jaar of 3/4 allemaal om en nabij hetzelfde produceerden. Alice In Chains heeft net als een Smashing Pumpkins echt een eigen geluid. En waar Nirvana veel les trekt uit noise en punk, is AIC voor een groot deel geworteld in metal, en dan vooral Black Sabbath. Het jaren 70 werk van de band uit Birmingham druipt uit alle poriën van deze plaat. En alhoewel ik toch wel een (gematigd) fan ben van het werk van Black Sabbath, is een heel album aan metal-achtige riffs en doomsday vocalen wel een beetje veel. Ik kende de knallers van deze plaat ('Down In A Hole', 'Rooster' en 'Would?'), en dat zijn wel echt Knallers met de hoofdletter K, maar daarmee was voor mij het verhaal van deze plaat wel verteld. De rest was niet slecht, maar gewoon te langdradig voor iemand die toch snel overprikkeld raakt door deze muziek. De stem van Layne Staley is wel echt monumentaal wat mij betreft, net als 'Would?', wat misschien wel de beste album-afsluiter is van de jaren 90. 6,5/10 Highlights: Rooster Would?

I can hear why Nirvana were the big breakthrough act from the grunge era. There is a sense of melody that the others lack, and of course Kurt’s voice bring something extra that the likes of Layne Staley just didn’t have. It’s all a bit dirge like and samey to my ears. Next

It has some good songs

Would (?) I listen again? Maybe. Would? Is probably my favourite song from this album.

I have spent the last 35 years thinking Alice In Chains was probably a knockoff Nirvana that I didn’t need to hear. It turns out they around much more like a knockoff Metallica, but in the best way. Huge guitars, huge drums, huge riffs, great frontman. I enjoyed it, tho I don’t need to repeat.

Dont think I have ever listened to them on purpose but this was actually pretty good. Its a 3 because I probably wont come back but its very close to being a 4.

I've tried to get into grunge before as it feels like something I should like, but it never clicked for me. However, I enjoyed this once I got into the vocals. Three stars as it could lose 3-4 songs and I'm not sure I'll go back to it, but it has definitely made me rethink my position on grunge - I'm looking forward to hearing Soundgarden and Pearl Jam who are inevitably on this list somewhere

not bad not my thing but didn't mind it

such anguish

This one had a ton of acolytes back in the day, but I wasn’t one of them, because I figured, well, yeah, it rocks, but so did a lot of other things at the time, and I couldn’t really see what it was doing to distinguish itself. In retrospect, it’s better than I thought, because the highlights are truly high. And yet, many of the tracks hit the same vibe and riff, so I still find it a bit middle of the pack.

That INTRO hits so hard. Way to grab your attention in the first three seconds. I do find Layne Staley's voice a little whiney and nasaley though.

I didn't hate it. I was only familiar with the first track (Them Bones). Favorite track: Down in a hole. It's giving sad girl. I lied, I know the "Rooster" which is a fun song. Will I listen to this again? probably not. But this was my first full grunge album (don't come at me Seattle.I just moved here.) "Dirt" actually slapped tho. "You, you are so special You have the talent to make me feel like dirt" Correction.. I didn't know "would?" was alice in chains. Okay I might give this album another go.

Listened to this, and Superunknown, and Ten, when I was 13. Have not listened much since. It's pretty good, but overlong and the grunge guitars blur into each other as the album drags on. Tough to imagine revisiting much, but it's clearly accomplished.

This is a kind of sound I feel obligated to like simply because of the instrumentation. The roaring guitars, including the thickly distorted bass and drum sound, is done fairly convincingly here. And yet... something feels missing to me. Maybe it's the variation in mood, which is pretty much nonexistent. In other words, every song sounds very grungily similar to the last, and that's especially sinful for a consistently high-energy album (and one that covers nearly an hour of runtime). As another reviewer correctly pointed out: "The grungy sameness of it all makes for difficult listening." Another reviewer, giving the album a 5, conceded that Alice In Chains creates disorientation through their weird time signatures and near-atonal sound. And sure, pushing the boundaries of music is fun - but at some point you have to concede that music sounds better when it's, well, musical. Dirt gets about halfway there. 3/5 Key tracks: Them Bones, Down In A Hole, Rooster

-pretty cool! very intense and interesting, sort of reminiscent of Nine Inch Nails. surprised I haven’t heard anything by them up until now -It wasn’t really holding my full attention by the end in the same way the opening songs gripped me. holy shit those first few songs though, insane -Favorites are Them Bones, Dam That River, and Down In A Hole

Gotta love grunge

Some really catchy tunes I like some of it, other stuff is not really for me I think. Mixed feelings on this one