Although widely associated with grunge music, the band's sound incorporates heavy metal elements. Since its formation, Alice in Chains has released five studio albums, three EPs, three live albums, four compilations, two DVDs, 31 music videos and 29 singles. The band is known for its distinctive vocal style, which often included the harmonized vocals between Staley and Cantrell (and later between Cantrell and William DuVall). Cantrell started to sing lead vocals on the 1992 acoustic EP Sap, and his role continued to grow in the following albums, making Alice in Chains a two-vocal band.
Alice in Chains rose to international fame as part of the grunge movement of the early 1990s, along with other Seattle bands such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden. The band was one of the most successful music acts of the 1990s, selling over 20 million records worldwide, and over 14 million records in the US alone, with two No. 1 albums and six Top 10 albums on the Billboard 200 chart. The band has had 16 Top 10 songs on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, 5 No. 1 hits, and nine Grammy Award nominations. Their debut album, Facelift, featuring the hit single "Man In The Box", was released in 1990 and has been certified double-platinum by the RIAA, selling over two million copies. In 1992, the band's second album, Dirt, was released to critical acclaim and was certified quadruple platinum. Their second acoustic EP, Jar of Flies, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart in 1994, becoming the first ever EP and first Alice in Chains release to top the charts, and it has been certified triple platinum by the RIAA. The band's third album, Alice in Chains debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in 1995 and has been certified double platinum.
Although never officially disbanding, Alice in Chains was plagued by extended inactivity from 1996 onwards due to Staley's substance abuse, which resulted in his death in 2002. The band reunited in 2005 for a live benefit show, performing with a number of guest vocalists. They toured in 2006, with William DuVall taking over as lead vocalist full-time. The new line-up released the band's fourth studio album, Black Gives Way to Blue, in 2009, which received gold certification by the RIAA and two Grammy nominations. Their fifth studio album, The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here, was released in 2013 and debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. The band toured extensively and released several videos in support of these albums.
Their sixth studio album, Rainier Fog, would be released in 2018, through BMG records, making it their first big release on the new label. Rainier Fog would end up debuting at No. 12 on the Billboard 200, making it yet another powerful addition to the band's already impressive discography.
Although Alice in Chains has been labeled grunge by the mainstream media, Jerry Cantrell identifies the band as primarily heavy metal. He told Guitar World in 1996, "We're a lot of different things ... I don't quite know what the mixture is, but there's definitely metal, blues, rock and roll, maybe a touch of punk. The metal part will never leave, and I never want it to". The Edmonton Journal has stated, "Living and playing in Seattle might have got them the grunge tag, but they've always pretty much been a classic metal band to the core."
Over the course of their career, the band's sound has also been described as alternative metal, sludge metal, doom metal,drone rock, hard rock, and alternative rock. Regarding the band's constant categorization by the media, Cantrell stated "When we first came out we were metal. Then we started being called alternative metal. Then grunge came out and then we were hard rock. And now, since we've started doing this again I've seen us listed as: hard rock, alternative, alternative metal and just straight metal. I walked into an HMV the other day to check out the placement and see what's on and they've got us relegated back into the metal section. Right back where we started!". Drummer Sean Kinney rejects the grunge label, stating in a 2013 interview "I mean, before we first came out there was no grunge, they hadn’t invented that word. Before they invented the word grunge we were alternative rock and alternative metal and metal and rock, and we didn’t give a shit whatever, we were a rock and roll band!". According to Mike Inez, they were always the metal stepchildren of the Seattle scene.
Jerry Cantrell's guitar style combines "pummeling riffs and expansive guitar textures" to create "slow, brooding minor-key grinds". He is also recognized for his natural ability to blend acoustic and electric guitars. While down-tuned, distorted guitars mixed with Staley's distinctive "snarl-to-a-scream" vocals appealed to heavy metal fans, the band also had "a sense of melody that was undeniable", which introduced Alice in Chains to a much wider audience outside of the heavy metal underground.
According to Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic, Alice in Chains' sound has a "Black Sabbath-style riffing and an unconventional vocal style". The band has been described by Erlewine as "hard enough for metal fans, yet their dark subject matter and punky attack placed them among the front ranks of the Seattle-based grunge bands". Three of the band's releases feature acoustic music, and while the band initially kept these releases separate, Alice in Chains' self-titled album combined the styles to form "a bleak, nihilistic sound that balanced grinding hard rock with subtly textured acoustic numbers".
Alice in Chains is also noted for the unique vocal harmonies of Staley (or DuVall) and Cantrell, which included overlapping passages, dual lead vocals, and trademark harmonies typically separated by a major third. Cantrell said it was Staley who gave him the self-assurance to sing his own songs. Alyssa Burrows said the band's distinctive sound "came from Staley's vocal style and his lyrics dealing with personal struggles and addiction". Staley's songs were often considered "dark", with themes such as drug abuse, depression, and suicide, while Cantrell's lyrics often dealt with personal relationships.
Alone
Alice in Chains Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
"Alone"
It's been a long day at the bottom of the hill,
she died of a broken heart.
She told me i was living in the past,
drinking from a broken glass.
I'm alone (I never wanna be alone),
now i (now i) turn to face the cold.
I'm alone (I never wanna be alone),
now i (now i) turn to travel home.
I walked down to the other end of the day,
just to catch those last few waves.
I held out my hand and slowly waved goodbye,
i turned now my eyes up to the sky.
[Chorus]
I'm alone (I never wanna be alone),
now i (now i) turn to face the cold.
I'm alone (I never wanna be alone),
now i (now i) turn to travel home.
She'll come back to me (She'll come back to me).
She'll come back to me (She'll come back to me).
All alone in this misery.
She'll come back to me.
I held out my hands into the light and i watched it die,
i know that i was part to play.
My god, my time to die.
Never want to spend my life alone
[Chorus]
I'm alone (I never wanna be alone),
now i (now i) turn to face the cold.
I'm alone (I never wanna be alone),
now i (now i) turn to travel home.
The lyrics to Alice in Chains's song "Alone" tell a story of loss, loneliness, and the desire for companionship. The song opens with the line "It's been a long day at the bottom of the hill, she died of a broken heart." This sets the tone for the rest of the song, which is about the singer's feelings of isolation after the death of a loved one. The chorus, which repeats throughout the song, expresses the singer's desire to never be alone but also acknowledges that they must face the "cold" and travel home on their own.
The second verse continues the theme of a journey towards acceptance and healing. The singer walks to the "other end of the day" to catch the last few waves, maybe seeking solace or a moment of peace before facing the reality of being alone. The final verse is somewhat cryptic but seems to suggest that the singer has accepted their role in the loss they experienced and is ready to face whatever comes next.
One interesting thing about this song is that it was a collaboration between Alice in Chains and Pearl Jam. The two bands were part of the same grunge movement in the early 1990s and often played shows together. Another interesting fact is that the song was released on the soundtrack for the film "The Last Action Hero" in 1993, but it was not included on an Alice in Chains album until the 1999 box set "Music Bank."
Line by Line Meaning
It's been a long day at the bottom of the hill,
After facing a long day with many struggles and hardships, possibly involving losing someone special
she died of a broken heart.
The loss of someone very dear and close to the heart caused her immense pain and suffering, ultimately leading to her death
She told me i was living in the past,
Before she passed away, she advised me that I was stuck dwelling in the past and not moving forward
drinking from a broken glass.
Continuing to hold onto past pain and trauma, causing hurt and suffering to oneself
I'm alone (I never wanna be alone),
Despite not wanting to be alone, the feeling of loneliness is still very present and overwhelming
now i (now i) turn to face the cold.
Facing the harsh reality of being alone, and the seemingly cold and bleak future ahead
now i (now i) turn to travel home.
Making the journey back to one's own self and finding a sense of belonging within oneself
I walked down to the other end of the day,
Moving forward in life, despite the struggles and pain of the past
just to catch those last few waves.
Finding joy and beauty in small moments of life, despite the greater hardships
I held out my hand and slowly waved goodbye,
Saying goodbye to the past and the people/things that may have caused pain and suffering, and moving on towards a brighter future
i turned now my eyes up to the sky.
Looking towards hope and the heavens for guidance and strength
She'll come back to me (She'll come back to me).
Hoping for the return of someone who was lost and trying to hold onto that hope and belief, despite the pain of the current situation
All alone in this misery.
Feeling completely alone and lost in the midst of great sorrow and hardship
I held out my hands into the light and i watched it die,
Holding onto hope and light, but watching it slowly fade away and die, potentially representing the loss of someone/something important
i know that i was part to play.
Understanding that one played a part in their own pain and suffering, and acknowledging the difficult truths about oneself
My god, my time to die.
Feeling consumed by pain and sorrow, and potentially feeling that it is time for one's own life to come to an end
Never want to spend my life alone
Desperately not wanting to be alone, and hoping for a sense of companionship and belonging in life
Contributed by Logan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@mattsantiago75
This band is called downface and deserve the credit for this masterpiece.
@mick7292
downloading music by ares did a lot of damage, but now i know the answer, thanks
@rockgirlemilyavery
I loooooove this song❤ since the 90s ❤
@doreenwoods2225
Right ? This is not AIC NOR PJ ..geez
@artordiecreations
Broooo thank you so much I’ve tried to find the original and never could, you’ve changed that !
@eargazms
I had this on a mixed tape in high school and my friends and I would always argue about who the artist was formerly known as... Or perhaps still is. ❤
@dallyramos3255
Hate the memories attached to this song regardless such a good song , forever one of my favorites
@brandengraves9992
Your telling me, people dont have a soul anymore...not saying id want to re live these emotions but at the same time i would...
@roidsoutlet8649
Wow...u stole my words, loud love gurl🤘🏻
@thelemite935
Same