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.
Breath on a Window
Alice in Chains Lyrics
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Barely holding together
Mapless zone the road signs holes
Keep ahead of the weather
Long past time to close dead eyes
Find a break in the highway
Out here I'm invisible
Very few going my way
Breath on a window, showing tic tac toe
Rear view reflecting there ain't nobody home
Ghost town strip of misery
I ain't feeling no better
Road kill heart inside of me
Follow it to the letter
Sundown brings a welcome change
Everything that's hiding
More at home in landscapes strange
Are you selling I'm buying
Breath on a window showing tic tac toe
Rear view reflecting there ain't nobody home
Cigarette burn holes outline an old soul
Connect the dot scribbling
And you would never know
Failed to heed the signal
Thought you got through just in time
Crashing hard upon your ego
Penetrated from the side
I'd let you go, but you're always in the way
I'm the damage done, your scar of yesterday
I'd love to go, but you're always in the way
I'm the damage done, your scar of yesterday
I'd love to go, but you're always in the way
I'm the damage done, your scar of yesterday
I'd love to go, but you're always in the way
I'm the damage done, your scar of yesterday
I'd love to go, but you're always in the way
I'm the damage done, your scar of yesterday
The lyrics of "Breath on a Window" by Alice in Chains are evocative and introspective, exploring themes of isolation, loneliness, and the search for meaning in a desolate landscape. The first verse sets the scene with descriptions of a solitary figure mending a fence along a road that seems to lead nowhere. The imagery is stark and vivid, with the road signs full of holes and the weather unpredictable. The singer feels invisible and alone, with few companions on his journey.
As the song progresses, the imagery becomes more intense, with references to a "ghost town strip of misery" and a "road kill heart inside of me." The singer seems to be searching for something or someone to connect with, but finds only emptiness and despair. The chorus, with its references to tic tac toe on a window and reflections in a rearview mirror, suggests a sense of confinement and limitation, as if the singer is trapped in a never-ending cycle of futility and regret.
The final verse introduces a note of anger and frustration, with the singer railing against an unnamed adversary who has wounded him deeply. The repeated refrain of "I'd love to go, but you're always in the way/I'm the damage done, your scar of yesterday" suggests a sense of powerlessness and entrapment, as if the singer is unable to escape the past or move forward into a brighter future.
Line by Line Meaning
I mending fence along the road
I'm repairing a fence near the road
Barely holding together
The fence is in poor condition and not very sturdy
Mapless zone the road signs holes
There aren't any maps around and the road signs are damaged
Keep ahead of the weather
Trying to stay ahead of any bad weather
Long past time to close dead eyes
It's time to rest and shut one's eyes
Find a break in the highway
Looking for a place to take a detour from the highway
Out here I'm invisible
Feeling unnoticed and overlooked
Very few going my way
There aren't many people traveling in the same direction
Breath on a window, showing tic tac toe
Breathing on a window leaving marks resembling tic tac toe
Rear view reflecting there ain't nobody home
Looking in the rearview mirror and realizing there is no one there for them
Ghost town strip of misery
A desolate town that brings nothing but sadness
I ain't feeling no better
Not feeling any improvement or relief
Road kill heart inside of me
Feeling as though their heart has been run over like roadkill
Follow it to the letter
Following something exactly or strictly
Sundown brings a welcome change
The end of the day provides a relief from their troubles
Everything that's hiding
Anything that is concealed or unseen
More at home in landscapes strange
More comfortable in unfamiliar places
Are you selling I'm buying
Interested in purchasing something that is being offered
Cigarette burn holes outline an old soul
Burn holes from cigarettes that outline the shape of an experienced and wise individual
Connect the dot scribbling
Dots on the window forming a haphazard pattern
And you would never know
Without context, it's impossible to know what the pattern means or represents
Failed to heed the signal
Ignoring a warning or indicator
Thought you got through just in time
Believing they avoided a problem or obstacle by acting quickly
Crashing hard upon your ego
Feeling a sense of defeat or humiliation
Penetrated from the side
Caught off guard or blindsided
I'd let you go, but you're always in the way
Wishing to move on, but unable to do so because of someone else
I'm the damage done, your scar of yesterday
The damage they've caused is a constant reminder of the past
I'd love to go, but you're always in the way
Desiring to move forward, but someone or something is holding them back
I'm the damage done, your scar of yesterday
Their actions have left a lasting emotional mark on someone else
I'd love to go, but you're always in the way
Feeling trapped or restricted by another person or situation
I'm the damage done, your scar of yesterday
The hurt they've caused is still felt by someone else
I'd love to go, but you're always in the way
Feeling held back and unable to progress
I'm the damage done, your scar of yesterday
The emotional wounds from the past have yet to heal
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jerry Cantrell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Josh
on Nutshell
Really would like some prayers guys.