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.
Frogs
Alice in Chains Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A word so wrongfully abused
Are you like me, confused?
All included but you
Alone
The sounds of silence often soothe
Shapes and colors shift with mood
Rapid brown avoid clear blue
Why's it have to be this way?
Be this way
Be this way
Be this way
Be this way
Be this way
Flowers watched through wide eyes bloom
A child sings an unclaimed tune
Innocence spins cold cocoon
Grow to see the pain too soon
Why's it have to be this way?
Be this way
Be this way
Be this way
Be this way
Be this way
At 7 AM
On a Tuesday in August
Next week I'll be 28
I'm still young, it'll be me
Off the wall, I scraped you
I gotta wake, it comes this way
I can't wait no more
It comes this way (it comes this way)
To drown this ache
To reinstate (Everyone dead, everyone)
(You put me through) Take your place (Put me through hell)
Heaven direct your shape (Heaven direct)
You see I can do it so well
Your expiration date
Your expiration date
Fate, date
Expiration date
This one is gonna last too, hate
Never gonna fuck with me again
My own clean slate
Don't fuck with me again
Makes your eyes dilate
Makes you shake
Irate
The song Frogs by Alice in Chains is a cryptic yet powerful piece about the meaning of friendship and the complexities of the human experience. The first stanza asks a poignant question, "What does a friend mean to you?" and then proceeds to lament the abuse of this word. The lyrics express a sense of confusion and exclusion, highlighting the loneliness that can come with not fitting into societal norms. The second stanza talks about the calming effects of silence, but also how perceptions can alter with mood swings. This is exemplified through the change in the color of the pupils. The chorus repeats the question of why things have to be this way, creating a sense of repetition and helplessness.
The third and final stanza introduces a specific context and is written in a stream-of-consciousness style that is hard to decipher. The lyrics jump from mentioning the time and date to feelings of isolation to someone causing pain. The sudden switch from "it comes this way" to "to drown this ache" creates a sense of urgency in the singer's tone. The final lines seem to be about the singer taking control of their own fate and not letting anyone else dictate their emotions or actions. The song ends with a sense of empowerment, anger, and defiance.
Line by Line Meaning
What does friend mean to you?
Questioning the meaning of the word friend
A word so wrongfully abused
The word friend is misused and not given its true value
Are you like me, confused?
Wondering if others are also confused about the meaning of the word friend
All included but you
Everyone is included in some sort of group except for the artist
Alone
Feeling isolated and without companionship
The sounds of silence often soothe
Silence can provide comfort and relaxation
Shapes and colors shift with mood
One's emotions can affect perception of their surroundings
Pupils widen, change their hue
The artist's eyes are dilated and their eye color appears different due to drug use
Rapid brown avoid clear blue
The artist's eyes avoid making eye contact with others, instead darting around avoiding eye contact
Why's it have to be this way?
Questioning why things have to be the way they are
Be this way
Acceptance of the way things are
Flowers watched through wide eyes bloom
The artist observes the blooming of flowers with an intense and attentive gaze
A child sings an unclaimed tune
A child sings a song that has no particular significance or meaning
Innocence spins cold cocoon
The singer once had innocence, but now feels trapped and isolated
Grow to see the pain too soon
The singer experienced pain and suffering at a young age
At 7 AM
An exact time of day
On a Tuesday in August
A specific day in a specific month
Next week I'll be 28
The singer is turning 28 years old in the near future
I'm still young, it'll be me
Despite approaching 28, the singer still feels youthful and optimistic
Off the wall, I scraped you
The artist acted recklessly and hurt someone else in the process
I gotta wake, it comes this way
The artist must be alert and prepared for something approaching
I can't wait no more
The artist is tired of waiting and is impatient
It comes this way (it comes this way)
Something ominous or threatening is approaching
To drown this ache
The artist intends to use drugs to numb emotional pain
To reinstate (Everyone dead, everyone)
The singer wants to bring back something, possibly loved ones who have passed
(You put me through) Take your place (Put me through hell)
The singer blames someone else for their struggles and wants that person to suffer in their place
Heaven direct your shape (Heaven direct)
The singer may be praying for guidance or help from a higher power
You see I can do it so well
The artist is confident in their ability, possibly relating to drug use or revenge
Your expiration date
The end of someone's life or influence
Fate, date
The inevitable end of something
Expiration date
The end of something's usefulness or relevance
This one is gonna last too, hate
The artist is filled with hatred and believes that something will last for a long time, possibly in reference to their pain
Never gonna fuck with me again
The artist will not allow someone to hurt or manipulate them again
My own clean slate
Starting anew with a fresh start
Don't fuck with me again
A warning to not cross the singer again
Makes your eyes dilate
The artist may have affected someone else with drugs
Makes you shake
The drugs may have affected someone's physical movements or stability
Irate
The singer is angry or frustrated
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jerry Cantrell, Sean H. Kinney, Layne Staley, Michael A. Inez
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Derrick Bennett
lyrics:
What does friend mean to you?
A word so wrongfully abused
Are you like me, confused?
All included but you
Alone
The sounds of silence often soothe
Shapes and colors shift with mood
Pupils widen, change their hue
Rapid brown avoid clear blue
Why's it have to be this way?
Be this way
Be this way
Be this way
Be this way
Be this way
Flowers watched through wide eyes bloom
A child sings an unclaimed tune
Innocence spins cold cocoon
Grow to see the pain too soon
Why's it have to be this way?
Be this way
Be this way
Be this way
Be this way
Be this way
At 7 AM
On a Tuesday in August
Next week I'll be 28
I'm still young, it'll be me
Off the wall, I scraped you
I gotta wake, it comes this way
I can't wait no more
It comes this way (it comes this way)
To drown this ache
To reinstate (Everyone dead, everyone)
(You put me through) Take your place (Put me through hell)
Heaven direct your shape (Heaven direct)
You see I can do it so well
Your expiration date
Your expiration date
Fate, date
Expiration date
This one is gonna last too, hate
Never gonna fuck with me again
My own clean slate
Don't fuck with me again
Makes your eyes dilate
Makes you shake
Irate
Circle of Life
Just goes to show that money doesn't make it any better when you're heart is broken.
When he passed, my heart was broken also.
nd you see top 100 singers of Layne's era and he was in the low 20's.
What kind of s**t is that.
I've never ever heard a more diversified singerand the level of feeling was and still to this day unparalleled for any type of music or so called genres.
I am a drummer, started in 86 and I like speed metal (Behemoth, Nile,) ect. But if the Singer and band has feeling to it I Love it. Layne and band for example.
Rest In Peace to the best all around singer live that will ever live.
Sorry for long comment cause I can go on for days on A.I.Chains. Best to ever do it.
Peace out.
ACE RHYTHM
this is probably one of the darkest songs ever written, ever. its not just hopelessness and desperation, it's the ACCEPTANCE that nothing you do will change it and acceptance that if it kills you, it does. its so powerful
Daveyboy
I love it..Tripod is an awesome AIC album.Dark album the way it should be.Layne and Jerry speak the truth in the lyrics.
Lotto Fever
Perfectly said.
Chris Davis
I must admit.. very well put!!
Casey Stenzel
it's the most beautiful.🖤
Anna Fantastic 111
Layne had total control of the Mood he Sets
Blows my mind seeing him from the Sleaze Performances high energy to Dark Haunting Pulling me into his mind
Cian McClees
This is a performance that will stand the test of time. It showed how well they played together and how well they fed off each other. They were all at their peak musically and it showed. Layne put so much emotion in his vocals that it breaks your heart just listening to him sing. Ive had many times where i felt myself living the chorus, and it hurts knowing others have too. This concert is one that i can listen to in its entirety and not get tired of it. It shows human emotions and how people are connected just through music. Layne was going through it and was able to just pour all his bound emotions into one of the best vocal performances ever. And all the instruments were blended perfectly. Whomever was the sound engineer was a beast.
andy p
I just watched Jerry Cantrell talk about this show with Lars (the Metallica guy), and Jerry was talking about something horrible -- the band about to end, the dead end one of them was approaching, that in a way made this show extra special. There won't be any more tours, or shows, or songs. Nothing. You might as well say, it's our farewell show. Without that dread looming, without that pall....man I just love this band
R. A. Contreras , MA
On his knees, asking Must I accept my fate? He's angelic here.
ZemiBorgmann
Was proud when a friend of mine asked me "dont you ever grow tired, of that same old shit" - Referring to AIC unplugged, Live at the Moore and my other childhood favorites.
To which I genuinely replied "No! Never!" 100% honest!