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.
It Ain
Alice in Chains Lyrics
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Screamin' sweat and bare feet to the floor
In my life, I'd not soften
Things that cut, and burn so often
But I sit, think of somethin'
Scared to face, the dyin' nothin'
See the cycle I've waited for
Where I go is when I feel I'm able
How I fight is why I'm feelin' sore
In my mind, not forgotten
Feel as though, a tooth were rotten
Behind the smile, a tongue that's slippin'
Buzzards cry, when flesh is rippin'
See the cycle I've waited for
It ain't like that anymore
Here I sit writing on the paper
Trying to think of words you can't ignore
In my eyes, what I'm lacking
Score at face, a ten for slacking
Sign the deal, set in motion
Smaller fish, so huge the ocean
See the cycle I've waited for
It ain't like that anymore
See the cycle I've waited for
It ain't like that anymore
The song "It Ain't Like That" by Alice in Chains is a hauntingly powerful depiction of the cyclical nature of life, death and redemption. The lyrics begin by describing a scene of pain and vulnerability, with the singer on a table, screaming and sweating, unable to soften or escape the things that cut him or burn him. However, within this darkness, there is a glimmer of hope, as the singer sits and thinks, afraid to face death, but becoming aware that the cycle he has been waiting for is no longer the same.
As the song progresses, the imagery becomes more detailed, with references to teeth rotting and tongues slipping, as well as buzzards circling flesh that is being torn apart. Despite this macabre imagery, there is still a sense of fighting and resistance, with the singer determined to push through the pain and move forward. The final section of the song sees the singer sitting and writing on a piece of paper, trying to find words that can't be ignored. He acknowledges his own shortcomings, but also recognises the vastness of the ocean he is swimming in, and the smaller role he plays in the grand scheme of things.
Overall, "It Ain't Like That" is a powerful meditation on the human condition, and the ways in which we struggle against the inevitability of death and decay. Through its intense imagery and poignant lyrics, the song encourages listeners to keep fighting, even when things seem darkest.
Line by Line Meaning
There I was, laid out on a table
I was helpless and vulnerable, like a patient on an operating table.
Screamin' sweat and bare feet to the floor
I was terrified and in pain, with nothing to comfort me.
In my life, I'd not soften
I've experienced a lot of hardship and pain, but it hasn't made me weaker or more sensitive.
Things that cut, and burn so often
I've been through a lot of painful experiences that have left their mark on me.
But I sit, think of somethin'
Despite my fear and pain, I'm taking a moment to reflect and consider my situation.
Scared to face, the dyin' nothin'
I'm afraid of the idea of dying and what comes after.
See the cycle I've waited for
I've been through this same pattern or cycle before.
It ain't like that anymore
But things have changed, and I can no longer expect the same outcome.
Where I go, is when I feel I'm able
I only move forward when I'm ready and capable of doing so.
How I fight, is why I'm feelin' sore
The way I approach my struggles is what causes me pain and exhaustion.
In my mind, not forgotten
I haven't forgotten past traumas or experiences that have shaped me.
Feel as though, a tooth were rotten
I'm experiencing a nagging, persistent pain or discomfort.
Behind the smile, a tongue that's slippin'
I may appear outwardly okay, but inside I'm struggling to keep it together.
Buzzards cry, when flesh is rippin'
I'm metaphorically being torn apart or preyed upon.
Here I sit writing on the paper
I'm attempting to express myself and communicate something important through my writing.
Trying to think of words you can't ignore
I want to make an impact and be heard, not dismissed or overlooked.
In my eyes, what I'm lacking
I'm aware of what I'm missing or what's holding me back.
Score at face, a ten for slacking
I feel like I'm failing or not living up to my potential.
Sign the deal, set in motion
I'm committing to something and initiating action or change.
Smaller fish, so huge the ocean
I'm just a small part of a much larger world, but I'm still determined to make a difference.
See the cycle I've waited for
I'm still stuck in this same familiar pattern or cycle.
It ain't like that anymore
But I realize that things are different now and I have to find a new path forward.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Layne Staley, Sean Kinney, Jerry Cantrell, Michael Starr
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Really would like some prayers guys.