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.
Nothin' Song
Alice in Chains Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Head hit the board, enough that it aches
Wonder should I be working so late
Began this take at 7:38
Head hit the board, enough that it aches
Wonder should I be working so late
Wonder should I be working so late
Began this take at 7:38
Wonder should I be working so late
Wonder should I be working so late
Well the nothin' song sticks to your mouth
Like peanut butter on the brain
Like peanut butter on the brain
Nothin' ever stays the same
Nothin', yeah nothin', nothin', nothin'
Went outside to give all a break
Wearing cowhide, steak on a skate
Back inside, Sam throw away your cake
Went outside to give all a break
Went outside to give all a break
Wearing cowhide, steak on a skate
Back inside, Sam throw away your cake
Back inside, Sam throw away your cake
Well the nothin' song sticks to your mouth
Like peanut butter on the brain
Like peanut butter on the brain
Nothin' ever stays the same
Nothin', yeah nothin', nothin', nothin'
Gotta finish so I can awake
Feed the cat as she spreads all the waste
Snap her neck or trade in for new make
Gotta finish so I can awake
Feed the cat as she spreads all the waste
Snap her neck or trade in for new make
Snap her neck or trade in for new make
Well the nothin' song sticks to your mouth
Like peanut butter on the brain
Like peanut butter on the brain
Nothin' ever stays the same
Well the nothin' song sticks to your mouth
Nothin'
Nothin'
Nothin'
Nothin'
Nothin'
The lyrics in "Nothin' Song" by Alice in Chains appear to be about the mundane and monotonous aspects of everyday life. The singer begins the song by describing the time he started recording the song, which was late at night ("Began this take at 7:38 / Wonder should I be working so late"). He then mentions hitting his head on the board while recording, which caused him pain ("Head hit the board, enough that it aches"). The repetition of the line "Wonder should I be working so late" suggests that the singer is questioning the importance of his work and wondering if it's worth the physical and mental toll it's taking on him.
The lyrics then shift to the chorus, which describes the "nothin' song" as sticking to your mouth "like peanut butter on the brain." This could be interpreted as a metaphor for the repetitive and unchanging nature of the singer's life. The song then goes on to describe various mundane tasks that the singer needs to do, like feeding his cat and considering buying a new one. The repetition of the word "nothin'" in the chorus emphasizes the theme that nothing in life ever stays the same.
Line by Line Meaning
Began this take at 7:38
The singer started recording this song at a specific time.
Head hit the board, enough that it aches
The singer hit their head on the recording board and it hurts.
Wonder should I be working so late
The singer questions whether they should be working this late.
Well the nothin' song sticks to your mouth
The song the artist is recording is a 'nothin' song' that they cannot seem to shake off.
Like peanut butter on the brain
The 'nothin' song' is stuck in their head like peanut butter.
Nothin' ever stays the same
The singer reflects on the fact that nothing ever remains constant.
Went outside to give all a break
The singer takes a break from recording and goes outside.
Wearing cowhide, steak on a skate
The artist describes their outfit of wearing cowhide with a steak on a skateboard.
Back inside, Sam throw away your cake
The artist tells someone named Sam to dispose of their cake upon returning inside.
Gotta finish so I can awake
The artist must finish recording so that they can wake up.
Feed the cat as she spreads all the waste
The singer's cat is making a mess with her waste and needs to be fed.
Snap her neck or trade in for new make
The artist considers getting rid of their cat by either snapping its neck or trading it in for a new one.
Nothin'
The theme of the song is about nothing staying the same and the 'nothin' song' being stuck in the singer's head.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: LAYNE STALEY, SEAN KINNEY, JERRY CANTRELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Josh
on Nutshell
Really would like some prayers guys.