He also has a solo career, having released the albums Boggy Depot in 1998 and Degradation Trip Volumes 1 & 2 in 2002. Cantrell has also collaborated and performed with Heart, Ozzy Osbourne, Metallica, Pantera, Circus of Power, Metal Church, Gov't Mule, Damageplan, Pearl Jam, The Cult, Stone Temple Pilots, Danzig, Glenn Hughes, Duff McKagan and Deftones, among others.
Cantrell was named "Riff Lord" by British hard rock/metal magazine Metal Hammer in 2006. Guitar World Magazine ranked Cantrell as the 38th out of "100 Greatest Heavy Metal Guitarists of All Time" in 2004, and the 37th "Greatest Guitar Player of All Time" in 2012. Guitar World also ranked Cantrell's solo in "Man In The Box" at No. 77 on its list of "100 Greatest Guitar Solos" in 2008.
He also contributed to the soundtrack of The Cable Guy (1996), John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) and Dark Nights: Metal (2018), and has made cameos in films such as Jerry Maguire (1996), Rock Slyde (2009) and Deadwood: The Movie. Cantrell also acted in the Alice in Chains mockumentaries The Nona Tapes (1995) and AIC 23 (2013).
Cantrell is a recovering addict and alcoholic and has been sober since 2003. He was awarded the 2012 Stevie Ray Vaughan Award from MusiCares, for his work helping other addicts with the recovery process. Cantrell said in his acceptance speech, "I crash landed here almost 9 years ago, in Los Angeles. Sean [Kinney] was at the door with my brother, so my choices were open the door and go to rehab or jump out the back window down a cliff into some black berry bushes. That’s the choice I took. Luckily they caught me because I couldn’t go anywhere, I was kind of stuck in a bush at the bottom of a cliff bleeding, and I ended up here. I didn’t intend to get here but I’m very grateful I am here, and it took a lot of people to help me get here. It's been an amazing day. It's overwhelming. I'm as imperfect as they come. I just don't get high today and wake up the next morning and try and do the same thing. A lot of people stand and get the fuck back up after falling. Some people don't get that chance. My band's been a harsh example of that – what happens when you don't deal with it." Cantrell and his Alice in Chains bandmates played a five-song set at the awards event and Cantrell stated, "We really miss Layne [Staley] and Mike [Starr], and we carry them with us in our hearts".
Hellbound
Jerry Cantrell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Curtain call begin bowing
Self-appointed abuse king
Hellbound, that's my belief
Black eat white, cassette thrill
Whatever come, eat your fill
Choke on bones, flowing stream long stilled
Hellbound
Come 'round
Hellbound
Going way down
Justified, a self-made man
All I do is do what I can
Edges sharpened, blasted sand
Bizarre, devoted fan
Black eat white, cassette thrill
Whatever come, eat your fill
Choke on bones, flowing theme blown will
The truth is to some degree we all steal
Hellbound
Come 'round
Hellbound
Going to stay down
Warshington, a fish belly rust
Sad chapter read last page first
Black eat white, cassette thrill
Whatever come, eat your fill
Choke on bones, flowing dream now killed
The truth is to some degree we all steal
Hellbound
Come 'round
Hellbound
Going way down
In the lyrics of Jerry Cantrell's song "Hellbound", the singer seems to be a self-appointed king of abuse who is confessing his belief that he is destined for hell. The song speaks about the inescapable judgment that all humans will face one day, and how we are all guilty of stealing something from someone else. The line "self-appointed abuse king" suggests that the singer takes pleasure in causing harm to others, and the phrase "all I do is do what I can" seems to indicate that he is just following his natural inclinations.
The line "black eat white, cassette thrill" could be a metaphor for the way we consume and discard things, and how we take pleasure in destroying what is different from us. The phrase "whatever come, eat your fill" could represent the idea that we take what we want without regard for others or the consequences of our actions. The imagery of a flowing stream being long stilled emphasizes the finality of death and how all things must come to an end. The reference to Washington being a fish belly rust and the sad chapter being read last page first could be references to the decay and corruption of political systems in America.
Overall, the song may be interpreted as a warning against the destructive consequences of abusing power, and how our actions will ultimately lead to our own downfall.
Line by Line Meaning
Going down a last act scene
Descending into the final stages of life or a situation
Curtain call begin bowing
Acknowledging the end of an experience and showing respect
Self-appointed abuse king
A person who has given themselves a position of power to harm others
Hellbound, that's my belief
The conviction that there will be punishment in the afterlife
Black eat white, cassette thrill
The pleasure of encountering something unexpected or forbidden
Whatever come, eat your fill
Taking advantage of any opportunity that presents itself
Choke on bones, flowing stream long stilled
A reminder of mortality and the passing of time
The truth is to some degree we all steal
Acknowledging the commonality of taking from others or society
Hellbound
The state of being destined for eternal suffering after death
Come 'round
Returning or arriving at a specific place or state
Going way down
Sinking or descending to a place of no return
Justified, a self-made man
Asserting one's right to a certain status or life
All I do is do what I can
Working with the resources and opportunities available
Edges sharpened, blasted sand
A metaphor for sharpening oneself against difficulty
Bizarre, devoted fan
A person who is deeply committed or obsessed with someone or something
Warshington, a fish belly rust
A reference to the decay and corruption of a political system
Sad chapter read last page first
Knowing the outcome before experiencing something
Going way down
Sinking or descending to a place of no return
Hellbound
The state of being destined for eternal suffering after death
Come 'round
Returning or arriving at a specific place or state
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Jerry Cantrell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Duff787
on Dickeye
It's all about Layne. Jerry was pissed that he recorded with mad season. Born traitor. Layne and Jerry did lots of drugs together. Only thing he came here looking for. Injected concrete is a not so subtle reference to what dealers cut heroin with. Layne frequently shot up between his toes to hide track marks. Hide bloody feet.