Grunge really began to take off around this time. In particular of note, the movement was spearheaded by Nirvana, although many other groups, particularly from Seattle in the USA were just as talented. Grunge included a variety of bands other than Nirvana such as Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and the Smashing Pumpkins. Alice In Chains is another Grunge band that is frequently overlooked, having some decent historical significance as a band. Although the band has had a huge amount of lineup changes over the years, this album their second album is widely received as their best album overall. The lineup for this album included: Layne Staley (vocals); Jerry Cantrell (guitars); Mike Starr (bass guitar) and Sean Kinney (drums). This is widely seen as a classic album in its own way. Let’s take a listen to this Alice In Chains album and we shall hear what this album sounds like.

Them Bones begins with some screams and some very Heavy Metal/Grunge sounding guitars. Soon enough, this launches into a really excellent proto-Nu Metal sort of song. A new generation had come of age and had brought Grunge Music with them. There is a very Black Sabbath-styled guitar solo in the second half, followed by some pseudo-Shred Guitar soloing. All in all, an essential listening experience for fans of heavier music. Layne Staley is a great vocalist, period. This ends after two and a half minutes in length. Very good.

Dam That River begins with some more awesome heavy guitar riffs and sounds good. The riffs present do sound really interesting, and the music is powerful and the lyrics are about a homicidal maniac. Nonetheless, this is fantastic music to listen to, especially given the power and dynamic nature of this Seattle area Grunge Music. Layne Staley has a proto-Creed/Nickleback vocal but is very original in his own way. A screaming guitar solo emerges in the second half of this song, and it sounds very fantastic. A really exciting listen and a punch-in-the-face musically, this sounds decent.

Rain When I Die begins with a weird bass guitar riff, feedback-heavy guitars and some sweet drumming. This is an extended six-minute-long piece of music. The guitar work sounds warped, not a million miles away from Slayer territory on this song. Soon enough, harmonies enter along with some very heavy Black Sabbath sort of guitars. The verses gradually kick in, and this is a close-to-the-bone song for those out there who are in a bad mindset. Still, this music is a fantastic listening experience and the proof is in the melodies and awesome playing and singing throughout. Again, this is fairly close to what Black Sabbath sound like but is in an excellent and original format throughout. Eventually, this leads into a weird and discordant section in the second half of the song, with some awesome guitar playing and some memorable riffs and playing throughout. Although Grunge is a bit of a label, this music would be better described as very Heavy Metal. Nonetheless, this sounds amazing and the chorus is emotional and fantastically delivered. Eventually, this begins to reach the end of the song, with some interesting whammy guitar work and awesome harmonies to conclude to fade out, before fading back in shortly afterwards. Very awesome and clever.

Down In A Hole launches right into it, with some single coil guitar sounds, hi-hats aplenty and harmonies, quickly launching into a mysterious-sounding song that sounds again, really good. The music and performances on this album are really excellent. The chorus in particular is very uplifting and magically so, and Alice In Chains no doubt inspired a new generation of musicians to pick up an instrument or sing. This could have been recorded today and it would have maintained its popularity. The singing by Layne Staley, along with the rest of the group’s efforts is top. A very awesome tune to listen to, this music is really fantastic to listen to. After some time in the second half are some intricate drum rolls with guitar riffs and layered vocals that sound really fantastic. There are some rather explicit sexual references throughout this tune, and the music present is really powerful and awesome to listen to. A really great and interesting song with some killer guitar riffs, this ends eventually after over five minutes with some great guitar riffs and a gradual conclusion. Awesome.

Sickman begins with some unusual drumming, before quickly launching into some absurdly good rhythmic guitar riffing. From the start, this is fairly indebted to Black Flag, Slayer and similar Alternative musicians out there. The music is a little weird here, but all the same, it works quite nicely. A very odd listen, it stops and starts without warning throughout. This perhaps is a little odd sounding, but its weirdness is much more appreciated than something like the Pixies would have done earlier on in their career. This is melodically and musically brilliant, however. In the midsection is a strange breakdown with some weird and warped musical sounds leading into the second half of this song. It eventually launches into a descriptive yet warped-sounding guitar solo. The stop/start sections present are clever and fantastic to hear. This is a really wacky-sounding tune for Grunge, and it sounds out there in the retrospective songs of musical history. Nonetheless, this works nicely. A really cool tune from start to finish, the ending is very intense and it falls apart well after five and a half minutes. Excellent.

Rooster begins with some watery guitar and sounds different from the start. Not exactly the most exciting introduction. Soon enough, harmonies quickly enter and this tune gets going underway. This doesn’t sound like the best thing musically out there, in fact, this song could have easily been rethought along the way. The chorus is a strange sort of anti-climax. Soon enough, thunderous guitars and drums enter, making this piece come alive. Nonetheless, this does sound really quite good musically. A powerful musical piece, this is a good song, but unlikely a great song. Still, it is very listenable throughout and if you have some decent patience, then this is not an issue to listen to. The mixture of Heavy Metal guitars, powerful drums and some melodic singing throughout is great to listen to, all the same. A lively, pretty and supercharged tune to hear and enjoy. This has a great musical interlude with some interesting melodies before the chorus resumes. The loud and heavy nature of this music is really superb. The outro has some melodic harmonies and some overdubbed guitars that sound really cool.

Junkhead is a reference to Heroin use. It begins with hi-hats and launches quickly into a doom-and-gloom-sounding piece that definitely looks back to the early history of Metal. Layne Staley sings in a deep and emotional way about drug use, and this is a clear ode to Heroin. Not a song for those who dislike illicit drugs of any sort, but it does kick the proverbial musically very nicely. This tune is a deep, warped and rather musically messed up sounding listening experience throughout. This is a good song for those of you who have tried any opioid-based drugs and enjoyed the experience of them. There is a weird and warped guitar solo in the second half of this tune that sounds unusual before the chorus returns. This is not a good musical ode to Heroin. Nonetheless, the music here is good but not great. This will suit many Grunge Music lovers out there, but it does not have a wider appeal as a song. It wraps up with a loud and furious outro that sounds rather awful and ends suddenly after five minutes in length.

Dirt begins with a fade-in of guitars and melodies that sound weird and bad. Some singing emerges, and this song gets underway. A really warped listening experience, this is an unusual tune with some self-hatred and anger in the lyrics. This is The Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails before that album was released in 1994. This is a good listen, but again the negativity and lack of focus sound really ordinary musically here. A rather terrible-sounding song, but it fits the album well. In any case, those of you who get involved in hard drugs are probably going to connect with this song. There is a good and passionate guitar solo in the second half of this song, which is appreciable. Still, one cannot help but feel that this song is rather throwaway listening. A really sweet and supercharged listening experience, although to be frank, non-grunge Music fans will not enjoy this song. In any case, this ends with some intense singing and music to conclude with. The outro slows things right down with the guitar riffs and feedback in the background. Very odd.

God Smack is another Heroin reference in the song title. It begins with some rather naff guitar riffs, and quickly launches into a mid-tempo song that quite frankly, is not very good. Seemingly, the first half of this album was good but the second half of this album drags the music down in quality. The chorus is different, with some wah-wah guitars, pounding drumming and intense singing. Still, this is not perfect listening by any means. It is rather monotonous sounding, depressing and dull to listen to. Tedious is the best word to describe this song. The second half has more intense singing about God, before launching into an odd and strange guitar solo. Nonetheless, this tune is a bit of a drag to get through. A weird piece of music that quite frankly, is not very good. Fortunately, it ends just before four minutes in length.

Untitled is less than a minute long and sounds rather awful from the start. It has some demonic vocals and guitar riffs that are, frankly, awful. It is over before you know it.

Hate To Feel begins with some doom and gloom chords, before quickly launching into another Heavy Metal, Grunge sort of piece. It sounds really awful and very unmusical. A weird and discordant listen is present here, and this is perhaps proof that Alice In Chains was not the best of the Grunge era. This song is a powerful listening experience but melodically does not sound that good. Again, this sounds very much a lot like Black Sabbath, but sounds okay rather than phenomenally good, unlike early Black Sabbath. There is some good guitar playing utilising palm muting and harmonics, although to get through this music is quite a drag. A negative and off-sounding tune, the guitar solo throughout is not really good sounding, either. A really ordinary listening experience, other so-called Grunge groups have done better than this. In any case, this song gradually wraps up with the chorus and sounds powerful, yet not great. The outro is very catchy, but not in a good way. It ends with a sped-up section before abruptly concluding.

Angry Chair begins with some awesome drumming, and quickly launches into another off-sounding tune. This instantly sounds quite bad and is a poor musical piece. In any case, by this point, some listeners may wish to hit stop and go and do something else. This music simply is not that good in the second half of this album. Regardless, this music progresses along well and the singing by Layne Staley is good, even if the rest of the song is not. This album would have been better if some of the songs such as this one were edited properly or junked. Regardless, there is a very good guitar solo in the second half of this song. This music no doubt would have influenced Rob Zombie in his own way. The stop/start feel of this music also makes it very suspenseful. In any case, this song is a good listen but is definitely not great. It ends with some guitar feedback and more pounding drums to boot as it fades out.

Would? is the final track on this album. It begins with a chugging bass guitar, warped electric guitars and some excellent drumming. This is a marked improvement on the songs that came before it. This is a more song-oriented piece with a catchy chorus and a better listening experience throughout. The drumming and rhythm section in this song particularly is a standout listen. This proves that Alice In Chains had the ability to craft some wonderful music from start to finish. Screamed vocals emerge, but not overly manic screaming is present. A fluid guitar solo is present in this song, followed by an energetic return to the chorus. Really great music to listen to, this is a definite and clearly better song than many of the songs before it. This ends with some stop/start rhythmic sections, and the album finishes up here.

This album release, despite being the best album that Alice In Chains released, isn’t very good to hear. It’s not outright bad but some of the songs do sound very horrible. Although there is no doubt that this music was massively influential, it is not very consistent to begin with. Therefore, this is a mixed bag of an album. Should you listen to this album release? If you value music history, then yes. Otherwise, if you are not a fan of Grunge, you may wish to look elsewhere. The material on this album is very patchy.

Kind of good but not that good.

5/10