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Alice In Chains

Alice In Chains

Alice in Chains (often abbreviated as AIC) is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1987 by guitarist and vocalist Jerry Cantrell and drummer Sean Kinney, who later recruited bassist Mike Starr and lead vocalist Layne Staley. Starr was replaced by Mike Inez in 1993. William DuVall joined the band in 2006 as co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist, replacing Staley, who had died in 2002. The band took its name from Staley's previous group, the glam metal band Alice N' Chains.Often associated with grunge music, Alice in Chains' sound incorporates heavy metal elements. The band is known for its distinctive vocal style, which often included the harmonized vocals between Staley and Cantrell (and later Cantrell and 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. They achieved success during the era with the albums Facelift (1990), Dirt (1992) and Alice in Chains (1995), as well as the EP Jar of Flies (1994). Although never officially disbanding, Alice in Chains was plagued by extended inactivity from 1996 onward, due to Staley's substance abuse, which resulted in his death in 2002. The band regrouped in 2006, with DuVall taking over as lead vocalist full-time, and they have since released three more albums: Black Gives Way to Blue (2009), The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here (2013), and Rainier Fog (2018).

Since its formation, Alice in Chains has released six studio albums, three EPs, three live albums, four compilations, two DVDs, 43 music videos, and 32 singles. They have sold more than 30 million records worldwide, and over 20 million records in the US alone. The band has had 18 Top 10 songs on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, 5 No. 1 hits, and received 11 Grammy Award nominations. They were ranked number 34 on VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock and as the 15th greatest live band by Hit Parader.

Albums

1990 Facelift
1992 Dirt
1992 Tasty White Powder
1993 Dirty Rhythm
1993 Them Bones
1993 Savage Messiah
1995 Alice in Chains
2009 Black Gives Way to Blue
2013 The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here
2018 Rainier Fog
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Latest Articles

News / Music
Alice In Chains @ Download Festival Sydney
PETA Asks Alice In Chains Temporarily Change Their Name To 'Betty In Chains'
PETA are trying to raise awareness for Betty, "the world’s most depressed elephant."
Features / Interviews
Jerry Cantrell
Jerry Cantrell On His ‘Aggressive & Powerful’ New LP ‘I Want Blood’: ‘I Feel Like I’ve Grown’
Jerry Cantrell delves into his heavy new album, 'I Want Blood,' discusses working with metal icons and his plans for a potential Australian tour.
News / Music
Alice In Chains 'Jar Of Flies' EP
Alice In Chains Celebrate 'Jar Of Flies' 30th Anniversary With Real Flies Implanted In Vinyl
Real flies were assembled and inserted into the 'Jar Of Flies' record by hand.
News / Music
Slayer, Alice In Chains, Ghost & More Announce Download Fest Sideshows
So. Many. Gigs.
Features / Music
Alice In Chains Reflect On A Life Spent Making Music With Friends
"I'm still in a band with my fucking friends, and we're still making music. It matters to us like it mattered when we were kids. We're just trying to make the best fucking music that we think is good."
Reviews / Album
Album Review: Alice In Chains - Rainier Fog
"Found a way to maintain relevance, grace and swagger with each new album they release and remain a benchmark in the world of hard rock."
Reviews / Live
Live Review: Alice In Chains, Down, Walking Papers
After 80 minutes they left the sweat-drenched and deafened Enmore audience with Would?, possibly their finest song and the best possible way to round out a diverse and exceptional night of hard-rock music.
Reviews / Live
Live Review: Alice In Chains, Down, Walking Papers
Got Me Wrong and the menacing Again keep the crowd thrashing and, as the rumbling bass of Would? heralds the predictable end of the gig, the band say their goodbyes, well primed for their Soundwave show tomorrow.
News / Music
Alice In Chains, Down & Walking Papers To Play Soundwave Sideshows
Three great rock bands on one big show.
Features / Music
Songs In Their Sails
"I remember last time we were there I had the massive beard; [Jerry] Cantrell and I both weren’t going to shave our beards until Black Gives Way To Blue was really done and in the can, so we had to go to Australia with the ZZ Top beards."
Reviews / Album
Album Review: Alice In Chains - The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here
A lot of tracks on offer are plump for the picking, while others are a bit underripe.
Reviews / Album
Album Review: Alice In Chains - The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here
Sludge metal, hard rock – call it what you will; Alice In Chains are still one of the best proponents of heavy guitar music and are showing no reason to court extinction.