 = Alice in Chains = 
 
 Alice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle , Washington , in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley . The initial lineup was rounded out by drummer Sean Kinney and bassist Mike Starr , who was replaced in 1993 by Mike Inez . 
 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 , two live albums , four compilations , and two DVDs . The band is known for its distinctive vocal style , which often included the <unk> vocals of Staley and Cantrell ( and later William DuVall ) . 
 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 albums worldwide , and over 14 million in the US alone . In 1992 the band 's second album , Dirt , was released to critical acclaim and was certified quadruple platinum . Their third album , Alice in Chains , was released in 1995 and has been certified double platinum . It achieved No. 1 position on the Billboard 200 chart . The band has had 14 top ten songs on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and nine Grammy Award nominations . 
 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 . The album received gold certification by the RIAA . In 2013 , the band released The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here , its fifth studio album . The band has toured extensively and released several videos in support of these albums . Alice in Chains is currently working on their sixth studio album . 
 
 = = History = = 
 
 
 = = = Formation and early years ( 1984 – 89 ) = = = 
 
 Before the formation of Alice in Chains , then @-@ drummer Layne Staley landed his first gig as a vocalist when he auditioned to sing for a local <unk> metal band known as <unk> after receiving some encouragement from his <unk> Ken <unk> . Other members of this group at that time were guitarists Johnny Bacolas and <unk> <unk> , drummer James <unk> , and bassist Byron Hansen . This band went through several lineup changes culminating with Nick <unk> as their sole guitarist and Bacolas switching to bass before discussions arose about changing their name to Alice in Chains . This was prompted by a conversation that Bacolas had with a singer from another band about backstage passes . Due to concerns over the reference to female bondage , the group ultimately chose to spell it differently as Alice N ' Chains to <unk> any parental concerns , though Staley 's mother Nancy <unk> has said she was still not happy with this name at first . 
 Staley met guitarist Jerry Cantrell while working with Alice N ' Chains at Music Bank rehearsal studios . The two struggling musicians became roommates , living in a rehearsal space they shared . Alice N ' Chains soon disbanded , and Staley joined a funk band that also required a guitarist at the time . Staley asked Cantrell to join as a <unk> . Cantrell agreed on condition that Staley join Cantrell 's band , which at the time included drummer Sean Kinney and bassist Mike Starr . Eventually the funk project broke up , and in 1987 Staley joined Cantrell 's band on a full @-@ time basis , playing in clubs around the Pacific Northwest , often stretching 15 minutes of material into a 45 @-@ minute set . The band played a couple of gigs , calling themselves different <unk> , including Diamond Lie , the name of Cantrell 's previous band , before eventually adopting the name that Staley 's previous band had initially <unk> with , Alice in Chains . 
 Local promoter Randy Hauser became aware of the band at a concert and offered to pay for demo recordings . However , one day before the band was due to record at the Music Bank studio in Washington , police shut down the studio during the biggest cannabis raid in the history of the state . The final demo , completed in 1988 , was named The Treehouse Tapes and found its way to the music managers Kelly Curtis and Susan Silver , who also managed the Seattle @-@ based band Soundgarden . Curtis and Silver passed the demo on to Columbia Records ' A & R representative Nick <unk> , who set up an appointment with label president Don <unk> . Based on The Treehouse Tapes , <unk> signed Alice in Chains to Columbia in 1989 . The band also recorded another untitled demo over a three @-@ month period in 1989 . This recording can be found on the bootleg release Sweet Alice . 
 
 = = = Facelift and Sap ( 1990 – 92 ) = = = 
 
 Alice in Chains soon became a top priority of the label , which released the band 's first official recording in July 1990 , a promotional EP called We Die Young . The EP 's lead single , " We Die Young " , became a hit on metal radio . After its success , the label rushed Alice in Chains ' debut album into production with producer Dave <unk> . Cantrell stated the album was intended to have a " moody <unk> " that was a " direct result of the brooding atmosphere and feel of Seattle " . 
 The resulting album , Facelift , was released on August 21 , 1990 , peaking at number 42 in the summer of 1991 on the Billboard 200 chart . Facelift was not an instant success , selling under 40 @,@ 000 copies in the first six months of release , until MTV added " Man in the Box " to regular daytime rotation . The single hit number 18 on the Mainstream rock charts , with the album 's follow up single , " Sea of <unk> " , reaching number 27 , and in six weeks Facelift sold 400 @,@ 000 copies in the US . The album was a critical success , with Steve Huey of AllMusic citing Facelift as " one of the most important records in establishing an audience for grunge and alternative rock among hard rock and heavy metal listeners . " 
 Facelift was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) by the end of 1990 , while the band continued to hone its audience , opening for such artists as <unk> Pop , Van Halen , Poison , and Extreme . In early 1991 , Alice in Chains landed the opening slot for the Clash of the Titans tour with <unk> , <unk> , and Slayer , exposing the band to a wide metal audience but receiving mainly poor reception . Alice in Chains was nominated for a Best Hard Rock Performance Grammy Award in 1992 for " Man in the Box " but lost to Van Halen for their 1991 album For <unk> <unk> Knowledge . 
 Following the tour , Alice in Chains entered the studio to record demos for its next album , but ended up recording five acoustic songs instead . While in the studio , drummer Sean Kinney had a dream about " making an EP called Sap " . The band decided " not to mess with fate " , and on March 21 , 1992 , Alice in Chains released their second EP , Sap . The EP was released while Nirvana 's Nevermind was at the top of the Billboard 200 charts , resulting in a rising popularity of Seattle @-@ based bands , and of the term " grunge music " . Sap was certified gold within two weeks . The EP features guest vocals by Ann Wilson from the band Heart , who joined Staley and Cantrell for the choruses of " Brother " , " Am I Inside " , and " Love Song " . The EP also features Mark Arm of <unk> and Chris Cornell of Soundgarden , who appeared together on the song " Right <unk> " , credited to " Alice <unk> " in the liner notes . In 1992 , Alice in Chains appeared in the Cameron Crowe film Singles , performing as a " bar band " . The band also contributed the song " Would ? " to the film 's soundtrack , whose video received an award for Best Video from a Film at the 1993 MTV Video Music Awards . 
 
 = = = Dirt ( 1992 – 93 ) = = = 
 
 In March 1992 , the band returned to the studio . With new songs written primarily on the road , the material has an overall darker feel than Facelift , with six of the album 's thirteen songs dealing with the subject of addiction . " We did a lot of soul searching on this album . There 's a lot of intense feelings . " Cantrell said , " We deal with our daily demons through music . All of the poison that builds up during the day we <unk> when we play " . 
 On September 29 , 1992 , Alice in Chains released its second album , Dirt . The album peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 and since its release has been certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA , making Dirt the band 's highest selling album to date . The album was a critical success , with Steve Huey of Allmusic praising the album as a " major artistic statement , and the closest they ever came to recording a flat @-@ out masterpiece " . Chris Gill of Guitar World called Dirt " huge and foreboding , yet eerie and intimate " , and " <unk> dark and brutally honest " . Dirt spawned five top 30 singles , " Would ? " , " Rooster " , " Them <unk> " , " Angry <unk> " , and " Down in a Hole " , and remained on the charts for nearly two years . Alice in Chains was added as <unk> to Ozzy Osbourne 's No More Tears tour . Days before the tour began , Layne Staley broke his foot in an ATV accident , forcing him to use crutches on stage . Starr left the band shortly after the Rock in Rio concert in January of 1993 and was replaced by former Ozzy Osbourne bassist Mike Inez . In 1993 , the band recorded two songs with Inez , " What the Hell Have I " and " A Little <unk> " , for the Last Action Hero soundtrack . During the summer of 1993 , Alice in Chains toured with the alternative music festival <unk> , their last major tour with Staley . 
 
 = = = Jar of Flies ( 1993 – 94 ) = = = 
 
 Following Alice in Chains ' extensive 1993 world tour , Staley said the band " just wanted to go into the studio for a few days with our acoustic guitars and see what happened " . " We never really planned on the music we made at that time to be released . But the record label heard it and they really liked it . For us , it was just the experience of four guys getting together in the studio and making some music . " 
 Columbia Records released Alice in Chains ' second acoustic @-@ based EP , Jar of Flies , on January 25 , 1994 . Written and recorded in one week , Jar of Flies debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 , becoming the first ever EP — and first Alice in Chains release — to top the charts . Paul Evans of Rolling Stone called the EP " <unk> gorgeous " , and Steve Huey stated " Jar of Flies is a low @-@ key <unk> , <unk> gorgeous and <unk> <unk> all at once " . Jar of Flies features Alice in Chains ' first number @-@ one single on the Mainstream Rock charts , " No <unk> " . The second single , " I Stay Away " , reached number ten on the Mainstream rock charts , while the final single " Don 't Follow " , reached number 25 . After the release of Jar of Flies , Staley entered rehab for heroin addiction . The band was scheduled to tour during the summer of 1994 with Metallica , <unk> <unk> , Danzig , and Fight , as well as a slot during Woodstock 94 , but while in rehearsal for the tour , Staley began using heroin again . Staley 's condition prompted the other band members to cancel all scheduled dates one day before the start of the tour , putting the band on hiatus . Alice in Chains was replaced by <unk> on the tour . 
 
 = = = Alice in Chains ( 1995 – 96 ) = = = 
 
 While Alice in Chains was inactive during 1995 , Staley joined the " grunge <unk> " Mad Season , which also featured Pearl Jam guitarist Mike <unk> , bassist John Baker Saunders from The <unk> , and <unk> Trees drummer Barrett Martin . Mad Season released one album , Above , for which Staley provided lead vocals and the album artwork . The album spawned a number @-@ two single , " River of <unk> " , as well as a home video release of Live at the Moore . In April 1995 , Alice in Chains entered Bad Animals Studio in Seattle with producer Toby Wright , who had previously worked with <unk> of <unk> and Slayer . While in the studio , an inferior version of the song " <unk> " was leaked to radio , and received major airplay . On October 6 , 1995 , the band released the studio version of the song to radio via satellite <unk> . On November 7 , 1995 , Columbia Records released the eponymous album , Alice in Chains , which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and has since been certified double platinum . Of the album 's four singles , " <unk> " , " Again " , " Over Now " , and " Heaven Beside You " , three feature Cantrell on lead vocals . Jon <unk> of Rolling Stone called the album " liberating and enlightening , the songs achieve a startling , <unk> and <unk> impact . " The song " Got Me Wrong " unexpectedly charted three years after its release on the Sap EP . The song was re @-@ released as a single on the soundtrack for the independent film Clerks in 1995 , reaching number seven on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart . The band opted not to tour in support of Alice in Chains , adding to the rumors of drug abuse . 
 Alice in Chains resurfaced on April 10 , 1996 , to perform their first concert in two and a half years for MTV Unplugged , a program featuring all @-@ acoustic set lists . The performance featured some of the band 's highest charting singles , including " Down in a Hole " , " Heaven Beside You " , " No <unk> " and " Would ? " , and introduced a new song , " Killer Is Me " . The show marked Alice in Chains ' only appearance as a five @-@ piece band , adding second guitarist Scott <unk> . A live album of the performance was released in July 1996 , debuting at number three on the Billboard 200 , and was accompanied by a home video release , both of which received platinum certification by the RIAA . Alice in Chains performed four shows supporting the reunited original Kiss lineup on their 1996 / 97 Alive / Worldwide Tour , including the final live appearance of Layne Staley on July 3 , 1996 , in Kansas City , Missouri . Shortly after the show , Staley was found <unk> after he <unk> on heroin and was taken to the hospital . Although he recovered , the band was forced to go on hiatus . 
 
 = = = Hiatus and the death of Layne Staley ( 1996 – 2002 ) = = = 
 
 Although Alice in Chains never officially disbanded , Staley became a <unk> , rarely leaving his Seattle condominium following the death of his ex @-@ fiancée <unk> Parrott due to infective <unk> . " <unk> worked for me for years " , Staley told Rolling Stone in 1996 , " and now they 're turning against me ... now I 'm walking through hell " . Unable to continue with new Alice in Chains material , Cantrell released his first solo album , <unk> Depot , in 1998 , also featuring Sean Kinney and Mike Inez . In 1998 , Staley reunited with Alice in Chains to record two new songs , " Get Born Again " and " Died " . Originally intended for Cantrell 's second solo album , the songs were reworked by Alice in Chains and were released in the fall of 1999 on the box set , Music Bank . The set contains 48 songs , including <unk> , demos , and previously released album tracks and singles . The band also released a 15 @-@ track compilation titled Nothing Safe : Best of the Box , serving as a sampler for Music Bank , as well as the band 's first compilation album ; a live album , simply titled Live , released on December 5 , 2000 ; and a second compilation , titled Greatest Hits in 2001 . 
 By 2002 , Cantrell had finished work on his second solo album , <unk> Trip . Written in 1998 , the album 's lyrical content focused heavily on what Cantrell regarded as the demise of Alice in Chains , which still remained evident as the album approached its June 2002 release . However , in March that year , Cantrell commented , " We 're all still around , so it 's possible [ Alice in Chains ] could all do something someday , and I fully hope someday we will . " 
 After a decade of battling drug addiction , Layne Staley was found dead in his condominium on April 19 , 2002 , two weeks after his actual death . His mother and stepfather became alarmed when accountants noticed that money was no longer being withdrawn from his accounts . With assistance from the police , they broke into his <unk> and made the discovery . An autopsy revealed Staley had died from a mixture of heroin and cocaine . His friends speculate that in addition to drugs , he may have contracted an illness that his body could not fight off , due to a compromised immune system . In his last interview , given months before his death , Staley admitted , " I know I 'm near death , I did crack and heroin for years . I never wanted to end my life this way . " Cantrell dedicated his 2002 solo album , released two months after Staley 's death , to his memory . 
 
 = = = <unk> shows ( 2005 – 08 ) = = = 
 
 In 2005 , Jerry Cantrell , Mike Inez , and Sean Kinney reunited to perform a benefit concert in Seattle for victims of the tsunami disaster that struck South Asia in 2004 . The band featured <unk> vocalist Pat <unk> , as well as other special guests including Maynard James <unk> of <unk> and Ann Wilson of Heart . On March 10 , 2006 , the surviving members performed at VH1 's <unk> Rock Live concert , honoring fellow Seattle musicians Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart . They played " Would ? " with vocalist Phil <unk> of <unk> and Down and bass player Duff <unk> of Guns N ' Roses and Velvet Revolver , then they played " Rooster " with Comes with the Fall vocalist William DuVall and Ann Wilson . The band followed the concert with a short United States club tour , several festival dates in Europe , and a brief tour in Japan . To coincide with the band 's reunion , Sony Music released the long @-@ delayed third Alice in Chains compilation , The Essential Alice in Chains , a double album that includes 28 songs . 
 DuVall joined Alice in Chains as lead singer during the band 's reunion concerts . Duff <unk> again joined the band for the reunion tour , playing rhythm guitar on selected songs . Before the tour , Kinney mentioned in an interview that he would be interested in writing new material , but not as Alice in Chains . However , <unk> reported that the band had begun writing new material , with DuVall on lead vocals . 
 
 = = = Black Gives Way to Blue ( 2008 – 10 ) = = = 
 
 Blabbermouth.net reported in September 2008 that Alice in Chains would enter the studio that October to begin recording a new album for a summer 2009 release . In October 2008 , Alice in Chains began recording its fourth studio album at the Foo Fighters ' Studio <unk> in Los Angeles with producer Nick <unk> . At the Revolver Golden God Awards , Jerry Cantrell said that the group had finished recording in March 2009 and were mixing the album for a September release . In April 2009 , it was reported that the new Alice in Chains album would be released by Virgin / EMI , making it the band 's first label change in its 20 @-@ plus year career . On June 11 , 2009 , Blabbermouth.net reported that the new album would be titled Black Gives Way to Blue and was officially set to be released on September 29 , 2009 . On June 30 , 2009 , the song " A Looking in View " was released as the first single from the album . It was made available for a limited time as a free download through the official Alice in Chains website in early July . The music video for the song debuted via the official website on July 7 , 2009 . The second single , " Check My Brain " , was released to radio stations on August 14 , 2009 and was made available for purchase on August 17 , 2009 . In addition , it was announced that Elton John appears on the album 's title track . 
 In September 2008 , it was announced that Alice in Chains would headline Australia 's <unk> Festival in 2009 , alongside Nine <unk> <unk> and Lamb of God . In February 2009 , it was also announced that Alice in Chains would play at the third annual Rock on the Range festival . On August 1 , 2009 , Alice in Chains performed , along with <unk> , <unk> <unk> , and <unk> , at <unk> Park , Dublin as direct support to Metallica . The band made an appearance on Later Live ... With <unk> Holland on November 10 , 2009 , performing " Lesson Learned " , " Black Gives Way To Blue " , and " Check My Brain " as the final performance of the episode . 
 To coincide with the band 's European tour , Alice in Chains released its next single , " Your Decision " , on November 16 in the UK and on December 1 in the US . The fourth single from the album was " Lesson Learned " and was released to rock radio in mid @-@ June . On May 18 , 2010 , Black Gives Way to Blue was certified gold by the RIAA for shipments of over 500 @,@ 000 copies . 
 Along with <unk> and <unk> , Alice in Chains toured the United States and Canada in late 2010 on the <unk> tour , an <unk> of the three bands ' latest album titles ( Black Gives Way to Blue , Diamond Eyes , and <unk> the Skye ) . 
 
 = = = Future plans and the death of Mike Starr ( 2010 – 2011 ) = = = 
 
 In April 2010 , Cantrell revealed to MTV News that Alice in Chains was contemplating making a fifth studio album in the foreseeable future . He explained , " There are thoughts . We 'll see how far we get . <unk> in the moment is a good way to live and we certainly hope that it happens . I don 't see any reason why it wouldn 't [ happen ] . " DuVall also commented on the next album and Alice in Chains ' future , " we 've got a lot of water to sail before we do that . There 's a lot of shows . But yeah , generally speaking , yeah , we 're excited about the future . I don 't anticipate some long <unk> . " 
 DuVall revealed in September 2010 that Alice in Chains had not begun writing their next album yet , but " there 's plenty of riffs flying around . " He added , " That was the case when we first started back up . We would just <unk> these fragments , and then some time later we would <unk> through the mountain of stuff , and that 's what became Black Gives Way to Blue . The same thing has been happening since we 've been touring Black Gives Way to Blue , so it would be only natural to at some point say , ' Hey , we 've got a lot of stuff . Let 's <unk> through and see what we 've got this time . ' " DuVall also mentioned that it was possible that the new album would feature songs that were written for Black Gives Way to Blue . 
 On March 8 , 2011 , former Alice in Chains bassist Mike Starr was found dead at his home in Salt Lake City . Police told Reuters they were called to Starr 's home at 1 : 42 pm and found his body ; Starr was 44 . Reports later surfaced that Starr 's roommate had seen him mixing <unk> and anxiety medication hours before he was found dead . Later reports indicated Starr 's death may have been linked to two different types of <unk> prescribed to him by his doctor . A public memorial was held for Starr at the Seattle Center 's International Fountain on March 20 , 2011 . A private memorial was also held , which Jerry Cantrell and Sean Kinney attended according to Mike Inez . 
 
 = = = The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here and next album ( 2011 – present ) = = = 
 
 On March 21 , 2011 , Alice in Chains announced that they were working on a fifth studio album , and both Cantrell and Inez later made statements that they had begun the recording process . The album was expected to be finished by summer of 2012 and released by the end of 2012 or beginning of 2013 . While Alice in Chains were writing for the album in 2011 , Cantrell required surgery , which delayed recording the new material . In an interview published in May 2012 , Cantrell explained , " The thing that set me back is I had some bone spurs [ and ] cartilage issues in my shoulders . I had the same issue in the other shoulder about six years ago so I 've had them both done now . It 's a repetitive motion injury from playing . " 
 In December 2012 , Cantrell confirmed that the new album had been completed , and the first single , " Hollow " , debuted online on December 18 , available for digital download in January 2013 , along with an official music video . On February 13 , 2013 , Alice in Chains posted on Facebook that their new album title would be an anagram of the letters H V L E N T P S U S D A H I E E O E D T I U R R. The next day they announced that the album would be called The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here , which was released on May 28 , 2013 , debuting at number two on the Billboard 200 . The band released videos for the songs " Stone , " " Voices , " and the title track later in 2013 . 
 Alice in Chains toured the U.S. in the spring of 2013 , with further international dates in the summer . In the spring and summer of 2014 they embarked on a more extensive tour of Canada , Europe , and the U.S. Asked in September 2013 if Alice in Chains would make another album , Cantrell replied , " It 'll be a while . It 's [ been ] four years since we put the last one out , but at least it 's not the gap that was between the last one , so that 's about right - about three to four years . " In May 2014 Cantrell stated that Alice in Chains would <unk> up their tour in the fall , take a break , then begin work on their next studio album . 
 In January 2015 , Alice in Chains performed in the halftime show of the <unk> Championship game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay <unk> at <unk> Field in Seattle . Cantrell is a lifelong Seahawks fan and often attends their games . 
 In March 2015 , Alice in Chains announced dates for a U.S. summer tour , set to begin on July 17 in <unk> , CA and end in Bethlehem , PA on August 16 . A second leg of the tour was announced in June 2016 , including select shows opening for Guns N ' Roses as part of the Not in This Lifetime ... Tour . 
 As of May 2015 , according to Blabbermouth.net , Alice in Chains has been working on their follow @-@ up to The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here , which was expected to be released later in the year . <unk> Mike Inez said that the band has been " throwing around riffs for a new record " and " taking it nice and slow . " Asked in a June 2016 interview if Alice in Chains has begun recording their new album , frontman William DuVall replied , " I don 't know . I know we 'll be probably talking about that kind of thing over the next few months . It 's still early yet . We 've gotta get through this tour first . " 
 
 = = Musical style = = 
 
 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 , <unk> 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 ! " . According to Mike Inez , they were always the metal <unk> of the Seattle scene . 
 Jerry Cantrell 's guitar style combines " <unk> riffs and expansive guitar textures " to create " slow , brooding minor @-@ key <unk> " . He is also recognized for his natural ability to blend acoustic and electric guitars . While down @-@ tuned , distorted guitars mixed with Staley 's distinctive " <unk> @-@ 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 <unk> and an unconventional vocal style " . The band has been described by Erlewine as " hard enough for metal fans , yet their dark subject matter and <unk> 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 , <unk> 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 . 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 . 
 
 = = Legacy = = 
 
 Alice in Chains has sold more than 14 million albums in the United States , around 35 million worldwide , released two number @-@ one albums , had 21 top 40 singles , and has received nine Grammy nominations . The band was ranked number 34 on VH1 's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock . Alice in Chains was named 15th greatest live band by Hit <unk> , with vocalist Layne Staley placing as 27th greatest heavy metal vocalist of all time . The band 's second album , Dirt , was named 5th best album in the last two decades by Close @-@ Up magazine . In August 2009 , Alice in Chains won the <unk> ! <unk> Award . 
 Alice in Chains has had a large impact on many bands , such as Godsmack , who are named after the song off their sophomore album Dirt . According to Jon <unk> of MTV , Godsmack has " <unk> followed Alice in Chains ' lead while adding their own distinctive edge " . Godsmack singer and founder Sully <unk> has also cited Layne Staley as his primary influence . <unk> has covered Alice in Chains ' song " <unk> " live , which appears on the compilation The Singles : 1996 @-@ 2006 , and also wrote a song entitled " Layne " , dedicated to Staley , on the album 14 Shades of Grey . Three Days Grace also performs a cover of " Rooster " , which can be seen on the DVD Live at the Palace . Other bands that have been inspired by Alice in Chains include Creed , Nickelback , <unk> , Stone <unk> , <unk> of <unk> , Queens of the Stone Age , A <unk> Horse Named Death , Godsmack , Smile Empty Soul , <unk> <unk> , Cold , Hurt , <unk> , <unk> , <unk> , 10 Years , Breaking Benjamin , Days of the New , and <unk> . Metallica said they have always wanted to tour with the band , citing Alice in Chains as a major inspiration for their 2008 release , Death Magnetic . Metallica also recorded " Rebel Of Babylon " as a tribute to Layne Staley , but the song was left off Death Magnetic due to manufacturing restrictions and then later released on a four @-@ song EP , Beyond Magnetic . 
 Alice in Chains has also had a significant influence on modern heavy metal . Their songs were covered by various metal bands such as <unk> , Dream Theater , <unk> of the Moon , Suicide Silence , and Grave . <unk> and <unk> guitarist <unk> <unk> had expressed his admiration for Jerry Cantrell 's guitar work in an interview for Guitar International saying that " the <unk> and the honest feel that Jerry Cantrell gets on [ Alice in Chains ' Dirt ] record is worth a lot more than someone who plays five million notes " . Anders <unk> of Swedish melodic death metal band In Flames cited Layne Staley as an inspiration for his vocals on the band 's later albums . In addition to fellow musicians , the band has also received praise from critics , with Steve Huey of AllMusic calling them " one of the best metal bands of the ' 90s " upon reviewing the 1999 compilation Nothing Safe . 
 
 = = Band members = = 
 
 
 = = = Timeline = = = 
 
 
 = = Discography = = 
 
 Facelift ( 1990 ) 
 Dirt ( 1992 ) 
 Alice in Chains ( 1995 ) 
 Black Gives Way to Blue ( 2009 ) 
 The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here ( 2013 ) 
 
 = = Awards and nominations = = 
 
 Alice in Chains has received nine Grammy nominations . Their first nomination was for the song " Man in the Box " , nominated for Best Hard Rock Performance in 1992 . The album Dirt was nominated in the same category in 1993 . Six more songs were nominated between 1995 and 2011 , and the album The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here was nominated for Best <unk> Album , Non Classical in 2014 . 
 The music video for the song " Would ? " , Alice in Chains ' contribution to the 1992 film , Singles , won the award for Best Video from a Film at the 1993 MTV Video Music Awards . In 2009 they won the <unk> ! <unk> award , and in 2010 they won the Revolver Golden Gods award for Black Gives Way to Blue . 
 American Music Awards 
 The American Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony created by Dick Clark in 1973 . 
 Grammy Awards 
 The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences . 
 MTV Video Music Awards 
 The MTV Video Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony established in 1984 by MTV . 
 
 