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Back from wonderland
By Cassie Hood
hoodc@mscd.edu

And then there were three. Alice in Chains, from left: Sean Kinney, Jerry Cantrell and Mike Inez.

When Alice in Chains disbanded, they left their fans in a “Sea of Sorrow,” and in 2002 the overdose and death of lead singer Layne Staley proved that “We Die Young.”

After a long hiatus from the band, the remaining members – Jerry Cantrell, Mike Inez and Sean Kinney – have decided to take the stage and continue the legacy they started in the late ’80s.

Formed in Seattle in 1987, the band enjoyed tremendous success from the start. Their debut album, Facelift, has sold over 2 million copies since its 1990 release. The album’s murky, heavy sound, harsh growls and somber melodies helped define the sound of ’90s rock. Band members’ long tresses and grungy clothes put them smack dab in the center of the metal and grunge scenes, alongside Nirvana, Pearl Jam and the Smashing Pumpkins.

Today’s bands, such as Nickelback and Godsmack, have succeeded by following Alice in Chains’ musical formula. Mimicking the group’s coarse vocals, frantic drums and intense riffs has skyrocketed today’s rock groups to the top of the metal charts, but none have reached the pinnacle set by Alice in Chains. Staley’s captivating voice still haunts the minds of older metal fans.

During the band’s tumultuous final years, Cantrell worked on his first solo album, Boggy Depot, with the help of Inez and Kinney. This signaled the band’s unavoidable falling out. His second album, Degradation Trip, was released shortly after Staley’s drug overdose. The three remaining members attended a vigil for Staley, and for a while it seemed as if the band had died with him. But this past summer the band hit the road for the first time in years, with new frontman William Duvall, and they played five shows in the United States and a few overseas festivals.

On Nov. 9, they embarked on their latest tour. With only 14 shows in total, they have already sold out seven. Their re-entry into the music world is something to be celebrated. They were pioneers for the ’90s metal scene, and they continue to garner new fans today.