 "A dramatic step backwards." | 2008-05-19 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2II09GQGWOMTQ |
After the perfection of Dirt, this disc is somewhat of a let down.
Was the groups inner turmoil finally starting to affect the group?
It shows.
The songs seem to lack direction and a general lack of interest from the band.
There are a some good songs on the disc.
Not what I would call a must have. |
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 "Crunchy, Existential Grunge" | 2007-12-12 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3ATILMTEHQ4B7 |
AiC's final studio release fittingly projects a sense of finality and closure...songs like So Close, Over Now, and Head Creeps echo a sort of haunting acceptance of a cruel fate that perhaps Layne Staley was anticipating in the near future. Nonetheless the grit and existential nature of much of the album comes with crunchy guitar and wailing riffs to spare...a culmination of the "dirt" that had been AiC's signature until then. A good listen in accompaniment of some cynical circumspection of today's society and those who are left behind.
Great acoustic sounds in Over Now and Heaven Beside You, sludginess in Head Creeps and, yes, Sludge Factory, and introspection in Shame in You and God Am. |
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 "Not the same feel as their other releases." | 2007-10-20 |
| - Reviewed By fas10003 |
| A lot of this is going to sound negative but it really isn't. This album does not give me the same feeling as any other Alice in Chains album. I find myself skipping through several tracks which is something I can't say about "Facelift" or "Dirt". I would even go so far as to rate their EPs "Sap" and "Jar of Flies" as better endeavors. Mainly it has to do with my preference for the collabrative efforts between Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell in their previous works. This album is almost all Cantrell due to Staley's ongoing drug problems. It's not that I don't like Jerry's efforts, I think he is a wonderful songwriter/vocalist/guitarist, but I prefer the variety of material and emotion that Staley brought to the table in his songwriting. Again, this isn't a bad album, it just isn't their best. |
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| "Alice In Chains' Underrated Masterpiece...Don't Brush It Away!" | 2007-09-04 |
| - Reviewed By howzat49 |
Alice In Chains (AKA Tripod) (1995.), Alice In Chains' third studio album
Alice In Chains, a band so downcast and tortured in sound, had proven their true worth as part of the Seattle grunge movement by the mid-1990's. Ever the epitomy of grunge, 1992's difficult metal masterpiece `Dirt' catapulted the band into great popularity and the subsequent acoustic excellence of their `Jar Of Flies' EP showed to many that this was a band of diversity and experimentation too. However, by the mid-90's, the grunge movement was a fading phase and the fates of many of the bands of the era were unsure. With Alice In Chains, questions over vocalist Layne Staley's huge drug addiction persisted and many wondered whether the band would ever release another album. In the midst of this, Alice In Chains emerged with their eponymous album in late 1995, a work of slow, depressing yet captivating style that earned the band their second Billboard 200 #1...
`Alice In Chains', or `Tripod' as it is affectionately known to fans has gone down as Alice In Chains' most underappreciated album. This album sees the band at their most bleak, downcast and emotionally devouring. All the more reasons not to buy this album I hear you say, but not quite. Previous album `Dirt' was a masterpiece, one of my personal favourite all time albums - it was difficult, moody and often edgy but it drew you in spectacularly. `Alice In Chains' has the same absorbing power on the listener but it achieves this though different measures. The whole album is extremely slow in tempo and literally grinds itself along. However, it is this, combined with areas of pure heaviness as well as beautiful yet downcast acoustic sections that keeps you captivated by the music. Staley's tortured voice paints a bleak picture yet his lyrical themes on this album have a fascinating aura of enigma about them with tracks such as `Brush Away' and `Shame In You' which keep you thinking just that little bit. Guitarist Jerry Cantrell also plays a much greater vocal role on this album and his softer sounding vocals complement Staley's troubled murmurs excellently. Cantrell and Staley are for me one of the great writing partnerships of the 90's who have sadly become unsung heroes. Alice In Chains have always conveyed a strong musical landscape in their music and it is no different on this album. In many ways, this album is a coalescence of ideas that have come before it as we have the `Facelift'/'Dirt' era heaviness in tracks like `Grind' and `Sludge Factory' and then the acoustic mastery of `Jar Of Flies' seen in tracks like `Heaven Beside You'. Every listen to this hour long album will hold you in some sort of painful tension but you'll always want to play the whole thing through. This is some dark masterpiece, afterall it is Layne Staley's chilling farewell as it is the last studio recording he would ever perform on before his sad loss in 2002.
`Grind' opens Alice In Chains' depressing showcase masterpiece. The song title is an apt description here, with slow heavy pounding riffs sounding out this excellent song. Cantrells' softer melancholy singing on most of this track is backed in parts by Staley's withering harmonies that create a really eerie style to the vocals. `Brush Away' sees Staley take to his role of lead vocals with some ambiguous yet cuttingly delivered lines. More pounding riffs and a great drum pattern from Sean Kinney set up an excellent second song on the album. The 7 minute epic, `Sludge Factory' is next, a song that sounds great heavy (on this album) and fantastic in acoustic style (as seen on `Unplugged 1996'). The tracks slow main riff sounds almost spiteful and Staley draws out some dark and again cutting lines. The chorus has an awesome melody to keep the song flowing and the eerie, distorted and dissononent outro is captivating. Alike `Sludge Factory', `Heaven Beside You' is another of the best cuts on here. The lead single off the album, this track has some excellent acoustic lines and some great Staley/Cantrell vocal harmonies. `Head Creeps' is a return to more heavier stylings. A very intense track that feels like it is constantly pounding you in the face. Staley's vocals are downcast and disturbing and add to the overall atmospherics of the song. `Again' keeps the album theme of gloominess going with plenty of heavy riffs and distorted chorus lines.
`Shame In You' is another enigmatic Staley composition that feels chilled out yet there is something uncertain lurking beneath the surface of the song that is somewhat unsettling. Jerry Cantrell plays a magnificently controlled solo at the end of this great track. `God Am' is more downcast and bonecrunching listening and `So Close' sees a quicker pace in the music yet there is an even more agonising and tortured vocal style from Staley. Another great track that aches pain. `Nothin' Song' has a really cool and mellow intro before the song picks up its grinding theme. The chorus has some pretty amusing lines in this otherwise mellow rocker. `Frogs' is the longest cut on here and is pure atmospheric excellence. The whole song is extremely slow and drawn out...the whole thing feels like a ticking bomb that could explode any moment. An on the edge of your seats, creepy song, it is a damn fine track in its own right. `Over Now' is a more upbeat epic to end the album. As it is more `happy' (using the term in its bleakest form!) it gives you the feeling of emerging from a difficult journey that has twisted your mind in many ways. Indeed that is true, this album is a mind twister! Cantrell shines on the guitar on the closer rounding off a fantastic album.
`Alice In Chains' is an underrated masterpiece from the Seattle grungers. In my entire record collection, this is perhaps the most downcast, despondent and depressing album that I own. It cuts you like a knife, yet it does it slowly and torturously. This is a great album from Alice In Chains yet it can be a difficult listen if your mood isn't right. Still, this for me is a unique and captivating work from the band that captured the spirit of grunge to the highest degree. `Alice In Chains' is a '90's classic that I would highly recommend getting hold of, just give yourself plenty of time to soak it up when you listen to it!
MY RATING: 9.5/10
R.I.P. Layne Staley |
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| "Most Underrated album indeed" | 2007-08-28 |
| - Reviewed By antmc15 |
| Been said countless of times, but it's true. This is the most listen to album (for me) out of the AIC catalog. Song's like "Frogs", "Sludge Factory" and "Heaven Beside You" have yet to cease from my constant rotation of music listening. Hell the whole album in general is good. |
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| "Tri-pod. Coolest album nickname ever." | 2007-08-03 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3AT7DTU3947U2 |
The three-legged dog on the cover is very symbolic to where this band was when they released this album. Despite everything (drug problems) they were still standing.
This is the last studio album by this great band, at least with Layne as the frontman. And while it is very sludgy and not as hauntingly melodic as Dirt, it is full of great songs and offers up a handful of hits.
"Grind" kicks the album off to a good start, and it does have grinding riffs and a great chorus. The video for this song is really cool.
"Brush Away" and "Sludge Factory" are highlights, and could have been singles. "Heaven Beside You" is probably the biggest song on this album, and my personal favorite. It is one of the catchiest songs they ever made. "Again" is another hit song, and Layne really shines on this chugging tune. There are a handful of songs that probably only a true AIC fan would appreciate, as "Head Creeps", "God Am", "Nothin Song", are kind of odd, but excellent. The end of the album gets more mellow with the haunting "Frogs" and the prophetic "Over Now", another single.
If you are a fan, this is a must-have to complete your collection. If you are just getting into AIC, I would suggest Dirt as a starting point. Enjoy! |
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| "A Solid Swansong Finale Collection From Alice In Chains..." | 2007-05-01 |
| - Reviewed By trekkiemike22 |
Alice In Chains have made quite a name for themselves in the rock world, and they have achieved many successes in their career, but sadly some things just don't last that long, and singer Layne Staley died April of 2002 from a drug overdose. His last studio effort with the band, the "tripod" album as it's become synonomous to be called, is an album full of reflections from a drug addict who has overcome obstacles, but it's also a bold step for the band who blend their metal murky style with classic rock noodlings and folky acoustic segments. It makes for one heck of an amazing collection.
"Grind" is a classic Alice In Chains staple now, complete with chug-chug riff with wah wah effects and wary lines like "in the darkest hole/you'd be well advised not to plan my funeral 'fore the body dies", and the chorus is uplifting with the harmonizing of guitarist Jerry Cantrell and vocalist Layne Staley in full force, as the rhythm section of bassist Mike Inez and drummer Sean Kinney thunders home. "Sludge Factory" is a seven minute epic scope view of a junkie's forethought, and it's a cousin to DIRT's "Junkhead". Elsewhere on the album, Cantrell shines on the foreboding acoustic/electric sizzle of "Heaven Beside You"; "God Am" questions the activities of a deity while a clean grunge lies underneath; "Frogs" sounds like an ominous building storm that crashes to some degree but never really lashes out...it just remains calmly dark for its 8 minute-plus runtime. But the band doesn't abandon it's metal stylings it's so famous for, and the aforementioned thunder of "Grind" is accompanied by the bron-y-ard stomp of "Again" and the cascading grind of "So Close". The album closes with the introspective "Over Now" which is a showcase for Jerry Cantrell's musings over a failed relationship. Not everything on this album addresses the theme of drugs, but it certainly sounds like an album that's an aftermath to a bad night.
But for all the dark majesty of this album, it certainly is one of the most classic and resounding albums of overcoming the travesties of a drug-riddled life. ALICE IN CHAINS turns out to be one of the most introspective albums Alice In Chains has ever made...confessional yet inward, metal yet classic rock, hugely Seattle yet resoundingly refreshing, and it still holds true today. |
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| "One of my all time favorites" | 2007-04-28 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2N2A1YVQBJ6DU |
| This album isn't nearly as popular, but in my opinion it is just as good as "Dirt". Due to Layne's illness they were unable to tour and promote this gem properly, but it still had some moderate radio hits in the beatiful "Heaven Beside You", the rocking "Again", and the shockingly dark and powerful "Grind". These are great, quintessential AIC songs but the thing is, they are far from the best on the album. Jerry Cantrell has said in interviews that if they had toured to promote the album, "God Am" would have been released as a single, and this breaks my heart. Lyrically and musically I would rank "God Am" as one of the best AIC songs ever. My personal favorite on the album is "Shame in You" a slow, chilled AIC song that gives Layne the chance to show off his amazing voice and Jerry the chance to shred amazing guitar parts in almost bluesy fashion. "Head Creeps" and "Sludge Factory" definetly deserve mention as well: these songs are dark and almost frightening, but feature cool lyrics, guitar work, and Layne's amazing and distorted voice. You will find yourself immediately drawn in a jamming after a single listen. If you like Dirt, please buy this album, you will be surprised how quickly it grows on you. |
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| "WHY, OH WHY Couldn't fate have let these guys still be recording?" | 2007-02-08 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1A3IU4LGCHYJO |
| This group kept getting better and ummhmm...better. At first I thought this was aic's worst output. I wanted a return to the youthful energy of "facelift" or the dark, heavychevy "dirt" or the beautiful acoustic "jar", but this album "aic" is now my favorite alice album closely rivaled by "jar of flies". The reasons it is now my favorite is because each song has layers of extremely well-produced instrumental and vocal sound only to be further layered with complex lyrical play and meaning. Essentially this is a complex output allowing me to listen to it over and over and ,good god ahmighty, over agai For instance, the one song on this album that best represents everything i mentioned above is "headcreeps". The song is musically heavily layered thanks to cantrell's input of busy lead, and rythmn guitar work. The heavy amount of guitar with a sundry of high, low notes hits you like a big ol' fat wall of sound. To add to this, the distortion of Staley's vocal output adds another dimension to the already rich sound of his trademark multi-interval (which have the lower, higher and midrange sound) vocals. To add even MORE complexity to this song one must consider the lyrics. These lyrics seem like they could be interpreted in different ways. I am partial to the religious implications even though the lyrics could easily be referring to the pain of romantic breakup. "live puppets on a string, untangle you from me," and "time to call the doggies off" pleas (to me) to God to release me from a life full of pain or "untangle" your will from mine. "Some day my plane leaves, someway my head creeps," expresses how i'm a goin' crazy in a world created by a god who won't allow me to reach stable state devoid of suffering and painful inconsistencies. "Rise from the dirt i'm in hide in another's skin, stick black dress doll with pin, your mouth takes on my grin," says the pain and insanity of humanity continues unimpeded by the Almighty from one life to the next. The rythmn change toward the end of the track seems to show everything that is somewhat predictable and stable coming apart or complete madness, thus HEADCREEPS! Loads of complexity, prevelent throughtout this lp is what makes this recording kick extreme a*% and it makes me tremendously sad that it had to be their last major studio output. "brush away" is another song I've listened to a silly amount of times, because of the absolute perfect use of staley's vocal talent and cantrell's musical creativity. The layering of acoustic and electric guitar coupled with staley's multi-faceted vocals is unbelievably satisfying. "nothin' song" is yet another tribute to the magic of aic's creativity using dissonant notes (of cantrell's guitar and staley's chorus 'ayieee' in this case) over chunky rythmn guitar work and shifty lyrics, like "started this take at 7:38" (mundane) and "nothing ever stays the same" (philosophical). "Shame in you" is ANOTHER song on this album that uses every once of cantrell and staley's talents creating another stunning track. The melodic sound of cantrell's guitar underneath Staley's well layered vocals (in particular, his high registar in the line "concentratin' on dyin' yeah") gives me freakin' goosebumps every freakin' time i hear it. This lp is irreplaceable. |
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| "Perhaps the quintessential AIC album" | 2007-02-07 |
| - Reviewed By mfrye33 |
| Fans didn't know what to expect in '95 from Alice in Chains prior to this release. After "Jar of Flies," rumors swirled that they had "gone mellow." However, the self-titled "Alice in Chains" dispelled those rumors with such efforts as "Again", "So Close", "Grind", and "Sludge Factory." The band presents their trademark brooding sadness as well with tunes such as "Shame in You", "Over Now," and the radio-friendly "Heaven Beside You." With eerie harmonies and layers of guitar riffs, AIC fans will find this album to be worth their money and quite memorable. Knowing the band's history at this point in time makes this album and its themes even more haunting. A must have! |
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