Alice In Chains Facelift CD (Jewel Case, 1990, Sony)

Alice In Chains Facelift CD is the groundbreaking 1990 debut album from Alice in Chains and one of the records that helped define the sound of heavy music in the 1990s. Released by Sony Music Entertainment in a standard jewel case edition, Facelift introduced the world to the band’s unmistakable mix of grunge, heavy metal and hard rock.

Before Dirt made Alice In Chains global stars, Facelift laid the foundation with darker riffs, aggressive grooves and the haunting vocal harmonies of Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell. Heavier and more metallic than most of the Seattle scene at the time, the album quickly stood apart from its peers and became the first grunge album from Seattle to be certified gold and later platinum in the United States.

At the centre of the album is “Man In The Box”, the breakthrough single that pushed Alice In Chains into the mainstream thanks to constant MTV airplay and one of the most recognisable guitar riffs of the era. The song remains a staple of rock radio and one of the defining tracks of the grunge movement.

Facelift also includes fan favourites and live staples such as “We Die Young”, “Sea Of Sorrow”, “Bleed The Freak”, “Love, Hate, Love” and “It Ain’t Like That”. While Alice In Chains would become darker and more introspective on later albums, Facelift captures the band at their rawest and most aggressive, with a sound deeply rooted in classic heavy metal and 1980s hard rock.

For fans who prefer the heavier side of Alice In Chains, Facelift is an essential release. Tracks like “We Die Young”, “Bleed The Freak” and “It Ain’t Like That” deliver crushing riffs and an intensity that will appeal to listeners of heavier bands such as Slayer and traditional heavy metal acts. Even the slower material, particularly “Love, Hate, Love”, carries an ominous atmosphere and showcases the extraordinary vocal range of Staley.

The album also marked the only full-length Alice In Chains release produced by Dave Jerden before he returned for Sap and Dirt. Alongside the original lineup of Staley, Cantrell, bassist Mike Starr and drummer Sean Kinney, Facelift captures the band at the beginning of their rise.

More than three decades later, Facelift remains one of the most important and influential debut albums in grunge and alternative metal. Essential for fans of 90s heavy music, hard rock and classic Alice In Chains.

Recommended if you like: Soundgarden, Stone Temple Pilots, Jerry Cantrell, Mother Love Bone, Jane's Addiction, Audioslave

Artist: Alice In Chains
Title: Facelift
Label: Sony Music
Catalogue Number: 88985382002
Release Year: 1990
Duration: Album
Format: CD
Packaging Type: Jewel Case
Condition: New & Factory Sealed

Tracklist:

1.We Die Young
2.Man in the Box
3.Sea of Sorrow
4.Bleed the Freak
5.I Can't Remember
6.Love, Hate, Love
7.It Ain't Like That
8.Sunshine
9.Put You Down
10.Confusion
11.I Know Somethin' ('Bout You)
12.Real Thing