10 Best Grunge Guitar Solos

The era of grunge and irony didn't really have much time for the more primitive side of rock and roll. Aside from the heavy hitters like Metallica and Pantera still gaining traction in the rock world, most hopeful metal artists didn't really have a prayer at a time when acts like Nirvana were at the top of the charts. At a time when the harder edged side of rock had fallen by the wayside, Them Bones made every metalhead stand at attention.

From the first opening screech from Layne Staley, Alice in Chains were looking to bring you to the deepest depths of despair on Dirt, with Jerry Cantrell as the twisted mastermind behind the controls. Even though most AOC tunes primarily focus on the vocal chemistry between Layne and Jerry, the real magic comes into play when you actually hear Cantrell let loose.

Almost reminiscent of the early days of rock and roll, this solo is incredibly tasteful from start to finish, as Jerry finds a way to meld the intensity of Black Sabbath while still keeping the integrity and beauty of the alternative sphere. There's even a few technical sections that seem to call to mind earlier guitar heroes like Eddie Van Halen. Instead of your traditional screechy guitar break, this is the type of solo you throw on the first song of the record to let your listener know that you mean business.