10 Best Metal Albums Of The 90's

While heavier genres like industrial and thrash metal were thriving at the dawn of the 90's, no other genre could come close to the grunge movement coming out of Seattle. Though bands like Pearl Jam and Nirvana didn't really register with metal audiences, Alice in Chains provided the healthy middle ground as alt-rock's metal cousin.

With the release of the band's debut Facelift, the alternative scene was greeted with a sound that was much more haunted than the other local Seattle bands. Tracks like "Man in the Box" and "We Die Young" are some of the most scathing cuts to come out of the grunge movement, while also being perfectly balanced with the gorgeous vocal harmonies between singer Layne Staley and guitarist Jerry Cantrell.

All of a sudden, there was a clear bridge between the sounds of alternative rock and metallic gloom thanks to these Seattle transplants. AOC's tone blended so well with metal audiences that they even went on to headline Clash of the Titans in their early years with Slayer and Anthrax. The sound of metal music may have been in a transitory period, but Alice in Chains's beautiful amalgamation of harmony would lead them to worldwide stardom on both sides of the rock spectrum.