10 Best Opening Tracks In Metal
5. We Die Young - Alice In Chains
With glam rock being replaced with alternative music in the rock mainstream, change was definitely in the air for the metal scene as well. While thrash was still prevalent and the more authentic bands of hair metal were still going strong, Alice in Chains burst onto the scene with Facelift and took their mournful force all the way to metal's hierarchy.
Hitting the ground running with Jerry Cantrell's detuned guitar stomp, "We Die Young" was the first sounds of alternative rock seeping through the defenses of metal, with Layne Staley's pained vocals flowing like toxic glue. The entire track has an unstoppable force of a mudslide as the lyrics detail the ongoing struggles that the youth of Seattle have with dealing hard drugs. As Sean Kinney's drums lead the charge, Cantrell's solo breaks are incredibly heavy while still displaying a soulful update on a blues-rock guitar solo.
Even though it stands at just over 2 minutes, the track takes the listener on a musical journey through a tune-filled Hellscape. Far from just a great metal song, this was the beginning of metal's shift into newer styles. While other bands were still focused on ruling the world with speed and adrenaline, these were the ominous sounds of metal to come.