10 Darkest Hard Rock Albums Ever Made

Using narcotics as inspiration for songs is certainly nothing new in the rock genre at this point. Even though no one has condoned the use of hard drugs to fuel your creativity, it sometimes pays to actually write a handful of songs centered around your scar collection. While some songs sound cheerier than others, Dirt sent us on a straight shot to Hell.

Up until this point, Layne Staley had gotten pretty deep into heroin use and decided to pour his thoughts into lyrics in an attempt to repent for his sins. As such, each of the songs on here have just a subtle hint of despair laced within them, from the agonizing scream of Rain When I Die to the raw nerves present on the title track. Even some of the less drug-addled songs like the Vietnam veteran tribute Rooster make you feel like you're coming off a bad high, as you trudge through the jungle hoping to not get killed in action.

What makes it all the more dark is when you realize there was no true happy ending, with Staley eventually succumbing to his disease in 2002, ending the classic iteration of Alice for good. Whereas Black Sabbath may have suggested the hellscape below, this is when you actually get a sight of what it looks like.