10 Darkest Rock Albums Of The 90s

Not too many of the grunge bands were known for making you feel happy. After hearing a bunch of hair metal bands on the radio telling us they we were heading to a 24-hour party, the entire sound of Seattle seemed to hint towards something that was a lot closer to the bone. That can make for great art...just not the kind that's the most fun to listen to all the time.

As Layne Staley began to spiral into heroin addiction, Dirt is the album that feels like a diary of his state of mind during that time. There's absolutely nothing to hide on songs like Junkhead or Them Bones, with Layne surrendering to his vices and knowing that he's probably not going to win. Even the songs that have nothing to do with addiction like Rooster still have that same eerie vibe as well, almost like you're under the influence of something as you try to take it all in.

Though the songs themselves have some pretty revealing lyrics from Layne, it's Jerry Cantrell who really makes the whole thing sound more sinister than it is. From the way that the riffs play out to the slower tempos on songs like Down in a Hole or the title track, you practically feel like you're walking through mud whenever you throw this record on. Since Layne eventually succumbed to his addictions after this album was made, Dirt doesn't just hold up as AOC's magnum opus. It's the biggest cautionary tale of what happens when you fall victim to addiction.