10 Hard Rock Musicians Who Outshined The Lead Singer

Whenever people first think of Alice in Chains, they usually bring up the dark atmosphere of their songs. Whether its one of their heavy metal thrashers or their downtempo material, any song in the band's catalog gives the impression of someone trudging through mud in a hellish landscape. Many would probably assume that that atmosphere radiated from Layne Staley, but Jerry Cantrell has proven to be the real sonic force behind these tortured souls.

That's not to say Staley didn't have an impact on the band, with his lead vocals on "Would?" and "Rooster" being some of the greatest vocal performances of the 90's. However, Cantrell's way with melody was what drove the band forward, with him coming with nearly every riff on the first few records. Not many metal bands would be able to make a transition into acoustic rock and make it work, but the fact that the band pulled it off with Jar of Flies is a testament to Cantrell's songwriting.

Though we may have lost Layne back in 2002, Cantrell was able to soldier on with a new lineup at the end of the decade with William DuVall coming in to fill Staley's shoes. The band may have lost some key members along the way, but Jerry Cantrell was one of the few songwriters who could bring his band back from the brink of oblivion.