10 Perfect Follow Ups To Masterpiece Albums
5. Jar Of Flies - Alice In Chains
As Alice in Chains started to climb up the ladder in Seattle, they were also starting to nurse their fair share of demons. Even though they prided themselves on being dark and brutal next to their peers, they let a few too many scars show on Dirt, which detailed Layne Staley’s crippling addiction to heroin and getting more strung out by the day. Layne’s story was starting to wind down at this point, but Jar of Flies at least felt like there was some light at the tunnel.
At least…musically speaking. Because what you end up getting on this album is some of the most beautiful songs that Alice would ever create, only to be matched with lyrics that have the potential to tear you to shreds. Aside from the laid back demeanor of the album, Layne really starts to sink to his lowest emotional point on this album, to the point where there’s no real hiding what he’s talking about on songs like Nutshell and Rotten Apple.
Though there are attempts from Jerry Cantrell to at least make peace with him on songs like No Excuses, it’s almost like you’re listening to Layne give up halfway through this record, knowing that this addiction is going to become the death of him before long. Alice may have prided themselves on being a metal adjacent band most of the time, but Jar of Flies shows that you don’t need a lot of distortion to write something dark.