Facelift

1-We Die Young-A fabulous heart pumping rock song, with a fantastic guitar riff and brilliant vocals.

2-Man In The Box-A really dark track although it doesn't seem to be. The track that got them onto MTV, with a fantastic video.

3-Sea Of Sorrow-A song which is undeniably catchy but full of regret. You will sing along at the chorus for weeks on end.

4-Bleed The Freak-One of the albums most outstanding tracks, this is a song about religion, I think. So brilliant.

5-I Can't Remember-The instruments are great, but it's Layne's voice that really makes the track, I love it when he screams out 'I haven't eaten in da-a-ys'

6-Love Hate Love-A track with a great pulse and feel, even though it is a bit long for my liking.

7-It Ain't Like That-A really fast paced rocker, with an infectious guitar riff.

8-Sunshine-Another outstanding track, incredibly underrated, but undeniably catchy. This track should have got more attention.

9-Put You Down-Another brilliant song from geniuses Layne, Cantrell, Kinney, and Inez.

10-Confusion-I really like this track, throughout this album, if you listen to these amazing songs then you will definately regret his tragic passing.

11-I Know Something(Bout You)- A really cool track about blackmail. Very catchy indeed.

12-Real Thing-An excellent finish to a cracking album.

If you haven't clicked on Buy I am so dissapointed in you.

Any way, onto Face Lift, This is an amazing, totally refreshing debut album. Right from the word go, the fast paced "we die young" sets the standard, spookily pre empting a certain band members future run in with the reaper.

"Man In the Box" is breath taking, the opening base, the gravely guitars, Staley's haunting gravely voice, this song is so good you just wonder whether the rest of the album can keep pace.

"Sea of Sorrow" starts a little slowly, but gets going with Cantrell's but the guitar solo's are fantastic, and if you don't get a speeding ticket driving to this song then there is something very wrong with you.

"Bleed the Freak" is possibly the darkest song on the album, slow, fast, and brilliant.

I could go though all the tracks describing them, but words cant really do the tracks justice.

This is a rock album with attitude, raw loud and powerful whilst maintaining a sophistication reflective of just how much talent this band has.

This was the first AIC album I bought but I suspect many will have started off with dirt, and are contemplating buying Face Lift. Naturally I would advise they do just that but a comparison may help.

Compared to Dirt, Face Lift I suppose isn't quite as dark, although at the same time, it can be heavier. I suppose that Face Lift also sounds a little older, though this doesn't suggest that it is dated, just more rock than metal.

This album is my favourite, although quite different to all the other AIC albums, no surprises there I suppose given how diverse all their albums are from one another.

My ultimate recommendation:

Buy, in this order:

1): Dirt if you haven't got it already, probably the most accessible.
2): Face Lift (for all those reasons above) this is a more rocky Alice in Chains
3): Jar of flies (sap) totally different to the other 2 above, far more emotion stirring.
5): Alice in Chains Unplugged
6): Alice in Chains live, fantastic
7): Alice in Chains Alice in Chains (self titled) very very very dark.