Combining equal parts heavy riffs and delicate acoustic sounds, Alice In Chains forged a unique angry, tortured sound that put them at the forefront of Seattle's early-'90's grunge bands. Vocalist Layne Staley and guitarist Jerry Cantrell (often singing in a brooding, close vocal harmony), along with drummer Sean Kinney and bassist Mike Starr signed to Columbia Records in 1989 and released an EP and their debut Facelift well before the plethora of Seattle bands took over MTV. Following an appearance in the "grunge scene" film Singles, their second album Dirt debuted at number one, cementing Alice In Chains as one of the most important and popular bands of their generation. Their subtle yet angry acoustic EP Jar Of Flies followed, which showed an entirely different side of the band, also debuted at number one and proved that grunge didn't have to be loud to be powerful. The 1995 self-titled album would prove to be their final studio effort, playing only select gigs (including MTV Unplugged) before the band finally dissolved.

Now, Columbia and Legacy are proud to release The Essential Alice In Chains, a definitive 2 CD overview of the band's entire career. Included are hits, fan favorites, Unplugged tracks and soundtrack rarities. The Essential Alice In Chains paints a beautifully detailed portrait of one of the most beloved bands of our time.