By Matthew Etzel
Finding the “best” vocalist is basically impossible, but I’ve found my favorite.
Layne Staley’s voice is unmistakable and instantly recognizable. The original lead vocalist of Alice in Chains, Staley delivered powerful performances that transcended the band’s music beyond grunge and metal. In addition to his one-of-a-kind tone and timbre, his spooky vocal harmonies with guitarist Jerry Cantrell are a signature of Alice in Chains’ music. Teamwork! Anyways, these are some of my favorite vocal performances in no particular order.
“Man in the Box”
This was AIC’s first major hit. After getting to the chorus, you can see why.
“Bleed the Freak”
For some reason this song reminds me of Lord of the Flies…
“I Stay Away”
This track has cool vocal harmonies (teamwork!), and the 12-string guitar and violins contribute further to this song’s distinct sound. Also, I usually don’t care for music videos, but I like this one because it has funny animation and a goofy plot that doesn’t seem to fit the song in any way.
“Would?”
If you haven’t listened to any of these songs yet, start with this one. Compared to the others on this list, “Would?” is a simple track which makes it easy to get into. And of course, Staley’s heavy hitting vocals give this song life.
Even though he’s been gone for over twenty years, Layne Staley’s vocal skill and personality have yet to be matched in my opinion.