AIC are probably the nearest grunge act to sludge metal. Sludge metal is not quite as slow as doom metal, but has more influences especially from hardcore punk and southern rock. Some of the best sludge metal bands are southern acts Down, Crowbar, Eyehategod and Corrosion of Conformity who are a real favourite of mine.

Some newer acts such as Mastodon and Baroness for example, mix sludge with progressive elements, but the definative sludge metal group are probably the Melvins.

Always consider AIC kind of a guilty pleasure of mine. On one hand, I would say they really did obviously mold with the times. I mean, Nevermind came out between Facelift, and Dirt, and I think you notice a drastic difference between the two because of it. I would NEVER call Alice In Chains a Nirvana knockoff entirely, but songs like "Angry Chair" albeit gorgeous is obviously attempting to cash in on the change in sound.

However, one big thing about them, and the other 3 "big 4" Grunge bands is that AIC tended to preserve a massive amount of bluesrock, especially on their non-hits. It doesn't surprise me that at one point they were trying to appeal to the Motley Crue crowd... I mean, Pantera were the same, and I'm wondering how many Pantera fanboys cry at that fact. Anyway, back to "grunge", AIC also tended to be a lot more melodic than the others, and it gave them an edge when it came to softer songs. Soundgarden was pretty poor at ballads, never really got into Pearl Jam, and Nirvana I think was more hindered by Cobains lacking vocal talents than one would think, if if they were a tad more "legit". AIC, as shallow as they were, seemed to grasp a true emotional feel that a lot of bands still can't.

As for their lasting effect, I think they were pretty much the mold for post 95 commercial metal. Things like Godsmack, Disturbed, etc. Obviously though, none of them lack the attention to melody/harmony that made AIC magic. Frankly, Alice in Chains albeit being a highly commercial band could make songs that were gorgeous, even if oft thin sounding.

Also, I always loved them for the fact their sound was so unrelentingly dark, and almost cruelly depressing. An amazing extension of the sound invented by Black Sabbath decades before them. Think they lost their edge a lot when Layne died and people who had no clue who he was or what AIC was started getting overly sappy about it, and with all due respect, I feel his death for a few years, and sentimentality of it far overshadowed what the band was really about.

Good bad, nothing amazingly out of the ordinary, but perhaps the perfection of the commercial rock formula that most newer rock fails to grasp in it's imitation.

Jar of Flies is an amazing album. Love every song on it. Great for just kicking back and relaxing.

Most of my favorites are off of that album.

Jar of Flies is an EP.

Melvins are awesome live. I can see how Baroness would be classified as sludge metal using your definition, but I've always felt like Mastodon was more progressive metal - especially after their release of Crack the Skye. Thanks for the insight. I have clearer idea of the genre now. Genres will always be a fog for me, though. In a sense, it kind of limits a musician, doesn't it?

Mastodon are progressive with heavy sludge and southern rock influences. If you really want to get with it, with the whole sludge, experimental and dark ambient feel, I forgot to mention Neurosis one the best metal bands in the last 10-15 years. Check out the albums "Through Silver in Blood" or "Souls at Zero"

I'm a little late to the party as I'm just now listening to the newest AiC albums. They're pretty good, sound just like they always did, but a lot of songs kind of drag on for a while. Specifically on The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here. That album could have probably been a tad shorter without giving up too much. Cantrell's riffs seem heavier at times to me, too. I think these albums continue with the style of the self titled album, which is my favorite from them. These could grow on me more, but I already like them.

Black Gives Way to Blue is definitely the better of the two. Much less dragging, and all of the AiC atmosphere and sound is in tact. Really great album.

The last new AIC album was 1995's Alice in Chains.

No Staley means no AIC.

Dang, didn't think you'd be one of those *******s.

Guess I'm just not a close minded elitist.

Man, BGWTB is awesome though. Can't get over it.

Jerry Cantrell has and always will be the driving force behind AiC. Even though it's so fucking stupid to say that one person made any band, if I had to in this case, it was Jerry 100%

Love Hate Love is still my favorite AIC song. I wouldn't call them sludge metal though. Those are bands like The Melvins.