Kerry King names favourite Alice In Chains song

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Slayer legend Kerry King has revealed his favourite song by Seattle grunge icons, Alice In Chains. Speaking exclusively in the latest issue of Metal Hammer, Kerry picks one of the band's most legendary tracks - Them Bones, the opening song from 1991's Dirt, which turned 30 last month.

“Them Bones is such a great song – super-short, heavy, great video and these really haunting vocal melodies," King notes. "Those dudes were untouchable on their first two records, they were really vibing as a band and Layne was just a superstar. They played on the [US 1990 package tour] Clash Of The Titans, and on the first couple of dates we’d be backstage going, ‘Who is that with that fucking voice?’ And we started going out to watch the entire set every night. It was just one of those moments.”

While seen by some as a controversial choice for the thrash-centric Clash Of The Titans lineup, Alice In Chains famously won over both Slayer and countless fans attending the shows. Slayer frontman Tom Araya would later provide guest vocals on Dirt interlude track Iron Gland (listed as Untitled on some versions).

Earlier this year, Kerry King confirmed to Metal Hammer that his new, post-Slayer band was still happening, noting: "You know me, so you know what it’s going to sound like. I played this new song for a buddy, and I said to him, ‘If there’s anything I’ve written in the last few years that sounds like Slayer, it’s this.’ And he said, ‘That sounds like you could have pulled it off of any Slayer record.' I actually made that riff up backstage at a Slayer show. We were walking to the stage and I got my phone out and recorded it so I wouldn’t forget it."

Read more huge metal names picking their favourite Alice In Chains songs in the latest issue of Metal Hammer. Order your copy here.

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Merlin was promoted to Executive Editor of Louder in early 2022, following over ten years working at Metal Hammer. While there, he served as Online Editor and Deputy Editor, before being promoted to Editor in 2016. Before joining Metal Hammer, Merlin worked as Associate Editor at Terrorizer Magazine and has written for Classic Rock, Rock Sound, eFestivals and others. Across his career he has interviewed legends including Ozzy Osbourne, Lemmy, Metallica, Iron Maiden (including getting a trip on Ed Force One courtesy of Bruce Dickinson), Guns N' Roses, KISS, Slipknot, System Of A Down and Meat Loaf. He has also presented and produced the Metal Hammer Podcast, presented the Metal Hammer Radio Show and is probably responsible for 90% of all nu metal-related content making it onto the site.