Seattle grunge rockers Alice in Chains formed in 1987 as a heavy metal quartet composed of Layne Staley (vocals/guitar), Jerry Cantrell (guitar), Mike Starr (bass) and Sean Kinney (drums). After gigging around the Northwest the band signed to Columbia in 1989, releasing their debut EP We Die Young the following year. The title track became an underground metal hit, ensuring the success of their full-length debut, 1990's Facelift. With frequent airplay of the Top 20 single "Man in the Box" and epic tours with Van Halen, Megadeth, and Iggy Pop, Alice in Chains became nationally known and Facelift went gold. Shifting away from the Black Sabbath/Led Zepplin style dark heavy rock of their debut, the foursome returned in 1992 with Sap, a softer acoustic EP.