Remember Alice In Chains? One of the great '90s metal grunge bands from Seattle?

Well, just in case you forgot about them or thought they entered the witness protection program — think again.

They've just been on a long vacation — a six-year vacation. But the wait is over, somewhat anyway. Alice In Chains: Live is the latest release from the band, and although there isn't any new material on the album, it might be new for American audiences.

The album is a compilation of live electrical performances ranging from 1990 to their last public appearance in 1996. American audiences get a treat, as the album contains 12 recordings previously unreleased in the United States on CD.

Such classics as "Rooster" and "Would?," recorded by the BBC, remind you why you liked Alice In Chains so much. Hard, driving rock at its finest with the added energy of a live performance makes this CD worth a listen.

The album opens with a biting rendition of "Bleed the Freak," a melody much in the vein of Stone Temple Pilots, but 10 times heavier and darker. Jerry Cantrell's guitar riffs are meaty and Layne Staley's vocals are haunting.

The band definitely has fun on the second track, "Queen of the Rodeo," a western ballad — Alice In Chains style. Cantrell strums his electric guitar, while Staley has a joyride with his often-humorous lyrics about various farm animals. Let your imagination run with that one.

The slow ballad picks up at various points into a raging rock song that leaves you wondering if you're listening to country or speed metal.

The remainder of the album consists of some lesser-known songs like "Love, Hate, Love" and "A Little Bitter," but also includes such favorites as "Angry Chair" and "Them Bones."

And who could forget "Man In the Box" with Staley's eerie voice matching Cantrell's guitar? On this particular recording, Sean Kinney's drums are extra heavy and loud, which completes the overall effect of power that exudes from that song.

In 1992 Alice In Chains went multi-platinum with their second hit album, Dirt, and haven't really ever reached that level since. Their follow-up album, Jar of Flies, debuted at number one, but the guys decided not to tour. Staley released a side project called Above with Pearl Jam's Mike McCready, the Screaming Trees' Barrett Martin and John Baker Saunders, also known as Mad Season, in 1995. Following that venture, Alice In Chains regrouped and released a self-titled album later that year but again did not tour.

But not all was lost, as the band finally did a concert in 1996 on MTV Unplugged and released that recording, then fell dormant.

In 1998 Cantrell released a solo album, Boggy Depot, with fellow band members Mike Inez (bass) and Kinney (drums) accompanying him but not Staley.

Hoping to prolong the rock band's legacy, a band whose haunting harmonies made them famous, Sony released a box set called Music Bank a year ago. The new live album is their first official live electric album and hopefully it won't be their last.