Alice in Chains have announced a 30th anniversary vinyl reissue of their seminal Jar of Flies EP.
The band revealed a deluxe box set and single LP variants — including standard black vinyl, limited tri-color vinyl, and a super limited LP with actual flies embedded in it. A cassette version will also be released, with all physical editions set to arrive in late March.
The box set is limited to 3,000 copies and retails for $225. The screen-printed and UV coated shadowbox houses the EP on tri-colored vinyl, a logo-embossed jar with touch-activated red LED and faux flies, a 60-page hardcover book, and a double-sided poster.
The band also rolled out a bevy of Jar of Flies merch items to celebrate the anniversary, including limited edition apparel, a poker set, a skate deck via Welcome Skateboards, and a “Whale & Wasp” plush toy. These items are available directly from AIC’s merch site.
1994’s Jar of Flies marked a turning point for the grunge luminaries and saw them fully embrace the acoustic rock sound that was explored on the Sap EP two years earlier (previous physical editions often packaged Sap and Jar of Flies as a two-fer).
“After playing loud music for a year, we’d come home and the last thing we wanted to do was crank up the amps right away,” drummer Sean Kinney later told Guitar World about the sessions that became Jar of Flies [via the band’s press release]. “We just went into the studio with no songs written, to check out the chemistry. It all fell into place…We thought it would be a waste not to put that material out.”
The box set can be pre-ordered via Alice in Chains’ website (single LP variants are already sold out), while the unlimited single black LP edition is set to hit record stores and major retailers.
Meanwhile, Alice in Chains are currently slated to perform at this year’s Sick New World festival on April 27th in Las Vegas. Pick up tickets here.
Jar of Flies EP Tracklist:
Side A
01. Rotten Apple
02. Nutshell
03. I Stay Away
04. No Excuses
Side B
05. Whale & Wasp
06. Don’t Follow
07. Swing on This