Failure was an American rock band (often also classified as alternative rock and/or space rock) that was active from 1990 to 1997, during which they recorded and released three critically acclaimed albums. They are often compared to other hard rock bands from that time that were similarly labeled as "alternative", such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, or Bush, but are distinguished by their meticulous attention to textural sonic detail, inventive use of guitar effects and signal processing, and the overall expansive sound design of their later albums.