The on-again-off-again project is finally on and with a name. Sure, "Audioslave" is kind of cheesy, but it's a lot less cumbersome than "Chris Cornell and the remaining members of Rage Against the Machine." I'm so glad I'm not saying that anymore.
But the important questions: How is the much-anticipated Audioslave album? Can this supergroup match its hype? Is this pretty much two bands smooshed together, or does Ausioslave have its own distinctive sound?
Well, the first single Cochise is an explosive yet somewhat subpar track. It sounded pretty much like I thought Audioslave would: the usual heavy RATM music underneath Cornell singing as loud as possible without becoming the new Zach de la Rocha. This song contains an equal balance of the two styles, making it reminiscent of both of these '90s powerhouses.
They mix the two styles together on a few more tracks as well. I was pleasantly surprised at the way the Rage music fits in nicely with Cornell's vocals. Show Me How to Live, Exploder, and Bring 'Em Back Alive are excellent, heavy blends of the two sounds.
However, I was looking for more than just a blend of two bands. I was hoping to hear something unique. Audioslave did not let me down. Tim, Tom, and Brad carry on with their musical aggression, but on many tracks they take it down to levels Rage could have never ventured to. Their slowing down the pace not only shows how versatile they are, but it also allows Cornell to bring his vocals down. If they had kept doing the same old thing, this CD would not have been graced by such slow gems as Getaway Car or Shadow on the Sun. Nor would we have the brilliant second single Like a Stone, one of the best songs of 2003 so far. I love Cornell's vocal range - I think he's great whether soft or loud. I'm glad Audioslave gave him a chance to exhibit both.
When they talked about forming this band, Cornell said he would not become the new lead singer of Rage Against the Machine. Obviously, the rest of the band agreed because there is no rapping and no political lyrics (though the CD booklet contains a mention of axisofjustice.org).
The lyrics seem more Soundgarden than Rage, from Cochise's "I've been watching while you've been coughing/ I've been drinking life while you've been nauseous" to Light My Way's "In my hour of need/ On a sea of gray/ On my knees I pray to you." The lyrics contain feelings of pain and anger, though there's nothing too political or incendiary. There's only a message of sharing what you have with others on Hypnotize: "Oh no don't you keep your good luck to yourself." There's some great drumming within this dark yet positive track.
Another standout track is Set It Off. From the title you can guess that this is an adrenaline-fueled rally cry. Don't worry, it's not as trite as it sounds. The band makes it work, especially from the lyrics, which are not at all similar to any adrenaline-fueled rally cry I've ever heard.
Audioslave's album is as good as you'd expect but not exactly what you'd expect. The album ranges from loud to soft, fast to slow, and everything in between, using some unique sounds along the way. If we can't have Rage or Soundgarden, thank God we now have Audioslave.
In the spirit of the supergroups of the past, two of the most important bands of the nineties have pooled their talents to create a new band: Audiosla...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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