Customer Reviews

Audioslave

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2 star:		(48)
1 star:		(52)

 

 

First off, there those who rather sneeringly refer to Audioslave as a "super group" are off the mark; whatever this album may (or may not) be it is nothing if not sincere. If they were in it solely for the money, Audioslave certainly could have made a more commercial album, instead they stretched their legs artistically, and while they don't always succeed, they certainly make a game of it.

By way of some background, Audioslave is made up of Chris Cornell, of Soundgarden fame, on vocals with Tom Morello (lead guitar), Tim Commerford (bass), and Brad Wilk (drums) all formerly of Rage Against the Machine rounding out the group. The funny thing is, I was never a particularly big fan of either band, but the match-up intrigued me. As Henry Rollins once said, Cornell's voice can, "peel paint off the walls", and I always liked Rage's fusion of funk and rock, personified in Morello's remarkable guitar playing. The problem was, Zach de la Rocha's self-consciously political lyrics ruined the music for me (what rhymes with `Zapatista'?). With de la Rocha's ouster, I saw a lot of potential, and while the end result is a mixed bag, it's more than worth the price.

The first three tracks on this album ("Cochise", "Show Me How To Live", and "Gasoline") are flat out rockers. There is no one thing about them that makes them stand out; it's just an all out group effort with excellence at every level. "Cochise" in particular is a brilliant combination of the stripped down grunge we would have heard Cornell recording a decade ago, and the flourishes that are Morello's hallmark.

The fourth track, "What You Are" foreshadows some of the difficulties found later in the album. Morello, gets stuck in a pretty dull chord progression for most of the song, and when he finally breaks out with a truly remarkable riff (sort of a melodic, electronic version of a catfight, if that makes any sense) it seems oddly disconnected from the rest of the song.

"Like A Stone" is the first single off the album, and rightfully so as it represents the best fusion of Soundgarden and Rage on the album. Cornell's voice is in fine form soaring to ear-piercing shrieks only to dip down to a steady rumble and then back again. In addition, Morello's guitar work is nothing short of breathtaking; I don't even know how to begin to describe it other than that it is the perfect counterpoint to Cornell's voice and some of the most original and creative stuff I have heard in a long time.

"Set It Off" seems to be Cornell's nod to Rage's political base, and while it's not a bad song (in fact it's a pretty good tune) it seems oddly out of context on the album. Moreover, Cornell, a multimillionaire pushing forty singing "...set it off now children..." is more than a little amusing.

If "Like A Stone" is a perfect fusion of what was, then track seven, "Shadow of the Sun" is the best example of what may be to come. This track goes beyond fusing elements successfully, and creates something new. Morello's guitar swoops and soars, never settling in one place for long. In the hands of a less talented musician it would be pretentious and tedious, but with Morello it's just sheer brilliance. At the same time, Cornell's singing reveals a more contemplative side, a certain maturity, which only adds to the power of his voice.

It's followed up by another excellent cut in "I Am The Highway" which contains some of my favorite lyrics. Cornell explores relativity as he stays the same as friends and lovers come and go.

Track nine, "Exploder" is a pretty good tune, but there's nothing about it that one takes notice of.

The next track, "Hypnotize" is a funny little song that I rather like; but I'm not sure that it's the right direction for Cornell. Specifically, he has a delivery that borders on the spoken word, and while there's nothing wrong with that per se, I'm not sure he has the right kind of voice for it. An Ed Vedder, for example, would be better suited to the kind of delivery he's going for. Nonetheless, I really like this one, and it features perhaps the best drum work on the album.

Tracks 11 and 12 are far and away my least favorite on the album. Both "Bring Em Back Alive" and in particular, "Light My Way" offer performances that are more reminiscent of a cookie cutter heavy metal track than anything one would expect from artists of this caliber. The one exception here is the superb guitar solo (one of the few extended solos on the album) that is completely wasted on "Bring Em Back Alive"; Morello really gets experimental on that one, and the drums are excellent, but the song just doesn't live up to the effort.

Next is "Getaway Car", which has an interesting, bluesy sort of beat, and vocal arrangements that vaguely remind me of Gospel/Soul (believe it or not).

Finally, the album wraps up with the rather forgettable "The Last Remaining Light". Frankly, the whole band seems a little bored with this one, and while it's not awful, I can't imagine ever skipping ahead to get to it.

In the end that's eight good-to-great songs, three good ones, and three I could have lived without. Generally speaking, I would be ecstatic to get eleven solid tracks off an album, and in this instance that's certainly true. While Audioslave's first effort doesn't quite live up to all the expectations and hype (could any album have?) it is still well above average, and is a great listen. If you want to hear why there may yet be hope for rock in this age of borderline psychotic rock-rap a la Limp Bizkit and the derivative drudgery of Creed or Nickelback, the self-titled "Audioslave" is more than worth checking out.

Jake Mohlman

When I first heard Cornell hooking up with the Rage Band, I as well had my doubts - But they were all proven wrong, this CD is amazing. Chris Cornell's voice/singing brings class back into rock. The members of the band show there true colors, now swaying away from that monotone "Fight the System" style they had when Zack was headman - Tom Morello, Timmy C, and Brad Wilks finally show that they can put out classical rock beats.

Tom Morello -. He keeps his signature guitar sound, which I absolutely love about Morello - He has the "distinct" guitar sound that differs from everything you hear on the radio. And along with that, he brings back his creative, well-slapped together solos that I have been missing since Rage departed.
Timmy C - is probably one of the most underrated basses ever (along with Tool's Justin C.) Him and Tom, like they did in Rage, coordinate very well together - He as well has "distinct" bass sound that differs from a lot of other bands. His bass lines flows so perfect with AudioSlave. He has definitely stepped up to the plate and improved.
Brad Wilks - I have always thought of him as just an average drummer, and when playing alongside guys like Tom and Tim, it's hard to be the spotlight in drumming. His style hasn't changed much, although when I heard the song "Hypnotize" It reassured me that he does have the capabilities to do more then just keep a beat.
Chris Cornell - The once lead singer of the grunge band SoundGarden, shows his 38 year old voice can still out-due any other rock voice on the radio. Not only did he do vocals for this album, but I also hear he helped write some bridges for the album when the Rage band was stumped.

There are a few songs on this album that stood out quite well to me, and are my personal favorites. "Hypnotize" was quite a shocker to me, the techno style drumming by Brad is really awesome, and Tom and Tim put together a nice flowing style to complement it, and Cornell's voice kind of gives off a eerie feeling. "Like a Stone" I'm sure is the favorite for SoundGarden fans - This song reminds me of SoundGarden, just with the Rage tone; but I really like it, the solo is also very cool. "Exploder" is a hard-hitting track that I really love. "Cochise", the hit-single is just a constant headbanging song. "Gasoline" and "Show Me How to Live" give out the head-nodding beats that make you wanna sing along. "Getaway Car" "The Last Remaining Light" "I Am the Highway" are the slow, more paced out songs, but they are wonderful for just relaxing in your room. Chris sings beautifully on these 3 tracks (if you didn't like his voice in Cochise, then give these 3 songs a try). Timmy C does a flat-out awesome bass line in "Shadow on the Sun" which probably is my #1 favorite track on this whole CD. "Light my Way" reminds me of the 80's for some reason, perhaps it's just the way Cornell sings that chorus, but this song is sweet - The chorus is addicting and reminds me of "Bulls on Parade". "Set if Off" has grown on me, it didn't have much appeal at first, but the more I listen to it the more I gain an appreciation for it, especially the intro, which is just classical Tom. "What you Are" is extremely radio friendly, wouldn't be surprised if this is the second single the radio plays. "Bring Em Back Alive" is an interesting song - The intro is very smooth, the chorus is nice, but I think Tom overdid it with the Amp Feedback on the solo; that and the voice effects on Chris didn't seem to do it for me. Other then those two things, the song is actually very good, and is growing on me.

Rating for entire CD: 9/10 - Lots of variety; blows away a lot of the 'garbage' on the radio today. It's hard to determine where 'exactly' to place this CD, it's certainly better then anything Papa Roach, Linkin Park, POD, Disturbed, etc. will ever put out. I would probably place this CD in the same category that Incubus or System of a Down is in; its not "revolutionary" but certainly the best darn album I have heard this year - If you are like me, and thought this year was a disappointing year for Rock, heh, this album fixes that. This band is definitely here to stay, and will also put on a great live show, considering every sound you hear on this CD is done with guitar, drum, bass, and vocals - No samples, no keyboards. I'm sure RATM fans are aware of that already.

Audioslave just may be the force that can save rock and bring the music scene back to the meaningful and emotionally rich state that it has not known since the early 90s grunge period. If this is the case, it would be the second time that the amazing Chris Cornell helped saved rock. After all Soundgarden predates Nirvana as a fundamental part of the grunge movement, which purged rock of the disgrace known as hairmetal. Audiosalve, however, shows potential to be greater than Soundgarden (or for that matter Rage Against the Machine) ever was. It is a merging of what is, without a doubt, the best parts of the two bands. Cornell's voice is certainly one of the best in rock history and Morello is an absolute genius whose riffwriting ability is compairable to that of Jimmy Page and whose exploration into new sounds with a guitar is remeniscent of Jimmy Hendrix. Of course the crisp, and tight rythm section cannot be overlooked. Brad Wilk and Tim Cummerford's flawless playing provide a solid backbone for Audioslave.
The Album is completely satisfying from beginning to end. It is quite diverse and incredibly succesful in all the areas which it explores. Hard rock anthems like Cochise and What you Are will make you just want to get up and scream along with Cornell while Ballads like Getaway Car and I Am the Highway are sure to move you. Like a Stone and Shadow on the Sun are epic masterpieces which will have you grabbing for a lighter. Both of these two are adorned with quitar solos that are both stunning and groundbreaking. You won't soon find a better buy than this treasure so I recomend supporting the rebirth of true rock by buying one for yourself and one for a loved one right now!

Audioslave's debut album proves that great rock music is still alive. I don't understand how one reviewer said that this album is "Excellent, but disappointing" -- those 2 words just don't go together -- and also the complaints that this album sounds like "yet another grunge retread" and that "it doesn't live up to expectations" -- Give me a break! This CD not only lives up to my expectations, but far exceeds them. I had already heard the first two singles "Show Me How To Live" and "Like a Stone", and loved them, but thought that the rest of the album would probably sound like any other repetitive rock album. After hearing the great 3rd single "I Am the Highway", i finally bought the album. And I was completely wrong about any negative assumptions i had made! There really isn't one bad song on the entire CD. Each and every track has great vocals from Chris Cornell and superb guitar work and instrument sounds supplied by the rest of the band. But I think the album should have ended with "Getaway Car" because it would have been the perfect ending to a phenomenal CD. That song is mellow yet extremely passionate, i love it! I cannot wait to hear Audioslave's next album because i can only invision them getting better and better. If you don't already own this album, go buy it NOW!

It's 1992 all over again. Ten years ago, Nirvana graced the charts, Soundgarden's Chris Cornell screamed with passion and intensity on radios across the country, and Rage Against The Machine blew away listeners with its hard-rocking, complex, chaotic sounds. Today, it seems, history is repeating itself. Nirvana has a new hit CD, Cornell is still screaming his head off, and Rage is still rocking hard. Only this time there's a twist.

Soundgarden is no more, and singer Zack de la Rocha has parted ways with Rage. This combination of circumstances is what allowed Audioslave to come to be.

Featuring Cornell on vocals, Audioslave creates a sonic onslaught aimed directly at the listener with their debut self-titled album. Ex-Rage members Tom Morello (guitar), Tim Commerford (bass), and Brad Wilk (drums) provide huge chunks of hard rock riffage for Cornell to cry, moan, and wail over. Morello, as always, is especially brilliant on the album, creating noises with his guitar that would make Jimi Hendrix turn green with envy.

As a whole, Audioslave leans much more towards hard rock than the hip-hop and funk-laden grooves of Rage Against the Machine. The album is loud, powerful, and hits hard. Cornell sings here with conviction unheard since his Soundgarden days.

The album begins with what sounds like a helicopter along with a steady, hard drumbeat. That "helicopter" is Morello's guitar, which soon explodes into the hard-rocking sonic frenzy known as "Cochise." The song, which is pure headbanging fun, is a tribute to a great Native American chief.

Morello explains, "Cochise was the last great American Indian chief to die free and absolutely unconquered. When several members of his family were captured, tortured, and hung by the U.S. Cavalry, Cochise declared war on the entire Southwest and went on an unholy rampage, a warpath to end all warpaths. He and his warriors drove out thousands of settlers. Cochise the Avenger, fearless and resolute, attacked everything in his path with an unbridled fury. This song kinda sounds like that."

Other headbangers on the album include "Set it Off," which is simply rock mayhem, and "Bring `Em Back Alive," reminiscent of Black Album-era Metallica, minus Kirk Hammet's mindless guitar wanking.

There's more to the album than pure headbanging, though. One of the great things about the record is its use of dynamics. On several tracks, notably "Exploder," the verses are delicate and intricate, and all of the sudden the choruses just, well, explode out of nowhere with raw bombast, allowing the songs to simultaneously portray both dark, mellow moods, and more aggressive emotions.

Besides "Cochise," the real gem on this album is "Like a Stone." The song features extremely refined guitar work from Morello, which perfectly blends retro and modern styles in order to create a mood that gradually shifts from dreary to hopeful.

The only track on the album that really misses is "What You Are," which features absurdly loud guitars in the chorus that drown out the vocals and sound too melodious, which doesn't quite fit with their heavily distorted sound.

The songs on the album don't seem to flow as well as they could, but "What You Are" aside, they are all very good songs, with deceptively complex arrangements and a variety of emotions expressed. So if you want an album that flows like a river, telling a musical story as it goes, Audioslave may not be for you. But if you want an album that is sure to satisfy any headbanger's craving for pure, unadulterated, bombastic hard rock, look no further than this album.

Tribal drums. Thunderous bass. Crushing riffs. Primal screams. And this is only the first track. "Cochise", the first single from Audioslave's self-titled debut album, kicks the album off in a fury of guitars, drums, and vocals not heard since the days of greats like Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin. The standard set by this ferocious opening track is raised higher the further one gets into this album. Featuring a plethora of muical styles, it appears that this most unlikely musical combo has gelled into a powerful new entity. Audioslave takes hard rock to new limits, showcasing singer Chris Cornell's(Soundgarden) soaring vocal lines over killer grooves and monster riffs laid down by Tom Morello, Brad Wilk, and Tim Commerford, formerly of Rage Against the Machine. Songs like "Show Me How to Live", "Gasoline", and "Exploder" are exactly what you were expecting to hear from this group. These songs are equal parts RATM and Soundgarden. That is definately not a complaint. However, the real highlight to this album is not the balls-to-the-walls rockers, but the soulful, insightful ballads, most notably "Getaway Car" and "I Am the Highway". Odds are, the Rage boys would have been shot on sight if they played these at a Rage rehearsal, but with the dynamics and grace of Cornell's vocal stylings, these are perhaps the most refreshing tracks on the album. These are nothing new to Cornell, but the others must be amazed at how good it feels to stretch out musically.
But this album is much more than the RATM/Chris Cornell show. It's the birth of Audioslave, and nowhere on this album is that more apparent than in the 3 songs not heard on the leaked demos, "What You Are", "Set it Off", and "Hypnotize". "What You Are" is one of the most powerful pieces on the album, combining introspective lyrics with a great musical track. "Set it Off" sounds more like Deep Purple or Zeppelin than any Soundgarden or RATM song, with a fury all its own. Last but not least is "Hypnotize", a really intriguing track. On first listen, I was really confused. This was really new musical ground for everyone concerned. It sounds basically like a techno track played by actual musicians. But after a couple of listens, it just fits. It's fresh, exciting, and really grabs your attention in the middle of the album.
I suppose this wouldn't be a fair review if I didn't have a complaint. That said, there was a track on the leaked demos called "Turn to Gold". Where the hell did it go? This was just an amazing song, complete with one of the coolest solos I ever heard. Hopefully it will appear on a future album. But this is really stretching, because I honestly love this CD. Its so good to hear Chris Cornell singing with such entusiasm. And how bout the Rage boys? I alway knew they had it in them. When I first caught wind of it, I was skeptical, mostly because I was really afraid Chris would rap. But this is exactly what I expected. Super tight rhythms, thunderous bass, killer riffs, and powerful vocals. All in all, this is an amazing album. Don't compare it to Soundgarden or RATM, cause this isn't any of those. This is Audioslave. This is something fresh and interesting in the world of crappy rock music. This generation will finally have a guitar hero and a frontman worth of emulating.

Both Rage Against the Machine and Soundgarden were driving forces in 90's rock. RATM, though not the first to mix rap and rock, were the first rap-rock band, and almost singlehandedly invented a new genre, which can now be regarded as "[bad] rock" (Limp Bizkit, Crazy Town, POD, etc). Soundgarden were one of the many great Seattle grunge bands, and Chris Cornell is arguably the greatest vocalist of the genre (Layne Staley of Alice in Chains comes close as well). With both bands now a memory that will no doubt live on, they have joined forces to create a supergroup that is nothing short of incredible.

Rumors had been circulating since right after Zack de la Rocha split from RATM that the remaining instrumentalists would team up with Chris Cornell. No doubt the rock world was devastated when Cornell parted ways with them and they were forced to drop off of Ozzfest. But once the single and video for "Cochise" hit the airwaves, it became apparent that peace was restored between the two parties, and that the rumors are now in fact a reality.

Inevitably, reaction to Audioslave's debut album is mixed, but for the most part, the reaction has been positive. True, Zack de la Rocha's radical politics were one of the things that made RATM unique, but with any band, it is the music that matters most. Without the music, their politics would not have gotten across, and with this, one realizes, that one listened to RATM, like with anything else, for the music more than anything else. Chris Cornell is not political, but his lyrics are poetic, and his vocals are just as awesome as ever.

As a huge RATM fan who also enjoys Soundgarden, I was definitely exited for this album to be released, and found the first single "Cochise" to be awesome. As the release date drew near, I started to have a feeling that the album was going to be bad. Not that I thought it was going to, but I was AFRAID it was going to be bad. Fortunately, as I had hoped, my fears diminished and I finished the album very impressed.

As expected, traces of both former bands are audible throughout. "Hypnotize" recalls RATM's cover of "Renegades of Funk." "Cochise," "Set It Off," and "Gasoline" could very easily have been RATM songs, though Cornell's vocals fit it really well.
This makes one wonder what Cornell's voice might have sounded like over the classic "Killing In the Name" riff. Lots of people have complained that the album does not have any new groundbreaking sounds, and that all it sounds like is RATM with Chris Cornell on vocals. Personally, that is what I, like a lot of people, wanted, and Audioslave is exactly what it says it is, a two bands joining forces to form a new supergroup.

As stated before, there are plenty of songs here that could easily fit RATM songs with de la Rocha shouting his politics over them. However, Chris Cornell fits these and all the other tracks extremely well. When listening to this album and looking back on the RATM catalogue, one notices that nearly, if not all the songs in the RATM catalogue were heavy rockers. Because Chris Cornell is a much more versatile vocalist then de la Rocha, the RATM boys are able to branch out and play more than just riff rockers. "What You Are" is a pretty slow song with a heavy part. "Like A Stone" is sheer musical genius, which contains what could very well be the best solo Tom Morello has ever laid down. Others, like "Getaway Car" and "I Am the Highway" are sheer ballads, something they never could have done with de la Rocha. Musically, everyone has improved greatly. At times, the heavy numbers recall Led Zeppelin in their heyday. With a vocalist as good and as diverse as Cornell, who can rock hard just as well as he can chill out, the boys are allowed to expand their styles of music, and their true talent as musicians shine through here.

Everyone on here plays phenomenally. Chris Cornell sounds just as good as he did on Soundgarden's Superunknown album. Tom Morello's guitar playing is the best he's done since RATM's debut album back in 1992. The rhythm section is also just as tight as ever. With plenty of great songs and great musicians, Audioslave may very well be the best supergroup since Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young joined forces in 1969. For any fan of good hard rock, this is highly recommended. Those of us who grew up in the 90's will no doubt enjoy this record. Audioslave has proven that there is in fact hope for rock music in the future, and hopefully, Audioslave will be there to rock us out for a long time to come.

5/5

Audioslave's debut is one of the most stunning in recent memory, this is a band that delivers on every level and displays what modern hard rock should be and how it should sound. The band arrives with a lot of hype, mostly built around the line-up which is made-up of members of the now defunct Rage Against The Machine and Soundgarden vocalist Chris Cornell. But never do they conceive retreads to their past work, instead Cornell and his new-found bandmates tear out of their old skins with a roaring new sound. "Audioslave" is not made with the type of repetitive distortion we find with bands like Disturbed, System Of A Down or Saliva, it is a brilliant album with a timeless quality. One of the reasons for this has to be how the band takes from the classics, in this CD one easily finds a unified Led Zeppelin, Doors, Black Sabbath and even AC/DC vibe with a dash of Pink Floyd. "Cochise" is a thundering, roaring opening that sets the stage for the rest of the album. "Show Me How To Live" plays like cool midnight blues filtered through pumped guitar work while "Gasoline" is wonderfully sonic with a touch of classic darkness. "Like A Stone" is a memorable hybrid of a balad with guitarist Tom Morello pulling off a stunning spacey solo. Other memorable moments are "Set It Off" which sounds a scorching sermon, the opening is an interesting display of studio harmonics, and "Bring Em Back Alive" which has imagery of the center of the sun and a city of lepers that summons the spirits of artists like Patti Smith or Jim Carroll. The stand-out performers here are Cornell and Morello, who easily compliment each-other's work beautifully. Morello is endlessly creative and stunning in the intricate, roaring and enrapturing style he plays here while Cornell tears and scares with vocals that can go from passive to insane and scorching. He comes off here as a rock singer turned inflamed poet (much like Jim Morrison only vice-versa). This is the kind of album you can enjoy for the sound and also for the lyrics, one grows weary of the weak bands that appear today all sounding like each-other. Audioslave stands out because it simply plays some good hard rock, here is an answer to those hungry for some great new music. And yet nothing here is new, what is striking is how the band takes these elements and lovingly polishes them to a gloss. Cornell and Morello will lose few fans considering anyone who liked the edgy, tearing and heavy elegance of Soundgarden and the pumped-up revolution feel of Rage Against The Machine will appreciate what this album has to offer. "Audioslave" stands out from many recent debuts in that you can actually call it a masterpiece.

3.5 stars...

This album isn't perfect. It's not really all that innovative. If you argue that it's just a collage of pieces from Rage and Soundgarden you wouldn't be that far off either.

Does that mean it's mediocre? Heck no, not in my book at least. It may not reflect the complete potential this band can achieve, but look at many other great bands. Tool didn't release Lateralus or Aenima as their debut album, nor did U2 release the Joshua or Achtung Baby to start their career. While Audioslave probably isn't comparable to U2 or Tool in terms of their style and sound (I don't think they're going to be considered prog-rock or pop-rock, but I could be wrong), it seems apparent to me that they are struggling to develop into something unique in the industry and, even if this album turned out a little raw, cliched, and uncalibrated, it is the first step to that end. Essentially, if this album does not sound completely airtight or polished and if the melodies or vocals don't quite blend together seamlessly, I would argue that they shouldn't. I'd be a little suspicious if they got it right the first time to be honest.

In general, This is not a heavy metal CD like Rage or Soundgarden; it has more melodramatic and ballad-like tracks ( ex. Like a Stone) along with your standard heavier metal-like songs such as Cochise and Light My Way. To me that's good; it signals a departure from the past and I think that kind of experimentation can only yield good and original things in the future. The music is catchy and good, even if it is cliched at times, and the lyrics and vocals are very good as well. Overall I'd say this album is definetely worth buying. I think it was overhyped and that's probably why some people are dissapointed, but hype has a tendency to do that. Morello's guitar remains top notch and if nothing else itself makes this album worth checking out.

Overall, I say buy this album and keep an open mind. I listen to the album frequently and enjoy it each time I do. I think it's a great album and look forward to a progression on where it's going in future releases. It's gonna remind you of Soundgarden and Rage, but don't knock it when it doesn't completely take you to either, and remember that this may only be the beginning of something much bigger. Lets hope this is the case....

When Soundgarden disbanded in 1997, singer Chris Cornell ventured into his own side projects, but they were less than a success, so when Zach de la Rocha left Rage Against the Machine three years later, Chris found himself a new home. The band adopted the name Audioslave when it came to them in a vision, and, after Chris left and rejoined the group, they released their debut album in 2002.

It may be because I loved Rage so damn much, and I wanted Audioslave to pick up where Rage left off, but it took me several listens to warm up to this album. I actually fell asleep the first time I listened to it, and even though I was well rested when I listened to it the next few times, I was still very lukewarm on this C.D.. But, about a year after I gave up on it, and after Audioslave's sophomore album was released, I eventually gave this disc another try. When I did, I was blown away.

Audioslave do not pick up where Rage Against the Machine left off; they are two completely different bands. This is mainly because, unlike Zach de la Rocha, Chris Cornell doesn't have a voice born to rap. If he tried it, it would probably be hilarious. Also, his voice isn't strong enough to yell over heavy rock, so Tom, Tim, and Brad have to play somewhat restrained. But, even though this C.D. is more alternative than anything Rage put out, it isn't 100% Soundgarden, either. It's a lot less grungy sounding, and guitarist Tom Morello can still wail, and he isn't afraid to show it.

1. "Cochise" is the first single, a personal favorite of mine, and probably the heaviest song on the record. The first fifty seconds or so is a slow drum beat, but then the guitars go wild in typical Tom Morello fashion, while the bass omits a slow wah-wah sound, and Chris lets loose a few pretty big yells.
2. "Show Me How to Live" begins with a few riffs and a catchy drum beat, then the guitar riffs become faster and Chris makes some humming noises. The guitars make a beeping sound in the verses, but the choruses explode and both Tom and Chris wail.
3. "Gasoline" features a brief wall of guitar crunch at the beginning. Chris then proceeds to sing properly in the verses and, even though he raises his voice in the choruses, he doesn't ever yell. There's also a brief wah-wah guitar solo after one of the choruses.
4. "What You Are" has calm, restrained verses, making the riff heavy choruses kind of surprising.
5. "Like a Stone" has choruses which have moderately sized riffs, but the verses consist of a repetitive drum beat and light, spacey guitar plucking which almost sounds acoustic at times. Another guitar solo is thrown in here, as well.
6. "Set it Off" is a good choice for the fifth single. It has a weird, almost robotic guitar noise at the beginning and a really catchy chorus (where Chris yells "Set it off! Set this f-cker off!")
7. The first 45 seconds of "Shadow of the Sun" has light guitar strumming which almost sounds like a piano. The bass and drums kick eventually kick in before the chorus, where the guitars make a low buzzing noise. Chris' yells in the choruses are catchy, but his voice almost borders on whiney. This song seems restrained until the end, where it finally opens up and Tom gets to do his thing.
8. "I Am the Highway" has twinkling guitar noise and proper crooning. This song doesn't detonate like tracks 1-7 did, but it's not supposed to; this song is almost a semi-ballad. It's still catchy, though, thanks to the vocals.
9. "Exploder" sort of makes up for track eight's lack of riffs. I enjoy how Chris sings during this song's chorus, then the chorus suddenly begins and he yells over loud, downshifting riffs.
10."Hypnotize" features beeping guitars which makes part of this song sound like a laser/light show.
11. "Bring `Em Back Alive" has light dwindling guitar notes, making this song sort of sound like the old RATM song "Born of a Broken Man." The vocals in the verses are extended and sound like a vocal synthesizer, but the choruses are a lot louder, with big, stop-start riffs.
12. "Light My Way" is another restrained rocker, with wah-wah guitars and a low, rumbling bass. The choruses again jump in volume, when the crunchy, almost pounding riffs make an entrance.
13. "Getaway Car" has a great melody, with soft guitar notes and good singing (Chris sings the catchy line "Ooo-hoo.")
14. "The Last Remaining Light" is another sluggish song, with good melody. It has a slow, thumping drum beat and a guitar which sounds like a synthesizer.

So, Chris joining forces with Tom, Tim and Brad was a big surprise, but it was an even bigger surprise that Audioslave's debut was so good. This album was an experiment, but the results were uncannily great. Audioslave might be the best alt metal band since Tool, and this is the best debut I've heard since Rage's 1992 self-titled album. I suggest this C.D. to fans of both Soundgarden and Rage Against the Machine, as well as all fans of alt metal. And, as always, make sure you listen with an open mind.