Morf

Has anyone else picked up the self-titled album by Audioslave? It features the instrumental section from Rage Against the Machine with Chris Cornell (of Soundgarden fame) on lead vocals.

I've been trememdously surprised by this album. Once of the best I've bought in the last few months, no doubt.

http://www.audioslave.com

MJKTool

I havent got it yet, but plan to sometime. I really like their first single Cochise

Its nice to finally hear this band with a decent singer.

DumDum

Got it earlier today. Sounds pretty good to me. Are they planning on doing more than one album, or is this just a one time deal?

Sorta o/t, sorta related :
De La Rocha's album is due out next year. It may be interesting...Reznors producing it supposedly.

Gdrlv

They're supposed to be a real band and release several albums. In fact, Epic (Rage's label) and Interscope (Cornell's label) had a dispute about which label should release the band's discs, and they agreed to take turns. So, the record company pressure alone should be enough to coax at least a few more releases out of these guys.

slop101

This album fk'n RAWWWKS!!!

evenflow

I'm going to get the album tomorrow. Rage against the Machine was/is one of my favorite bands. I'm eager to see how they do with a rock singer instead of a rapper.

Ralph Wiggum

This is the best straight rock album in a long time IMO. I really don't listen to plain old rock anymore, but this is quite good.

De la Rocha was a pretty weak MC and I think Cornell is one of the great rock singers so I'm happy with the switch.

Very curious about his upcoming solo disc though.

DodgingCars

De La Roche a weak MC? I don't think so. I think he's one of the better ones.

Personally I hate Cornell's voice -- though I'm biased because I hate all those low-toned grunge vocals that were so popular in the 90's and are starting to resurface (soungarden, pearl jam, alice in chains, and ugh Creed).

I didn't like Audioslave. I heard an advance copy a long time ago. Though it sounded like one long and annoying soundgarden song.

sorry for the -threadcrap-

Frank TJ Mackey

I miss De La Rocha but that's ok because Cornell is a talent and is voice is great (especially if you liked the grunge sound).

You can definitely tell it's RATM playing the music though....which I like.

I loved Cornell's "Can't Change Me" single and then thought his album was absolutely horrible and boring.

I'm glad for both parties. Zack De La Rocha was a great MC for what he was doing......a political rock band. (That anti-everything view is what I'll miss)

Josh H

I'll definitely pick this up soon.

I love Rage and Cornell, and love the single. Rolling Stone didn't even list in the "best tracks" section of their review, so that gives me even higher hopes for the rest of the album.

I'm the exact opposite of DodgingCars. I love grunge, it's my favorite type of music. With the remastered Nirvana, Pearl Jam's awesome new albums, and this in a couple of weeks, I'm a happy camper.

cdollaz

I didn't like the album at all, and I really like Soundgarden, Cornell's solo album, and the first 2 Rage albums. Musically, it sounds like the last couple of Rage albums, kind of plodding. The great thing about the first 2 Rage albums was that they had a bounce to them, and that is nowhere to be seen here. It just kind of drudges along. One of the great things about Soundgarden was the tight metal riffs, and there really aren't any cool riffs on Audioslave, just bursts of guitar during the choruses. I was really looking forward to this but I am very disappointed. Anyone want to buy mine cheap?

mdc3000

I got this album about a week ago...and it is ****ing amazing. The BEST rock album I've bought in a long time. It's a perfect blend of Rage's hard driving guitars and Soundgardens interesting lyrics and vocals.

I am so glad this isn't a POLITICAL rock group....that was the only thing I didn't love about rage...thanks Cornell for making sure this wasn't the case with Audioslave.

I've listened to this album NON-STOP since I got it (literally...probably like 4 to 5 times a day ...just while doing homework etc...) and it is well worth picking up... I hope Audioslave tours...this is one band I NEED to see... also, can't wait for these guys to get back in the studio...

MATT

AUDIOSLAVE RULES

Gooch

I didn't care for the single much but I'm listening through the soundtrack right now, and I'm liking it.

The key here to remember is that they're not trying to be RATM or Soundgarden.......So far, it's working well methinks.

Morf

I am loving song #4, "What You Are". It is filling my need for a Soundgarden-ish song quite nicely.

Andalusia

I heard their song on the radio, and it confirmed my fear that Cornell singing for Rage Against the Machine is a bad idea. I miss Zack...

Josh H

Cornell isn't "singing for Rage."

Rage is dead. Soundgarden is dead. This is a new band that just happens to be made up of the members of rage, minus Zach, and Cornell. They're not trying to be Rage or Soundgarden, they're trying to be Audioslave.

benedict

<small></small>I've not heard the thing, and maybe I never will, but someone I know said they felt similar to you initially but felt that they gained a greater appreciation after several more spins. Perhaps it is a "grower"....?

Thrush

I wasnt all that impressed with it. I was always curious as to what RATM would sound like with a front man who sang instead of rapping and now it just makes me appreciate Zach's talent that much more. Its not thats its a bad album, its just painfully ordinary. It lacks the passion and resonance that RATM had. To me its a de clawed watered down version of Rage. Maybe I'm wrong for comparing them but its kind of unavoidable.

db27

loved it, loving it. one of the best albums in a long time. cornell is sick as hell, and they have created some amazing stuff with this effort.

!

db27

it is sad that you would mention Creed with those 3 bands that pioneered so much, and created such amazing music.

gross@iastate

This is my new favorite band. I was a Rage and Soundgarden fan but this is something different. People expecting Rage will probably be disapointed. Set it off and Exploder are my favorites so far. It's just nice to hear a pure rock band without rapping or electronic mixed in.

DodgingCars

all of them have the same vocal style. In my opinion I put them all in the same category.

MJKTool

Creed's lead singer sounds NOTHING like Alice In Chains or Soundgarden's singers. Scott could not come even come close to Chris or Laynes vocal talents.

Josh H

Picked this up today and I love it.

I think I'll end up liking it more than anything by Rage or Soundgarden, which is saying a lot as those are to of my top 5 or 10 bands of all time.

Morello's guitar work is better than anything in soundgarden, and Cornell's vocals are better than anything by De La Rocha IMO.

Though I should preface that by saying that I generally HATE rap. Rage is the only rap metal band I ever really got into, and Cypress Hill is the only rap group I can tolerate. Rage's first two albums where great because the music kicked ass, and Zach screamed and half sung as much as rapped on a lot of songs, but the third album was just mediocre. The music has lost it's "oomph" and there was too much straight up rapping for my tastes.

At any rate, to get back to Audioslave. I think Cornell's voice is a great fit. There's a great mix of heavy and mellower songs which I like, it makes the album flow well. Morrello's guitar work is great, and Cornell has never sounded better.

And lumping Creed with those other bands is an insult. Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains are three of the best bands ever, while Creed is just radio-friendly crap. The only connection is that Stapp (especially a few years ago) tried his damnedest to be Eddie Vedder.

DodgingCars

po-tay-toe, po-tot-toe