Another band who have barely been reviewed on this site....it is criminal! Anyone reading this remember Soundgarden? I certainly do, and this is where the lead singer of Soundgarden, Chris Cornell is now focusing his attention. Audioslave are a collaboration between Cornell, and the musical members of also defunct Rage Against The Machine who are Tom Morello, Brad Wilk, and Tim Commerford. The original plan was that Cornell would just replace Zac De La Rocha as RATM vocalist, but he thought that they were too political, and if they carried on with the same name, they would have to carry on with the same music, and he was not happy with that. Considering that Soundgarden were always more metal than grunge, and RATM had a harder edge to their music, it is no surprise that the debut album from the newly formed band is firmly in the metal genre, but the funk element is still there.

'Show Me How To Live' is another song in much the same vein, but if ever there was a song which could rival the Black Sabbath sound, then this is it. Here, I think Cornell's vocals are at their finest, and whilst this is all about the music, I have to say that he sounds as horny as he looks, and there are not many singers that I could say that about. I apologise, I digress, but ladies, take a look at Chris Cornell, he is certainly a very fine specimen, and he can certainly belt out a song or two..or three!

'What You Are' is an easy song to listen to. The first third of the song allows Cornell to showcase his real vocal talent without pushing his voice too far, and then the chorus kicks in, and if I close my eyes, this could be Robert Plant singing, but then the verse returns to the sweeter, more pallatable vocal which the song started with. The contrasts work very well, and the verses allow you to catch your breath and prepare yourself for the onslaught of the edgy chorus, which really gets the adrenalin flowing.

'Set It Off' is another Sabbath influenced track, whether the band admit it or not. The song oozes attitude right from the opening note, and the lyrics are littered with swearing, which when I came to think about it has been a real rarity on this album, but I have to say that the swearing does not detract from the song, or the rest of the lyrics. The drums are fierce on this track. I love to watch the drummer when I see a band play live, as I think that they are the pivotal member of the band, and this song is the perfect example of that.

'I Am The Highway' lets you sit back and relax for five and a half minutes. I know I should stop comparing vocals, but I think it helps to give you a feel for the song. Here Cornell has moments when he sounds like the brilliant Eddie Veder from Pearl Jam, but for the most part he sounds unique, and his vocals are powerful and moving. I love the chorus to this song. 'I am not your rolling wheels, I am the highway. I am not your carpet ride, I am the sky'. The songs soothes you and the mood sweeps over you, and everytime I hear this song I am filled with a great sense of wellbeing. Without doubt, the standout track on the album.

The first thing that strikes me about 'Hypnotize' is that Cornell's vocals sound very strange, as if he is trying to put on a false voice, and I do not like it at all. Musically, it is brilliant. It is really upbeat, and has a real funky overtone, and the vocals take a back seat, which adds to the strength of the song, and it is not often that I would say a song benefits from the lack of vocal prowess we have become accustomed to when listening to Chris Cornell, but it does not hurt to let others shine once in a while.

'Light My Way' does not let up the mood of the album. The guitar riffs are bold and in your face for the most part, but there are sections of the song which are mellower, so the appeal is wide ranging, and that I think will be the key to the success of the band. They will take along many of their original fans, and collect many more along the way, but I think the key to the success will be playing live, as these songs were made to be played to big crowds who can really appreciate the brilliance of this collection of musicians.

This is a really impressive debut album, but then considering the musical experience that is behind it, I really should not have expected anything less. It will not reach the masses in the same way their previous material has, but give them time, I am sure they will impact the music scene in a massive way. Cornell has proven that he can br brilliant, but he needs a band to front, as his solo material sank without a trace as it just was not powerful or attractive enough, and with the added force of producer Rick Rubin, Audioslave have created a sound which will last.