Audioslave - Audioslave > Reviews > "Long and weary my road has been"

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks	Mixed
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Not applicable
Value for Money

Advantages:	-
Disadvantages:	-

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

For some time, I had heard about the rock "supergroup" known as Audioslave, but I wasn't very familiar with them. I heard the single "Cochise" on the radio, but I had no clue who the band were or what groups the members even came from. Finally I got hold of a copy of their 2002 self-titled debut and learned a bit more about the band. The group is made up of four members, one from the group Soundgarden, and the other three from Rage Against the Machine.

Soundgarden was one of the Seattle bands that helped begin the early '90s grunge movement. They split up around 1996 or 1997, which is when rap-rockers Rage Against the Machine started becoming popular. In 2000, that band broke up when vocalist Zach De La Roca decided to pursue a solo career, leaving his former bandmates unsure of what to do. Meanwhile, Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell was trying his hand at a solo career, but not enjoying much success. So Cornell teamed up with the remaining members of Rage Against the Machine, and Audioslave was born.

While I don't own any CDs from Soundgarden or RATM, I have heard both bands, and I was expecting Audioslave to sound like one or both of the groups from which its members originate. Obviously, there are definite moments where you can hear elements of Soundgarden and RATM, but I don't think Audioslave really sound like either of the bands. They really have their own sound. I know some of you are thinking, enough of the chatter about the group's sound; who are these guys? Well, Audioslave is made up of Chris Cornell (vocals), Tom Morello (guitar), Tim Commerford (bass) and Brad Wilk (drums).

As I said earlier, Cochise was the first single from this album, and if you listen to the radio, you've probably heard it. It's also the album opener, and it is a fierce rocker. The title is apparently named after an Indian chief, but the lyrics don't really have anything to do with that. It starts off with a stuttering guitar riff, then explodes with pounding drums, powerful bass, and distorted guitar. Cornell screams his way through much of the song, and there is one pretty cool part near the end where he lets out a blood-curdling scream.

Show Me How to Live is slower than the opener, with a funky kind of feel to it. The verses are relatively quiet, but the chorus is loud and powerful. I think this was another single from the album. Gasoline is another rocker and one of the better songs on the album, in my opinion. I particularly like the droning bass and drums on this track and the screamed chorus of "Give me that gasoline."

What You Are seems to be a slow, softer song until we reach another loud, shouted chorus. The verses are very nice and melodic, and they show that Cornell can do more than just scream. Like A Stone was another single from this album, and it's one of my favourites. It's mid-tempo, mellow, and melodic, and there's an awesome distorted-sounding guitar solo.

One of the songs I really liked upon first listen was Shadow On the Sun. The music during the verses is very pretty and dream-like, but of course the chorus is very loud. By the end of the almost six-minute song, Cornell basically just screams the song's title over and over. It's no longer one of my favourites, but I still like it, although I'm not sure why it stands out to me so much. I Am the Highway is a quieter, softer song that really reminds me of Pearl Jam for some reason. Very gentle and acoustical, and again, Cornell shows he can do more than scream.

Of course, there are plenty of rockers to round things out. Most of them are found on the second half of the CD, where things begin to go downhill. One from the first half is Set It Off, which sounds like a standard rocker. Exploder, Hypnotize, Bring Em Back Alive, and Light My Way are some more typical rockers. None of them are bad songs, and they're kind of enjoyable, but they're nothing exciting.

Getaway Car returns to the more relaxed feel of some of the earlier tracks. This is a beautiful, mellow, melodic, melancholy song, and it's one of my favourites. The Last Remaining Light is an eerie, trippy number that closes out the album. It sounds dreamy and gentle at first, but of course the screamed choruses come in later. It's not my favourite, but it's a good way to end the CD.

So should you buy this CD? I'd like to be able to say either "YES! This album is the greatest thing to be released in the last ten years, and maybe even of all time!" or "NO! This album sucks, and this band sucks, and all of today's music sucks!" Unfortunately, I am kind of in the middle about this album. I'd give it 3 1/2 stars if I could, but I think I'll round it up to 4 because it's a very enjoyable listen, and I'd definitely recommend it.

Repeat (songs I can never get enough of): Gasoline, Like A Stone, I Am the Highway, Getaway Car
Skip (songs I have trouble listening to even once): some of those rockers near the album's end 

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Audioslave Album Cover