Obviously we all know the story of this band now but here's a recap:
Rage Against the Machine+Soundgarden's Vocalist=Audioslave
Tom Morello-Guitars
Chris Cornell-Lead Vocals
Tim Commerford-Bass, Backup vocals
Brad Wilk- Drums
Sound Accurate? Because it is.
Anyways, on to the review of their debut effort!
The opener and first single from the album, Cochise, is a excellent way to start everything off. With an intro reminicient of helicopter blades to Brad Wilk's drumming build's up and explodes with one of many of Tom's great pentatonic riffs. Much of the album carries on in this fashion, what with it being recorded by 3/4 of Former RATM members.
Much of the album is comprised of pentatonic riffs, driving grooves, Cornell's soulful singing and crazy solos. But having Cornell as vocalist as opposed to De La Rocha makes all the difference, as you can quickly tell this is an entirely different band. On the song Like A Stone, the band tones it down for a more lyrical oriented song, while incorporating acoustic guitars at the bridge after the solo which adds an eerie sadness to the rest of the song.
Some other surprising stuff would have to be the blues rock song Getaway Car and the Album closer, The Last Remaining Light. I was initially blown away by how soft Getaway Car is, again more focused on lyrics and how almost completely acoustic it is. Being a RATM fan I was utterly shocked by it but to me it symbolized one thing: growth. As for The Last Remaining Light, the eerie atmosphere of the song makes it possibly the best way to end the album, with the build up to the end chorus where Cornell is almost screaming, to Morello's subtle blues solos that are spaced out throughout, to the way it almost leaves you hanging on for more, this song is amazing and something completely surprising for these gents. This album is a must have.
Recommended Tracks:
Cochise
Like A Stone
Getaway Car
The Last Remaining Light
