The Super Group: a band formed out of the members of a number of other successful bands to form something separate, all the while retaining the elements that make their original bands… well, super! Audioslave are one of the most well known Super Groups, who went on to form an identity all their own and recognised as a successful band in their own right. They’re not the only ones, but it’s likely you’ve heard the name Audioslave. What’s less likely, is you knowing that it is actually a Super Group formed out of members of both Sound Garden and Rage Against The Machine: two of the most prominent alternative acts of the 90s.
Their eponymous début – released in 2002 was framed by the hugley successful single Cochise, which earned them a keen following from fans of hard and alternative rock. They went on to release Like A Stone as the second single, which sold gold and earned critical acclaim, widely regarded as their finest work. The success of these two singles resulted in the album selling double platinum, cementing the band with indentity completely separate to that of RATM and Sound Garden, respectively. And it’s no wonder, it’s an excellent mix of hard rock riff, catchy melodies and high energy, powered forward by Chris Cornell’s universally praised vocals and lyrics. There is still enough RATM and Sound Garden in there to please the fans of both, but there’s plenty of new stuff to keep things interesting.
Why do you need this LP?
If you’re a fan of rock – particularly of the grunge/alt rock genres – then this is an LP that deserves a slot in your collection. It contains two iconic hard rock singles, and considering the bands longevity was relatively short – officially disbanding in 2007, they still remain pretty forefront in the hearts and minds of rock fans through the ages. The Eternal Flame imagery of the album artwork is somewhat prophetic – they burned fast and bright, yet the art the flame created lingers on.