Sound: It’s very difficult for Audioslave to sound like something other than the Rage Against the Machine meets Soundgarden. Once again, they’ve got the signature, hard-hitting, funk metal grooves and riffs mixed with grungier guitar, and of course, Chris Cornell’s supreme rock god howling. They’ve also bring back more of the reserved, meditative-verse-meets-soaring-chorus radio bait that frequented their last album, Out of Exile. On Revelations, though, they do show off a few new tricks: some harmonies and call-and-response vocals (i.e. a little less unhinged wailing), leaner/dirtier funk than usual (on “Broken City”) and overt politics (on “Wide Awake,” a scathing indictment of Bush administration decisions).
Heavy Rotation tracks: “Original Fire“; “Revelations”
Medium Rotation tracks: “Wide Awake”; “Broken City”; “One and the Same”
Recommended:As always, Audioslave are excellent musicians who sound unlike any other band (other than their former bands). They’re just not as dangerous anymore and often fall into a comfort zone that gets tired after awhile. Thankfully, they do branch out a bit to keep it interesting.
Grade: B

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