Audioslave - Audioslave (Review: Elliott)

Having listened to Rage Against The Machine's self-titled album and "The Battle Of Los Angeles", I wasn't sure how the absence of Zach De La Rocha would affect this album. I started listening to Rage Against The Machine after hearing that they were announced on the Reading line-up last year and after seeing them perform live, I had the two aforementioned albums on rotation for a very long time. However, after a while - as with any other album that I play too much - I started to realise a lot of things that I really didn't enjoy. I started to realise how similar their songs sounded. Two songs into "Audioslave" and I was beginning to see the same pattern. Something about the choruses on the first two songs - in my ears - sounds similar. Nevertheless, I refused to let that stop me from listening to the album. It's probably a good job that I didn't stop listening because after listening to the album all the way through, I think I quite enjoyed it.

Obviously, there are some downfalls to the album. At points, the album falls victim to the same element that ruined the “Rage Against The Machine” albums for me. Often, choruses sound incredibly similar and I can picture Chris Cornell screaming along to the song from on top of a tower with fireworks flying everywhere (see Cochise video) As a result of this, I think the more melodic songs come as a pleasant surprise – notably “Shadow in the sun”. Chris Cornell’s voice is brilliant on the majority of the tracks but for some reason, as the album progresses, I find myself growing tired of it. This could be due to the fact that on the later, slower songs, he sounds about 50 years old. A part of me also misses the presence Zach De La Rocha. I think he added another dimension to the band along with a heap of energy in his angry lyrics.

I’ve probably been a bit harsh when talking about the “downfalls” of the album. I really did enjoy it. Tom Morello’s guitar solos are extremely entertaining – most notably around 3 minutes into “Like a stone” - and Chris Cornell’s voice is incredibly powerful at times. I’m just hoping this album has the longevity that I didn’t really get from Rage Against The Machine’s albums.

Personal highlights for me:

Gasoline

Like a stone

Shadow in the sun