You can hardly blame some music connoisseurs for having an aversion to the word “reunion.” After all, it tends to conjure up visions of aging rock stars performing sloppily in half-filled arenas in an attempt to earn some semblance of a check again, vainly attempting to recapture their glory days by touring behind a mediocre album at its best.
Thankfully, none of this is an issue with the sixth Soundgarden album release King Animal which provides concrete proof that the band still has the musical grit to cut it in the modern musical environment.
Although formed in 1984, it wasn’t until the early 1990s when Soundgarden musically established themselves as one of the seminal forces behind the advent of grunge. Along with Seattle contemporaries Nirvana, Alice in Chains and Pearl Jam, Soundgarden paved the way for future grunge-heads with their dirty and in-your-face aggressive style. Their popularity increased with the genre. In the coming years, the movement soared to new heights, propelling the band to a level of popularity never before seen by a grunge act. With this newfound acceptance came multiple Grammys and numerous #1 debuts on the Billboard Charts. The band was riding high when their euphoria was brought to a screeching halt in 1997. After 13 years of grandeur, Soundgarden called it quits. They would stay disbanded until their surprising reunion in 2010 (ironically 13 years later).
When the band announced that there would be a sixth Soundgarden album, expectations went through the roof. Like many bands who found fame during the explosion of grunge, Soundgarden garnered hoards of dedicated fans. Sadly, many of these fans are still stuck in the era of ripped jeans and plaid button-ups. It is these individuals who will find King Animal to be a resounding disappointment.
King Animal doesn’t sound like a former grunge band trying to recapture old glory. Instead it’s progressive and modern. It’s Soundgarden for the 21st century.
In Spin Magazine, lead singer Chris Cornell was dead on when he described the album as “explosive.” That’s putting it lightly. King Animal should come with a warning label cautioning the audience of it’s migraine-inducing beat.
Opening track “Been Away Too Long” is a driving song that comments on the band itself as well as indicates the heavy rock that is to come for the remainder of the album. The following tracks “Non-state Actor” and “By Crooked Steps” are also headbanging, fist-stomping metal anthems. Luckily, your ears get a much deserved rest on “Taree” and “Bones of Birds” which lower the aggressive energy level down a notch and proceed on a mellower path.
The band takes a trip back in time with the song “A Thousand Days Before,” a trippy and psychedelic tribute to the classic rock of the 1970s. With distorted guitar riffs and groovy bass lines, this one would makes Led Zeppelin grin ear to ear with amusement.
There’s another break in the aggression with “Black Saturday,” an acoustic number that sounds like both Alice and Chains and Led Zeppelin.
There’s a lot to like about King Animal. It somehow manages to capture the creativity and energy of a band that was in their prime nearly two decades ago. That’s pretty admirable for a band whose members are hovering around 50 years old. Heck, Cornell may not be able to hit those screaming high notes like he could in the early 90s but everything else remains intact. Soundgarden has managed to pick up exactly where they left off without sacrificing an ounce of creativity. It’s an honorable achievement and one that needs to be heard to be believed.
Critic’s Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Eric Duffert can be reached at eduffert@aol.com