Audioslave Album: “Revelations”

After Audioslaves debut the thought to me was "How do you top that"? Then the "Sophomore Jinx" bit hard on "Out of Exile" which fell way short of expectations for me. Allot of the "Rage" was lost and it didn't have a clear direction, kind of boring. Now if you said the third album "Revelations" still didn't get back to it's "Raging Roots" but was as good as the debut. Well I'd say your nuts!! Well I guess I'm nuts. The direction has changed again but I think Audioslave has come into a style all their own now. The music here is fresh and has a funky vibe mixed with some good grooves. As always some great guitar work. It starts w/ a great rocker the self-titled track. The up and down transitions of track 3. Sound of a Gun. Then the radio friendly track 4. Until We Fall. The upbeat track 5. Original Fire. The funky vibe really starts kicking in with a killer tune, 7. Somedays! That leads into another great rocker, very Soundgarden-ish 8. Shape of Things to Come. Track 9. Jewel of The Summertime, has a funky/bluesy vibe with an absolute killer grove. Then track 12. Moth blows you away. It starts slow then hits you hard and adds many layers to it. That's one thing I can say about this release, it has many layers to it. It grabs you and keeps you interested from beginning to end! Great production songwriting and musicianship all the way around. Great job guys!

Out of Exile was a disappointment to me and I wondered if it would be the end of Audioslave. I was happily proved wrong yesterday with the release of Revelations. This album ROCKS HARD! Lots of hooks, catchy head bobbin' rhythms, good if not semi great lyrics, and at least 3 hit bound tracks make this a GREAT Audioslave record. They are sounding less and less like RATM with every release and that is a good and bad thing. I really liked RATM's sound, heavier and angrier than Audioslave. Revelations is less heavy and angry but cathcy and tuneful in a pop sort of way. More FM radio friendly if you will. They still have an edge thanks mostly to Tom's guitar chops. If you liked the 1st Audioslave record, you will dig this one as well.

Why can't I buy a disc with THE WHIP on it? Why, why, why? Peace Out!

Wow, this is painful to do. First of all I don't write reviews, not my thing, generally speaking. But I feel it is important to write (or warn) when it has importance.

I have to first say that Rage Against the Machine is my all-time Favorite band and while this was very much due to their musical talent it was also greatly due to the amazing politics they brought into the mainstream and I miss them more than I can ever express.

Secondly, I am in my late thirties, born and raised in good old Seattle who was barely of drinking age when bands like Soundgarden, Mudhoney, Nirvana, Alice in Chains and many other greats were playing the clubs in Seattle before the big breakout of Nirvan's Nevermind. And while I love the great music of Seattle and those outise Seattle but of this era such as Jane's Addiction, Smashing Pumpkins and Sublime. I cannot deny the fact that Chris Cornell is arguably the best male rock SINGER of my generation, the man has a voice that is golden. I love the man as poet and musical talent, my favorite ALBUM from Seattle in the early 90's was BadMotorFinger, hands-down.

So how did I feel when these two forces collided? At first I was ecstatic to hear the rumors were true, then tentative to hear no politics but still ready and open-minded. I bought the debut greedily and listened to it many times recommending it to everyone I knew and met, great album! One of the best rock albums I have ever heard, musically speaking. I saw the boyz live at the Paramount and what a great show! Not as good as Rage live but still a show I will never forget.

I will admit I have bad feelings about TC destroying RAGE and about Audioslave being a mainstream rock band in almost EVERY sense of the word but their first album was still an amazing piece and put many of my concerns to rest. Then came their sophomore release (usually the killer, right?) but still a pretty good album. Easier to listen to, maybe even a bit more mainstream but a real showcase of talent for all concerned and I felt no need for concern or alarm.

Revelations? I really don't know what to say. I can't trash guys who I have such great respect for (except TC who I have not problems trashing) but needless to say I hope this album flops otherwise I am afraid that the rest of Audioslave's career will be about making mediocre mainstream rock that will soon be on par with Van Haggar. I know these guys are MUCH better than this album and there are some moments of dim-greatness but all this talk of FUNK influence is crap (and yes I know funk), the bottom line is that it is more watered down than ever before and I hope that they get back to their roots on the next one. I know we are all getting older but does that mean we are settling for mediocracy?

Bottom line; Audioslave is still better than most bands around today but this is not the Audioslave I was just starting to know and love. If you pick-up this album up, do so knowing you are getting a nice fat dose of Audioslave-lite. My recommendation is borrow it from you buddy and listen to it several times or just burn it. I hate to suggest taking money out of these guys pockets (especially Tom and Brad who I have tremendous respect for and I know use much of their money supporting progressive causes) but if people don't buy it maybe they will get the message and get back to what they do best, ROCK!

Tom, Brad, Chris I hope I do regret writing this someday and eventually hear something I am not hearing now after about 10 listens and REALLY WANTING TO LOVE IT. I gave it 3 stars because it is Audioslave, any other band would have rated lower.

SIDE NOTE: It has been over a year and I don't regret writing this review! If anything I was generous and kind to a group of musicians I greatly love and respect for all their amazing contributions. The band has long since disbanded, relatively speaking, and RAGE is back in full effect which is amazing...I hope they are working on a new album as we speak. Chris put out a decent solo album but aside from Soundgarden, Audioslave's Debut and his first solo album he is not the great producer of songs he has been all these years. The Robert Plant of my generation, the VOICE, I love your amazing pipes and hope you will put out some great music in the future as you deserve to prolong an amazing legacy and your fans are here for you brother! As far as "Revelations" is concerned I have not listened to it once since I wrote this review and really have no desire to.

I do regret one point and that is that while the strain between Zach and Tim was most likely the breaking point of RAGE these guys have been friends a long time and friends don't always see eye to eye and being in a band together can be a real strain on even the best of friendships. Timmy and Zack made their peace and realized a greater cause and came together so if I do regret anything in this review it was my harshness of TC. Rage on in struggle Zack, Tom, Tim and Brad!

Oh and If you haven't heard Tom made a solo album under the name "the Nightwatchman" that is 5 stars and awesome...more folk and definitely not reminiscent of RAGE or Audioslave but an great album for any lover of good music with politics in the mix. Tom plays acoustic guitar and sings very impressively, check it out!

SECOND UPDATE: Tom put out his second album under the amended name "Tom Morello: The Nightwatchman" and Chris put out another solo album with producer Timbaland (did I spell that right?). This is the guy who produces Justin Timberlake! It is musically pretty heavy on the electronics but really a great album and worth checking out. Tom's second solo album is quite good but I still like his first the best for the two, the new one is more polished and incorporates a band while the first is more one-man folk and is unpolished and truly impressive. Zack of Rage did an EP called "One Day as a Lion" with Jon Thoedore of Mars Volta fame that is pretty heavy, kind of Rage-like in it's sound and to some degree socially (5 awesome songs).

I do not expect anything but change from Cornell and the boys. If you want the same album every time, you don't know Cornell very well.

This album is just what was called for. They have needed to put some distance from their previous incarnations.

You can't have Rage or Soundgarden anymore, so quit your cryin.

If you were looking for the one great album for the ages, Chris already wrote his masterpiece.

It is possible for the rest to contribute masterpiece calibre. However, they have to move further from their comfort zones to do so.

Timmy C is getting there real fast. By far the bright light on this album.

At last they put Brad where he can't annoy me. Deep in the mix. He does do some good stuff this time though...

Tom is less out of place and some riffs are great.

Cornell continues to make appropriate and interesting vocal choices. Unfortunately there appear to be some chinks in the armor. But, he's 42 what can we keep asking from him?

True, One and the Same and Until We Fall are mellow and somehow don't keep up with the rest. Broken City may be a bit too off and funky to get into for a while. Who knows what they were thinking with Original Fire (but you like it and you know it).

Revelations: Sorry to those of you who don't like Pop music (I'm not talking top 40). This song is just that. Shoulda been the single.

Sound of a Gun: The groove hurts. I only want to know if Timmy asked Carrie Akre if he could borrow that bass line.

Somedays: I thought, what?, until I got through the intro. Very odd and catchy at the same time.

Shape of things to Come: lets say I hope so. This song is as great as #1 Zero. Finally they find something out of the box for Tom to do. I love the mellow guitar melody.

Jewel: More funk and I dig it.

Wide Awake: -two words- Timmy C. Oddly, it sort of falls apart at the chorus. The rest however...

Nothing Left: Probably the weakest song on the album. I like the guitar at the end, and how it fades in to

Moth: This song has it's own thread for a reason. The whole package. Belongs with Gasoline, #1 Zero, Shape of THings to Come.

The only thing that keeps Revelations from greatness: Too friggin short.

As a whole, all things considered, this out-does the debut and Exile.

Hear me now, and believe me later.

If you can really call it a return. They've hardly been gone for a year and have put out another quality album. One of the things that I most admore about Audioslave is that they don't grow to repetitive (to quote previous reviewers) CD to CD. They manage to mix it up while maintaing some quality that is similar. They've done it this time as well. When you listen to the album, you get a sense of, for lack of a better term, oldness, of something classic.

Each song has something to offer as well. The title track gives us some vaocal effects and sweet harmonies, along with an interesting solo. Original Fire (the first single) has both a mastered combination of bass, guitar and drums, and some pretty nice lyrics. Broken City is reminiscent of Doesn't Remind Me and Somedays is one of my personal favorites. Shape of Things To Come and Jewel of The Summertime are both pretty catchy. And one of my favorite songs on the album, Wide Awake, (due partially to the sick bass line in it) is one of the band's few political songs.

One thing I would like to address to both Rage and Soundgarden fans is that your enthusiasm for one or both bands, is not only admirable, but relieving. Unfortunatly alot of Rage/Soundgarden and even new Audioslave fans' favorite album from Audioslave is their self-titled debut and don't care for Out of Exile or Revelations. Because of this I'd like to advise you that Out of Exile and Revelations are probably their more permanent sound. I believe that Audioslave (the album) was an oddity of the band (a rather enjoyable one) that was due to their new formation. Don't get your hopes up for a new album that sounds like Audioslave. I myself would love to be proved wrong, but I enjoy the other albums just as much as Audioslave and wouldn't care either way.

That said, you may be wondering "Why only 4 stars?" To that I would reply that, along with the other two albums, there is one vital piece that is missing form the band that would make them truly epic. I hope they find it soon, but until then I'll keep listening (and after that too).