Released: Nov 12, 2012
Genre: Alternative Metal, Psychedelic Rock, Grunge, Alternative Rock
Label: Seven Four Entertainment/Republic
Number Of Tracks: 13
Stop the press: Soundgarden's first album in 16 years might just have been a reunion album worth making.
King AnimalFeatured review by: UG Team, on november 17, 2012 6 of 7 people found this review helpful
Sound: Grunge pioneers Soundgarden surprised a few people when they decided to get back together, but probably surprised many more when they announced they'd be getting off the festival circuit to write and record again. It's been a while and I'm not convinced there's ever been a truly great reunion album, so the aim for the Seattle veterans on "King Animal", their first studio outing since 1996, is to avoid a flop and reassert themselves as artists before setting their sights higher. Scepticism can be excused given some of Chris Cornell's solo work since the 90s.
Truth be told though, it doesn't take long at all to get back into the swing of listening to one of their records and this is a strong release. Opener "Been Away Too Long" has all the hallmarks of a big Soundgarden single and from start to finish the album is littered with little moments of inspiration from guitarist Kim Thayil. The exotic flavour of "A Thousand Days Before" is a particular highlight and follow-up single "Non-State Actor" is a perfect reimagination of the "Superunknown" era.
Broadly speaking though this is a more moderate (or is that mature?) effort; we're not talking soft rock here but energy levels peak very early and the focus on melody over riffing becomes more and more clear as the album goes on. Those hoping for a big bang to finish will also be disappointed but the band have traditionally closed with a mid-paced jammer, and "Rowing" plays to type. This is actually their shortest album since 1988 debut "Ultramega OK" but without some of the rockier numbers in there later on this requires a patient and dedicated listen. Worry not, though, the substance is there and it hardly takes a scholar to pick it out. // 8
Lyrics and Singing: The passage of time has inevitably impacted upon Chris Cornell's ability to soar up to the really ball-clenching highs of days gone by, but the permanent class of an experienced songwriter and iconic frontman shines through. There is a typical whiff of cynicism and pessimism in the lyrics, though it's cased in conservative language and the adventurousness of the melody is dialed down a few steps since Chris can't shriek and wail like he used to. Occasionally Thayil will move into esoteric guitar territory and disconnect with the song; when Cornell does the same it leaves the song lacking for impetus but these moments are the exception rather than the rule on a well put-together record. // 7
Impression: What's most refreshing about "King Animal" is that it sounds like the effort of a band who really wanted to make new music and felt like they had something worthwhile to say with it. Cornell and co could have easily half-arsed it and toured for a few more years on their incredibly strong catalogue before calling it a day, but on the evidence of this record it looks like they’ve got wind behind their sails again and will be pushing on as a fully functional recording and touring machine. This is no "Badmotorfinger" but the potential for more top drawer music from Soundgarden is greater than it has been at any point since their reunion. Highly enjoyable stuff.
King Animal
Reviewed by:
unregistered, on november 23, 2012 1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Sound: The first Soundgarden album in 16 years and what an album it is! A fitting follow up to "Down On The Upside", it's like Soundgarden never left us. From start to end, this album sounds distinctively Soundgarden yet fresh at the same time. The band members have maintained that "King Animal" will still sound like Soundgarden and well, they certainly weren't just saying it! Songs like "Taree" or "Eyelid's Mouth" would not be out of place on any of the previous albums (ok, maybe besides "Badmotorfinger" but that's a pretty unique album).
But not only does it sound like old Soundgarden, they are taking their music to new places. "Rowing" is a great track that sounds unlike anything they have done before. Even "Been Away Too Long" is quite unlike previous Soundgarden; having a more rock than grunge/alternative sound. If I have one thing to criticize, I think the mix could be a little more dynamic but I guess that was always going to be expected with a modern rock album. I'm sure it would sound much better on vinyl. I used the CD to review. If I had to use one word to sum up the sound of this album? Soundgarden. And don't say that's two words! // 9
Lyrics and Singing: Cornell still has it for sure. He may not be writing such aggressive lyrics like "Slaves And Bulldozers" anymore but his lyrics are still top notch. All the classic Cornell/Soundgarden lyrics are there, from the catchy simple choruses to the deep verses. And more importantly in my opinion, the vocal melodies are outstanding. "By Crooked Steps" and "Worse Dreams" are standouts for this for me. It's also quite interesting to hear some new topics that Cornell has never covered before in Soundgarden songs, such as parenting in "Bones Of Birds".
In terms of singing ability, obviously Cornell doesn't have that god-like, bone crushing voice of "Black Rain" or "Jesus Christ Pose" anymore but he's nearing on 50 years old and has been singing his out heart for the past 25-30 years so it would be wrong to expect those kind of vocals again. In parts, his vocals do sound a bit too 'thick' or strained but I can't really say that this detracts from the songs. Although, the album has many classic screams and long sustained notes. On this record, Cornell really shows that he is still one of the best vocalists/lyricists in active rock bands today. // 8
Impression: For me, I think this is the best new album I've heard all year. It is on a different level to the albums released by Testament, The Sword, The Offspring, Van Halen etc. This year and I would say it even blows AiC's "Black Gives Way To Blue" out of the water for a comeback album, though Alice in Chains has a large disadvantage in losing their lead singer (R.I.P. Layne).
This album really is a perfect follow up to "Down On The Upside" and wouldn't be out of place if it was released only 1-2 years after that. For me, the standout songs are "Worse Dreams" (probably my favourite so far), "By Crooked Steps", "Bones Of Birds", "Eyelid's Mouth", "Non-State Actor" and "Been Away Too Long".
I wouldn't go as far to say that this album can compare to "Badmotofinger" or "Superunknown", as those are ridiculously good albums that few bands can manage to make albums as good as. However, that does not take away from the fact that this is a great album that is better than 99% of rock put out today or the fact that this album is indeed a Soundgarden classic already. If you like/love Soundgarden and have the teensiest tiniest bit of an open mind to accept the modern-ish sound, you should love this album. // 9
King Animal
Reviewed by:
Oldbear135, on january 22, 2013 0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Sound: The release of "King Animal" marks 16 years since Soundgarden's last album. The band were famous in the 90s for their grunge rock which was as influenced by 70s Zeppelin riffing and Hendrix psychedelia, as it was by the sub-pop sound under the gloomy Seattle skyline. In the space between then and now, the music scene and industry have radically changed, and so have the men in Soundgarden. Now middle-aged, they re-unite to re-establish their sound, while simultaneously updating it to ensure Soundgarden is still relevant in this new world. Three chords into the opener, and "King Animal" already starts to deliver.
"Been Away Too Long" roars the album into life with the duel guitar attack of Cornell and Thayil. Cornell's rhythm drives the song forward with Thayil free to riff with him or embellish where he sees fit. The lead guitarist has a seemingly endless originality with his licks, and as the cascading riff of "Non-State Actor" spills out of the speakers, fans can rest assured he hasn't lost his chops. "King Animal" feels confident and realised as "Non-State"'s frantic solo gives way to the smart rocker "By Crooked Steps". There's a brilliant space to this song that allows the listener time to think without stagnating. It's a result of Soundgarden's classic riffing supplying impetus and direction, combined with a psychedelic swirl of noises that cast a dreamy spell on the brain.
"A Thousand Days Before" features the same psychedelics and rock, but with a slower-tempo that creates a nice change of pace. Cameron's busy drumming is a highlight here as we're reminded of the brilliance of him and bassist Ben Sheppard. Their ability to anchor Soundgarden songs that seem on the verge of falling apart shows their musical chemistry which has endured 16 years later. But the "Badmotorfinger"-style mosher "Blood On The Valley Floor" sees them switch from anchoring Thayil and Cornell to riffing up front with them, and the entire band harmonise to perform the brilliant "Bones Of Birds". This ballad drifts along beautifully into a "She Likes Surprises" style chorus, and combines the best of their 90s work with a more subdued, mature style evident of Soundgarden in 2012.
The second half of "King Animal" is a different story, however. "Taree" begins as a promising track with a verse that takes the listener on a wandering mid-tempo journey to the chorus. However, the destination is wholly forgettable with the chorus offering little melody or punch to the song. This is a missed opportunity to keep up the momentum - a similar story to the next track. As the guitars and drums kick in, "Attrition" promises to be a song to play on full blast driving through a hurricane. But lacklustre singing and too little development leave the song mediocre and repetitive. Worse yet, Cornell's solo sensibilities emerge on "Black Saturday" - a song that neither works with the band's style and or hooks the listener - and while "Halfway There" starts off sounding like a "Burden In My Hand" style hit, the chorus chews on too much pop-schmultz. "King Animal" stumbles until a strong close rescues it. "Worse Dreams" has some nice psychedelics, but "Eyelid's Mouth" and "Rowing" deliver some heavy punches in the final round, as both tracks groove towards ripping guitar solos. // 7
Lyrics and Singing: Cornell's lyrics on "King Animal" are the efforts of a seasoned song-writer. "Been Away Too Long" aptly sums up the reunion with a brooding opening verse: "You can't go home, no I swear you never can/You can walk a million miles and get nowhere." Cornell knows it's impossible to go back to how the band was in the 90s. Like a man returning to his hometown after 16 years, things are familiar but a lot has changed and he has to change with it. This is a central theme to the album; the songs sound like Soundgarden songs, but they're different. "Bones Of Birds" has a "Black Hole Sun" vibe, but no word play in the lyrics as a mature Cornell acknowledges being a father. With his children in mind, Cornell examines the world they will inherit, and the 16 years since Soundgarden broke-up has brought both war and hope. The former is interrogated as Cornell explores international relations on "Non-State Actor", and laments continuous conflict on "Blood On The Valley Floor" - a song with imagery evocative of war-torn Afghanistan. But the swan-song "Rowing" offers hope as Cornell implores perseverance: "Rowing is living and living is hard/But living beats losing all that we are."
As "King Animal" deals with the effects of time, so has Cornell with his voice. No, he can't reach glass-shattering highs of "Jesus Christ Pose" anymore, but he'll still rip through the mix of a song with vocals that kick up gravel. A great example is "Eyelid's Mouth", where we hear the band give Cornell the perfect platform to launch his assault. The power and passion of Cornell here is nothing new, but the style he uses to convey it is fresh and adds to the maturity of Soundgarden's new vibe. This is seriously awesome stuff, and as Cornell sings, screams and whispers his way through the album there are few instances where vocals are lacking. "Attrition" is one in particular, where Sheppard's vocals are poor and Cornell is low on energy, but even on the pop-style tracks like "Halfway There", Cornell's raw vocals hit home. When these are combined with quality songs on the album, like "Blood On The Valley Floor" and "Bones Of Birds", the effect is tremendous. // 9
Impression: "King Animal" shows that Soundgarden have plenty to say and the will to say it. The result is a high-octane, yet densely-realised album that will rock the casual listener and give hours of replay value to the fan. It captures the essence of what made Soundgarden great, but with some fresh sounds that result in an album looking forwards into the horizon. Even the album's weak points can be commended as its apparent the band were trying out new things, and this attitude is what will make Soundgarden fans genuinely excited for the future. // 8
Brilliant album. It has been blowing my mind again everyday with each new listen.
I'm glad to see that Chris got all the "pop-ish " stuff completely out of his system. None of it shows in this album; this is pure, 100% unadultered Soundgarden.
And yes, you've been away too long , guys. Welcome back.
I'm loving King Animal, but Halfway There is pretty much the kind of Chris Cornell adult contemporary crap I really wasn't looking forward to. It ruins the pacing of the album, and I just plain don't like it. The man has written some amazing pop/psychedelic songs; Euphoria Morning is one of my favourite albums, I love stuff like Seasons, etc but everything since Carry On has been crap, and Halfway There reminds me of that completely.
Bones of Birds is almost there, but they managed to do something interesting with it. The chord progression in the chorus might as well have been a Cornell pop song though. Can't complain about the rest of the album though, and I still like tunes like Bones and Black Saturday, but those two and Halfway There are definitely the Chris Cornell pop contributions.
I like how I get downvoted for pointing out that Cornell is credited solely for writing Halfway There, Black Saturday, and Bones of Birds, the three undisputed Cornell style pop songs on the album.
I completely disagree. I don't see what you see (or more like "hear what you hear") on those songs.
To me, they come from the same place as songs like "Burden In My Hand ", for example, and not Cornell's pop vein .
Also, i don't feel they ruin the pacing of the album. At all.
On a side note, the only recent Soundgarden song that i feel suffers from "Chris Cornell's pop contributions", as you put it, is "Live To Rise ".
I really like the guitars in the main riff and chorus, but the vocals overall aren't quite what i expected from Soundgarden -- but a solo work from Cornell instead.
And the verses. My god, those verses are hard to digest.
I'm not trying to play the opinion game. I think the song goes nowhere, you disagree. Whatever. But other than that, I'm trying to be objective. Burden in my Hand and Halfway There aren't really anything alike aside from the fact that they're songs by Soundgarden with acoustics on them. If you compare them, one is an open tuning, and brings in influences from Led Zeppelin to an almost celtic folk type sound. Halfway There, however, is structured very similarly to material on Carry On, and the chord progression is extremely typical of Cornell's solo material leaving Soundgarden, i.e psychedelic pop in the vein of the Beatles. Everything about that song down the structure, dynamics, and lyrics could fit nicely next to a song like Scar in the Sky.
I mean, if you don't hear it fine, but I don't really think I'm giving you one man's take for another. You said the album was 100% pure Soundgarden with anything that resembles Chris Cornell's solo stuff, and that's really not true. When you compare the songs he's solely credited for to songs like Kim Thayil is credited for (Blood on the Valley Floor, A Thousand Days Before) you get two-three songs that actually have more in common with an album like Carry On, vs 2 solid tracks that represent two different sides of their music. Hell, A Thousand Days Before has more in common with Burden in My Hand than songs that share most of the hallmarks of Chris' solo work.
I usually blast UG's writing and piss poor journalism, but this is a great, accurate review. I'd give Cornell a higher rating, but that's me, and I see the reviewers point about stealing the momentum here and there (particularly in By Crooked Steps). That's nitpicking though, this album is super fantastic awesome (disappointed I didn't see that phrase in the review), and marks the return of one of the greatest of all time, and the start of a great run of 90's based upcoming music... NIN, QOTSA, Tool, in the next year or so. Ps - seeing SG tonight in tiny venue in NYC. Too stoked.
I sounds nothing like Audioslave. Brad Wilk is a boring drummer because he has no fills unlike Matt Cameron who has different beats for every song and has a s*** ton of fills. The bass is a lot more melodic as opposed to Audioslave in that the bass plays what the guitar plays and between Kim and Tom, they are just two completely different players. So no this album does not sound like Audioslave because it's Soundgarden and it sounds like a nineties rock band from Seattle.
I don't think that Cornell's vocal style has diminished, he's just not trying too hard on the record, I saw them earlier this year and he was able to sing 'Beyond the Wheel' as well as he would have 20 years ago.
That's not true, as optimistic as you are trying to be. Cornell can hit the notes, it's the power that's missing. I like the album and Cornell, but there is no denying that the years have been hard on his voice.
That's nowhere near true. Cornell has never been a consistent live singer, but having seen them twice since they've reunited, I can tell you that 20 years, Cornell could sustain the high notes in Beyond the Wheel, and didn't have to use any reverb or delay. Definitely not the case now, no matter how much I like his voice regardless. You don't go 25 years smoking and drinking, not giving a crap about your vocal technique the entire time, and then through vocal surgery and NOT have your voice diminish one way or the other.
I'm liking "Non-State Actor". That and "Been Away Too Long" are the only ones that I've heard so far, and I don't like "Been Away..." at all. That one sounds like Soundgarden trying to play exactly what's been played alternative/modern rock stations for the past several years.
That being said, I plan to listen to this whole album and see what it's like. "Non-State Actor" has given me a bit of hope that this will be another great Soundgarden album...
Listened to a couple of the others. Seems like it's a pretty strong album. For the most part it seems like they've pretty much picked up where they left off.
I guess Billy Corgan was wrong. They could have made a mediocre album and toured on the strength of their past hits, but they proved they really do want to continue making great music.
The thing i like most about the album is that it sounds like a natural progression from Down On The Upside. Its not like they came back after 15 years and are trying to to sound like what people associate with Soundgarden. Loving this album more and more with every listen! So glad they're back!
They were great last night. Lots of new stuff which sounded fresh and stood up well against the old classics. Ben Shepherd definitely has bodies buried in his back yard.
The new album sounds nothing like Audioslave. I like the first two Audioslave albums. This sounds like Soundgarden. The construction of the songs is completely different directionally... I think the Audioslave comparisons are due to hearing Cornell's haggard voice. It's still great in it's own way, but he's a different singer post Down on the Upside... that's the only common theme I hear... maybe a touch where it's obvious it's a Cornell written acoustic part, but that's it.
I like all the comments on here... (just not the Audioslave one... sorry) BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING VITAL ROCK MUSIC AND SOUNDGARDEN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IT. Instead of trying to explain to a 12 year old why Avenged Sevenfold suck. A dream come true.
It´s nice listening new songs but I feeling this is not like songs from old times. There are relative a lot of songs, but anyone doesn´t above-average or special. There are a lot of standard songs.
Good album and I love the closer 'Rowing' it's so sludgy and haunting, and leaves the listener waiting and wondering where the band are going to go next.
I was pretty skeptical about this, but it seems pretty solid from the tracks I've heard. Seems like they've embraced a lot of the things that made me enjoy their older records.
Been away too long is the stereotypical rock song I was afraid of but other than that the album is pretty raw because it sounds like a garage band from the mid nineties. Although I know it's wrong to say because they are not that band anymore, I really wanted to hear some of that heavy metal sounds that come from Cornell's telecaster. I'm really not a fan of Cornell or Dave Grohl using the Gibson Es models, not because they are bad guitars, but because when they do they tone down their sound. The album also doesn't have that catchy riff that guitarists want to learn, such as in Hands All Over, Rusty Cage, Fresh Tendrils, Burden in My Hand, and so many other songs. The best song in my opinion is "Rowing" which should have been a single but obviously if it's not upbeat now it won't sell. So I understand why "Been Away too Long" was the single because people now are very biased in what they listen to musically and lyrically, as in they want a "dumbed down" song. I'm also glad that it happened the way it did because they left with plenty of material for the fans and then Chris formed one of the greatest bands of the past decade and got to do some of his personal goals he had. You can hate all you want on me for saying this too but I actually like some of the stuff on "Scream" as an album, I just wish it didn't have "Chris Cornell" written on the back of it. Overall this album gets a 7 from me and I hope they can come back and make another album with the more metal sounding stuff like "Slaves and Bulldozers", but can also have those catchy riffs and choruses like "Loud Love", "Outshined" and "Pretty Noose".
oh and the name "King Animal" was a pretty badass name and not that the album didn't have catchy riffs, it's just that none of them blew my mind like they used to.
Yeah mybad, it's just that no one at my dorm or in high school was into 90's music. Honestly I forgot to mention "Blood" but yeah thats a good example of riffs they used, very "Mailman" sounding. I think I liked "Rowing" the most because it had that "Dazed and Confused" feel to it and also the solo was the best on the album. Very original stuff and a killer bass riff.
I think he sounds pretty good for being almost 50. I like this album more and more with each listen. Like others have said, it's a nice progression from Down on the Upside.
The album is growing on me, but I don't see myself loving it. It's better than what I expected, but it's pretty underwhelming. There's a few pretty good tunes on it, at least.
I've listened to the album and good five times and while I do love some of the songs, a lot of them either sound very similar to me or haven't really struck anything inside me to say "damn that's a great tune"....
But, I do like a four or five songs on the album. I'll even go as far as saying that the song "Rowing" is absolutely one of my favorite songs from the past decade of music. Rowing shocked me because it has an electronic feel with killer solo's and bass lines strewn throughout. I feel like Cornell wanted to conjure up his "Scream" influences for one song on this album while keeping it sounding like a Soundgarden song.
Rowing, to me, is well worth buying this album for. It sounds like classic Soundgarden and Cornell's lyrics are great.
In all fairness I thought Alice in Chains comeback album was very, very good. Also, Stone Temple Pilots had some nice songs on their most recent comeback album.
In all fairness, I'd agree that there were a couple half-decent songs on STP's newest album, but I wasn't a fan of Black Gives Way to Blue, and I was actually disappointed that I bought it.
It really isn't even as good as the official Jerry Cantrell solo albums, and most wouldn't dare compare those to the original Alice in Chains albums. It's basically the same band as the first Jerry Cantrell album, minus special guests and plus the occasional backup vocal from 'lead' singer William DuVall (I know he's the lead singer live, but on that album, he was a glorified backup singer/rhythm guitarist. I also realize that Jerry Cantrell and Layne Staley commonly shared lead/backup duties, but Jerry Cantrell is indubitably the lead singer on that album).
The material just wasn't good to me, as well as having little to no feeling. It sounds like an apathetic version of some leftover ideas for AiC songs that Layne Staley never got a chance to have any input on. To me, he was what made Alice in Chains. He gave the songs feeling. The combination of him and Jerry Cantrell was just excellent - songwriting and performance-wise. William DuVall may be able to do some justice to future material if they give him a chance to shine, but I don't know if his songwriting is up to par with AiC standards.
I know you all like to think that 5 is a bad rating for an album, but that's the middle ground, and it even says right beside the 5 here that it's for an 'average' rating.
That's what I feel this is - an average album. I wouldn't exactly call it an average Soundgarden album, though, because it's the first album of theirs that I don't particularly like any one song. With that taken into consideration, I think a 5 might be a little generous, and a 4 would be more realistic.
The album overall gets a little boring; the songs kind of blend together and at least half of them are pretty samey. I found the standout tracks for me were the ones that most of you are complaining about (even though they barely stand out among the rest), but I realized a few years ago that all of the Soundgarden songs I like best are credited solely to Chris Cornell. However, I don't even really like the ones that only he is credited for this time around. Strangely enough, I'm not a fan of most of his solo material, but when he writes the songs and the whole band plays them, that's when Soundgarden is at their best.
All in all, I wouldn't get mad if this album was playing in the background, but I won't be the one to turn it on.
Sounds like a pile of crap you're chatting.. If I concluded anything from your post it's that you have a more pop orientated taste in music which is why you said you found the songs others are complaining about the ones you liked the most.. because we all like it hard.. So go back to your Bieber cds and we'll say no more on the matter..
This album is pretty damn good if you ask me. I'll admit at 1st it didnt stand out to much for me. But after listening to it a few times I am picking up on alot of the nice under tones. Ben shepherd I must say is probably far overlooked by the majority of people here. His bass numbers on this album is damn good and Ben is certainly on his A game with this album.
Turn the bass up and drop the high end some and you will see what I mean.
Your right about Rowing sloan. It also has that temple of the dog funk/soul feel. His sweep picking on the bass is very nice and he has to be using some odd tuning. Also a nice blues feel as well.
This certainly pushes Shepherd up on my list of best bass players a few notches. Grade A stuff.
This album is good but I feel its missing just a little something though. A little more raw aggression is what it needs. It also seems to be missing some of the wonderful guitar harmonics. Songs like limo wreck had.
All and all. This is a very solid and well made album and is certainly worthy of the name soundgarden.
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I'm glad to see that Chris got all the "pop-ish " stuff completely out of his system. None of it shows in this album; this is pure, 100% unadultered Soundgarden.
And yes, you've been away too long , guys. Welcome back.