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Audioslave – Revelations
CD Review by Scott "Dr. Music" Itter
October 2006

Here we go again. The count is no balls and two strikes as Audioslave looks at another pitch. Will this latest disc be a swing and a miss for strike three, or will Chris Cornell, Tom Morello, and the rest of Audioslave hit one into the cheap seats? I must admit that I have my doubts, but I must also admit that I am still hungry for this band to rock my socks off. I want an album full of songs that are of the same caliber as "Show Me How To Live," from their first record. With one of the best rhythm sections in the business, one of the most creative guitarists to come along in decades, and a singer that can wail with the very best of them, is it possible for so much talent to put out three mediocre records in a row? Let's see.

Track 1: "Revelations" - Starts off with a mellow tinkle of guitar, and then BOOM, it cuts into a Rage-like groove. It quickly subsides to let in the soft and catchy chorus, but it returns immediately to pace the tune well. A mellow bridge that's carried by Cornell and his incredible voice adds an interesting twist. This isn't anything sensational, but it's not a disaster either. I might even go so far as to say I like it. RATING: 6

Track 2: "One and the Same" - Morello starts this one off with one of his strange and unique riffs, which quickly ushers in another groove heavy rhythm section. Cornell really sounds at the top of his game so far, and this is actually a decent song. It's still not anywhere near the intensity that Rage Against The Machine brought to the table, but it's not bad. RATING: 6

Track 3: "Sound of a Gun" - Oh yes! Here's the groove, baby!! It only lasts for a few measures before it gives way to a laid back, but awesome vocal interval. It kicks in again for the chorus portions, but it does lose some structure late in the song. This one never really seems to come full circle, but you gotta love the groove here. RATING: 6

Track 4: "Until We Fall" - This is the stuff that kills this band. Leave this song for Tom Petty or Dave Matthews. Any band could play this song, so I just see this as defecation on my musical lawn, and I'm tired of cleaning it up. This isn't quite the laughable hayride that "Doesn't Remind Me" was from the last album, "Out Of Exile," but it's still a total disaster. RATING: 1

Track 5: "Original Fire" - Here's a single if I ever heard one. This has some great elements. It has nice groove and fiery vocals with a real classic hook to it. Simple, yet effective. Morello adds a great creative solo in which he seems to have his axe almost laughing. A very steady rocker that's almost too steady, but it works well regardless. RATING: 6

Track 6: "Broken City" - Cornell plays this one with the "cool cat" vocal approach, which is almost Prince-like, and it's great. Another decent groove from bassist Cummerford and drummer Wilk, and another ingenious guitar solo from Morello make this a pretty cool track. RATING: 6

Track 7: "Somedays" - Cornell extends himself here, and he has no problem doing it. Once again, we get the light groove undermining all of the skills of Cornell and Morello. This song style, like many of the songs so far, seems to be written in a classic rock framework. This makes for predictable and sometimes tedious tracks, but they do sound natural, and they are played very solid. RATING: 5

Track 8: "Shape of Things to Come" - Another nice and steady song, but this one has a bit more vocal bite working with the heavy groove. This may be the closest to "Show Me How To Live" that the band has come since the track itself on the self-titled debut. This is an emotionally charged Cornell and a rhythm section that fits it nicely. RATING: 7

Track 9: "Jewel of the Summertime" - This has a very similar sound as the last track, "Shape Of Things To Come." The band seems to have fallen comfortably in a pattern here. These songs are better than what we heard on "Out Of Exile," but the songs are all starting to sound the same. Another unique Morello solo helps this one. RATING: 6

Track 10: "Wide Awake" - Cool, slick, and sly vocal from Cornell that's accompanied by a pulsing bass line to start this one. I really like the sound of this one until it gets to the chorus of the song. I keep waiting for that sleek pulse to explode into a colossal groove, but instead the band delivers a textbook classic rock refrain. I'm sorry, but I see this as a waste of talent. They have the best hitters in the league on the bench, and they never put them in the game. Not a bad song, but again, nothing great. RATING: 6

Track 11: "Nothing Left to Say But Goodbye" - First of all, they should be ashamed of the name of the song alone. Jeez. It's got a real "Black Hole Sun" feel to it. It's that simple. Again, not horrible, but definitely not great - my Lord, this is getting old. RATING: 3

Track 12: "Moth" - This song has a little bit of that crunch from the rhythm section, and it is more original than most of the other material on this record. I don't love this song either, but I respect this one more than most of what's here. The song really never goes anywhere; instead, it becomes a bit repetitive and simple. RATING: 5

OVERALL RATING: 6 DEAD

I'm sorry, but this is strike three. Most of the songs here are average; some are a little better, some a little worse. But this is a band that has the capabilities of making one of the greatest records of all time. For a band of this caliber to put together a record that does not feed off of its amazing talent is a real travesty. Although I would usually give an "ALIVE" diagnosis to a rating of 6, I think this record is way below what should be expected from this band. If you like the debut, you should like this one. If you liked the second record, "Out Of Exile," you should definitely like this. I don't think any of the Audioslave offerings are anything special, and I'm tired of waiting for Audioslave to get it together. There are way too many other bands that deserve my attention. Strike three, you're out.