Album Review: Soundgarden - King Animal

How to respond after 16 years between records? Although contrived, lyrics like, “You can't go home/No, I swear you never can,” on memorable opener Been Away Too Long are probably fair play. If aforementioned sentiments don't have devotees feeling right at home, the track's Eastern-flavoured guitar licks will.

Some may doubt frontman Chris Cornell's rock credentials nowadays, given the execrable Scream and all. Slotted within the Seattle hard rock megastars' trademark wall of sound though, he gels. There are missteps; Attrition ups the tempo but achieves little else. Halfway There is middle-of-the-road Cornell solo leftovers, a stab at airplay from a band that typically let the mainstream come to them. Rowing's a curious, if confusing, finish, wailing riffs accompanying sampled basslines, electronic drum beats and tripped-out vocals. The production's overly slick, but Kim Thayil's distinctive guitar tone isn't too tightly leashed. King Animal is also somewhat frontloaded, but there are numerous positives. The psychedelic punch of Non-State Actor boasts many hooks and Thayil arrives on A Thousand Days Before; a slow-burner packing a chorus that ambushes you like a junkie in a dark alley. Grooving Blood On The Valley Floor's grinding, Zeppelin-like riffage is straight out of 1991's Badmotorfinger. Acoustic-driven, jazz-inflected Black Saturday welcomingly continues the Zeppelin theme. Deftly keyboard-laden Bones of Birds explores parenthood, reminding us that they're now middle-aged dudes after all.

Expecting a barnstorming, career-defining work considering Soundgarden has already blazed their trail isn't feasible. Instead, try anticipating one that's true to their essence, and features some strong tunes offering a few songwriting twists. By that measure, King Animal is a likeable beast.