Morello gets his groove back

By Patrick Daugherty

Published Sept. 12, 2006

Since Rage Against The Machine's mysterious split in 2000, people have constantly wondered, where in the world is Zack de la Rocha? One place people know not to look is Audioslave, the sterile super group composed of Rage's three leftover members and former Soundgarden front man Chris Cornell.

Although no one knows about de la Rocha, fans might have also wondered about Tom Morello's whereabouts. Although he technically plays in Audioslave, he stopped being the man who set his guitar on fire with every note in every song with Rage.

After constantly breaking new ground with his old band, Morello opted to play it safe with Audioslave so not to upset the fair-weather fans of mainstream rock.

So it is quite startling when 20 seconds into the band's new album, Revelations, Morello's guitar appears to wake up from its Top 40-radio-induced coma. Sounding as if he's playing with a purpose rather than simply writing hits, Morello removes the melodrama and brings the muscle back to his playing. The simplistic heavy rock riffs have been largely dumped for the wah-wah effects and distortion pedals that were Rage's hallmark.

The album's first single, "Original Fire," is the band's best song to date. The song is full of energy and bite. Morello's guitar speaks like it hasn't in ages, and Cornell sings like a true hard-rock singer. Not surprisingly, though, the song has stalled at radio, failing to ascend to the chart heights of Audioslave's past boring, safer singles.

Thankfully, "Original Fire" doesn't have to carry the weight all on its own. "One and the Same" features the kind of virtuosic performance that used to be routine for Morello, and "Wide Awake" eerily echoes the self-titled era of Rage.

Although Cornell turns in his usual professional performance you can't help but fantasize about the extra jolt de la Rocha's fierce singing would give these songs, especially when Morello gets lazy, like in "Jewel of the Summertime" and "Nothing Left to Say But Goodbye." These two songs sound like outtakes from the band's first albums and are as cliché as their names would suggest. They are part of the decidedly duller second half of the record.

Audioslave still isn't a powerhouse like Rage or Soundgarden, but it is obvious that the four members are finally jelling and playing for themselves, not just the radio.

The band has made many calculated gambles with Revelations. For example, the band released the album a mere 15 months after its predecessor, unheard of these days, and strayed from its proven formula for radio success. The payoff is worth the risk with genuine emotion finally finding a place in Audioslave songs.

Revelations won't impress hipsters or Pitchfork, but it will finally remove the band from laughing-stock status and bring Morello's name back into serious music conversations ("Did you hear T-Mo's solo in 'One and the Same'!? Sick!!")

Audioslave finally has a pulse. Music fans can only hope that it continues to quicken.

Artist: Audioslave
Album: Revelations
Genre: Rock
Record Label: Epic
Release Date: Sept. 5
Most Listenworthy Track: 'Original Fire'
Reviewer's Rating: 3 out of 5Ms