1. TwisterAce

   10

   The Knights of the Soundtable ride again! King Animal is Soundgarden's first studio album since their 2010 reunion, and their first album of new material since 1996's Down on the Upside. And this album was definitely worth the wait. Soundgarden, driven by the wailing (and no less powerful) vocals of Chris Cornell, the mighty guitar riffs of Kim Thayil, the bouncy basslines of Ben Shepherd, and the eclectic and versatile drumming of Matt Cameron, have crafted a magnificent work of rock 'n roll. The overall vibe is similar to that of the band's previous albums Superunknown (IMO their magnum opus) and Down on the Upside. The songs are grungy without sounding nostalgic; instead they sound like a fresh reawakening. The band maneuvers through odd time signatures with ease, performing with vitality despite their older age. There are fast songs and slow songs, heavy rockers and soft acoustic tracks, psychedelic dirges and energetic bursts of alt-metal. Hats off to Soundgarden for making not only an excellent comeback album, but one of the best albums of 2012.… Expand

   • Helpful? 4 of 4 users said Yes.
2. ThePieManOfDeat

   10

   A triumphant comeback for Soundgarden. King Animal is a perfect followup to Down on the Upside, so much so that it hardly feels like their first album in 16 years.… Expand

   • Helpful? 3 of 3 users said Yes.
3. snowSHO

   8

   This has all the elements that are distinct to Soundgarden, and then some. Ben's bass-work is more pronounced that previous albums, Kim is as atmospheric as ever, Matt is still in his prime, and Chis' 14-or-so years of non-Soundgarden experiences show through, but in a good way.
   
   There seems to be lacking that dominant track that sticks in playlists 20 years into the future. Lovers of radio singles may be disappointed, but the real treat is the album as a whole. One cannot merely break these songs up. They are so diverse and unique that every next song seems to feed off of whatever element was missing in the last song.
   
   Personal favorites are Non-state Actor -- what should have been the original single in my opinion -- and 1000 days before -- a dark but euphoric track that builds to a satisfying climax of Kim's distinct guitar work and Chris' haunting wails (a deadly combo that is distinctly Soundgarden).… Expand

   • Helpful? 1 of 1 users said Yes.
4. Rastos

   7

   Out of the big four grunge bands(in my opinion anyways) I'd rank soundgarden last, but having said that I was really surprised just how much I liked this album, and the long break in between albums seems to have taken no affect on the band. It took me a few listens to really start to enjoy the album and some of the lyrics are lacking, and a few songs are not that great.. but there's no big misses.
   
   If I were a bigger Chris Cornell Fan or Soundgarden fan in general I would rate this album(don't care too much for his vocals or lyrics) higher.… Expand

   • Helpful? 1 of 1 users said Yes.

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