The supergroup is not a new concept, going back to the days of The Traveling Wilburys, Cream, or Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Arguably the best supergroup of my lifetime, after a nod to Them Crooked Vultures, would be Audioslave. Formed in 2001 with Chris Cornell of Soundgarden and Rage Against the Machine members Tom Morello, Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk, this was a band that could blow the roof off of a venue. Their self-titled first album is fantastic rock music made by some of the most talented and innovative musicians of the nineties.

The record begins with Tom Morello lighting a match on one of the best riffs of the decade. Named for an Apache leader who resisted western expansion, “Cochise” just rocks. Naming the song after the resistance is very on brand for the Rage Against the Machine members, but the album doesn’t tread in the same territory as one of those efforts. This is a fairly apolitical music driven project, but I’m glad they snuck the title in there. The band could not have picked a better track to open with, and Cornell’s distinctive voice breathes life into the chorus of the track, “Go on and save yourself, and take it out on me.”

Anyone familiar with Audioslave will be able to point to, “Like a Stone” the second single, as the one that took the album to another level. Topping the billboard rock charts and even breaking into the mainstream airplay of the time. The climax of this perfectly constructed hit comes with the Morello wah pedal solo. Slow and deliberate, it takes us on a sonic journey before giving way to the more subdued and thoughtful bridge, “For all that I’ve blessed, and all that I’ve wronged, in dreams until my death, I will wander on.” This is the sound you get when you put together a super group with this kind of clout, and it’s glorious.

With the opener still ringing in your ears, another riff heavy delight comes at you with, “Show Me How to Live.” This was also a single that broke into the mainstream for the band, they were really on a roll. The lyrics pull from some Christian iconography, turning the title into a demand, “Nail in my hand, from my creator, you gave me a life now show me how to live.” If you’re worried that it’s too heavy, there’s another dive into the Morello guitar effects library for the solo to re-center yourself.

I cannot allow this article about 2002’s Audioslave to finish without mentioning, “I Am the Highway.” “I am not your rolling wheels, I am the highway. I am not your carpet ride, I am the sky.” There is a lot to love on this album, especially if you love talent. Cornell’s voice has long been some people’s favorite instrument, and it sounds as good as ever here. When you combine it with Morello’s pedal board and creativity, the deft brush strokes come in waves to cover the canvas from corner to corner.