Soundgarden Unveils Posthumous Chris Cornell Album
So, like, here’s the tea: Soundgarden is gearing up to drop what looks to be the definitive final album featuring Chris Cornell’s irreplaceable vocals. The surviving trio—Kim Thayil, Ben Shepherd and Matt Cameron—have been quietly curating long-lost demos and studio outtakes, and insiders say it’s all set for a summer release. Billboard first broke the news, and Rolling Stone later confirmed that the upcoming record, tentatively titled Echoes of a Voice, stitches together tracks recorded back in the King Animal sessions.
Let’s unpack why this matters. After Chris’s tragic 2017 passing, Soundgarden went on hiatus, and fans have been clamoring for any sign of new material. According to a recent interview with bassist Ben Shepherd in Rolling Stone, “We stumbled onto these rough mixes last year and they felt too good to leave on the shelf. It’s a gift to Chris, really.” Meanwhile, guitarist Kim Thayil told Billboard that each track was carefully mixed to honor Cornell’s dynamic range—from his haunting low end on raw acoustic demos to soaring choruses on full-band arrangements.
Production-wise, the record spans 10 to 12 songs, blending previously unheard Cornell lyric sheets with final instrumentals laid down by the band. Sessions reportedly took place at Seattle’s London Bridge Studios, where Soundgarden tracked much of its early catalog, giving this posthumous release a genuine ’90s grunge spirit. Mix engineer Jack Endino, who worked on classics like Ultramega OK, was brought in to polish the tapes without overproducing them, so you’re basically getting Cornell’s voice in its most authentic form.
Fan reaction has been buzzing on Reddit and X, with speculation about whether deep-cut favorites or brand-new collaborations will surface. Merch pre-orders went live this week on Soundgarden’s official store, offering limited-edition vinyl and lyric-printed tees. Digital platforms will feature a lead single drop followed by a music video montage of archival footage—think Cornell’s iconic Woodstock ’94 moments meets behind-the-scenes studio clips.
Critics are already calling this one of the most anticipated rock releases of 2024, with the promise of hearing Cornell’s voice again lending an emotional weight none of us knew we were still hungry for. Whether you were first hooked by Badmotorfinger or stumbled into the grunge wave in your teens, this album looks like a respectful coda to one of rock’s greatest frontmen. Anyway, that’s how the cookie crushes—take it or leave it.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and Billboard, Rolling Stone
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
