Soundgarden is bringing back Chris Cornell’s voice one last time.
The legendary rock band, one of the key players in the grunge movement alongside Nirvana and Pearl Jam, is preparing to release its final album — and it will feature the late frontman Chris Cornell.
Cornell, who passed away in 2017 at age 52, recorded vocals before his death. Now, the band is finishing the project to honor him and their fans.
Soundgarden’s lead guitarist Kim Thayil opened up to Rolling Stone on Monday, May 5, saying the unfinished album was always meant to be completed.
“I probably have OCD enough to not want to leave something unfinished,” Thayil, 64, shared.
He said finishing this record means more than just tying up loose ends.
“It takes on an entirely different weight when you think about what it is you’re honoring, and the work that you’re paying tribute to.”
“It is us collectively. We want to do it proud.”
Thayil said this album is for fans and for Cornell himself.
“It would be a great gift to the fans,” he explained.
“And I do think about this — and I don’t know how strange this sounds — but I feel like it’s a gift to Chris too.”
The final album will mark the first new Soundgarden music since 2012’s King Animal, which was the last album released while Cornell was alive.
Drummer Matt Cameron, 62, and bassist Ben Shepherd, 56, will be featured alongside Thayil and Cornell.
They’ve all played together since the band reunited in 2010. Soundgarden originally formed in 1984, with Cameron joining in 1986 and Shepherd in 1990.
“It’s not just about finishing my work,” Thayil added.
“It’s about the collective work — and especially, Chris’s work.”
In even more good news, Soundgarden is set to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2025.
Founding bassist Hiro Yamamoto, who played on the band’s first two albums, will also be honored.
Other stars joining the Hall of Fame class include:
- Cyndi Lauper
- OutKast
- Bad Company
- Chubby Checker
- The White Stripes
- Salt-N-Pepa
- Joe Cocker
There’s no exact release date yet, but fans can expect the upcoming album to be full of emotion, love, and powerful rock — the kind only Soundgarden and Chris Cornell could deliver.
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