Revelations

The first Audioslave album exceeded all expectations because, well, it was exactly what people expected: Rage plus Cornell, a simple (yet powerhouse) formula. Revelations is the sound of Audioslave coming into its own, fleshing out the music with brawny, funky rhythms and quieter melodic hooks. Cuts like “One and the Same” and “Jewel of the Summertime,” with slashing riffs and high-octane vocals, are sure to please fans of the heavier “old” Audioslave. Yet, Revelations also finds them branching out to great effect: "Original Fire,” for example, feels like a soul rave-up beefed up with chunky guitar licks and pummeling rhythms. “Broken City” is also heavy on the funk, going so far as to add call-and-response vocals. Still, their strong suit remains a mastery of ebb and flow; many of the most memorable tracks (“Shape of Things to Come,” “Sound of a Gun,” and “Moth,” to name a few) deftly balance roaring rock bombast with mellow, introspective passages. Not every idea works, and many fans may forever miss the full-speed-ahead approach of the debut, but there’s certainly plenty to enjoy here.