Superunknown

Superunknown is the deepest, darkest, most innovative album in the Soundgarden catalog. It’s also their best selling and most popular work.

Soundgarden had always been an intelligent band, but before Superunknown the lyrical content was uneven. Soundgarden lyrics prior to Superunknown often contained purposefully confusing or humorous lines. If emotion appeared in the lyrics, it was usually in the form of anger or rage. Also, there was no theme uniting the lyrical content of the songs.

Superunknown marked a shift in the band’s direction. Before this album, the music was at the forefront and (with a few exceptions) Chris Cornell’s lyrics functioned as interesting scenery. Prior to Superunknown, Soundgarden had relied on Cornell’s wails and Kim Thayil’s angular riffs to carry the band. However, on Superunknown Cornell weaved a dark tapestry of emotions into the lyrics.

Not only is the lyrical content on Superunknown different compared to previous Soundgarden albums, so is the music. The pounding, heavy metal elements of the Soundgarden machine are still visible, but there is also more complexity and subtlety contained on this record than any Soundgarden album before it.

The upside down cover art on the album Superunknown features a distorted, demonic looking version of lead singer Chris Cornell.

In many ways, Superunknown is the beginning of a trilogy. All of the albums after Superunknown represent Cornell’s struggle to connect with the rest of the world. On Superunknown, Cornell not only embraces, he actually celebrates his gloomy, selfish, and guilty feelings about his failing marriage. The next album Down On the Upside advanced the plot of the trilogy further. Down On the Upside also showcased Soundgarden’s completely unique blend of Beatles inspired psychedelic experimentation, heartfelt lyrical content and blistering punk inspired heavy metal. However, the emotional feel of the album is different. If Superunknown invited the darkness in, Down on the Upside marks a failed attempt to push it away.

Thirteen years after Down on the Upside, Soundgarden’s comeback album King Animal is the return leg of Cornell’s journey and the final chapter of the bleak story that began with this album. King Animal is in many ways an apology to Soundgarden fans, but it’s also about Cornell finding ways to resist the temptation to withdraw from the world and the people he loves.