10 Incredible Musical Side Projects
9. Audioslave
One of the most important voices in 90's rock was Rage Against the Machine. The band had gone through a decade fighting for causes they believed in while making politically charged hard rock. As the decade came to a close, frontman Zack de la Rocha decided to part ways with Tom Morello and co. due to creative differences.
As a result, the other three quarters of Rage enlisted Soundgarden screamer Chris Cornell to form the group Audioslave. This shakeup helped bring out a different side of the band. While Rage tended to combine their hard rock stylings with hip hop, Cornell's wail helped them make music that was firmly rooted in rock.
Morello's guitar work throughout the band's tenure contained his trademark effects while also showcasing a traditional rock guitar approach to compliment Cornell's sense of melody. Given the pedigree Cornell has in the music industry, it speaks volumes that this project yielded songs that are among the best he has ever written.
Their self-titled debut along with follow-ups Out of Exile and Revelations contains tracks that are true alt-rock bliss. After losing Cornell in 2017, a tribute concert put on in his memory featured many cuts from his days with Audioslave, which is a testament to the quality music this band made.