Back in the days when the term “grunge” was used more in association with dirt and grime than a musical genre, Seattle hard-rock quartet Soundgarden already had its sights set on creating their style and sound. Developing and perfecting their own brand of dense, sludgy metal/psychedelia/punk rock is what put the eventually mega-successful outfit on the map, but hearing the origins of their rise to superstardom is quite telling in how focused they were from the very start.
A welcome and somewhat overdue jam-packed deluxe reissue of the band’s debut full-length album Ultramega OK (Sub Pop Records) marvelously harkens back to the days of a band who were wowing local northwestern crowds with their huge rock sound, albeit still doing so from barroom stages. Originally released in 1988 under the SST Records imprint (a label known for introducing listeners to punk-rock stalwarts Black Flag and Husker Du) the album is a fine representation of a band who were just as comfortable flexing their muscles on the Black Sabbath inspired “All Your Lies” as they were delivering a swampy take on the Howlin’ Wolf blues staple “Smokestack Lightning”.
Apart from guitarist Kim Thayil’s ability to determine the mood and the vibe on each track thanks to his versatile axe work, it’s lead singer Chris Cornell’s endless array of vocal gymnastics and attributes that always set this band apart from their contemporaries, even from the start. Cornell could (and still can, for that matter) shift from an urgent, powerful groan to a hair-raising shriek in a matter of seconds, and he does just that on many of the album’s fine tracks. The chugging punk rock-strains of “Nazi Driver” might best encapsulate Cornell’s mighty gift, but then it’s immediately followed up with “Head Injury,” which ramps up the intensity even higher and finds the dynamic lead singer clearly showing off all he’s capable of… and more.
Benefitting from a fresh mix and superb sound, the new reboot on the album was overseen by the band and longtime engineer and producer Jack Endino. While the muddy, murky sound that plagued the original release was undoubtedly part of its charm, the new take on the record only helps to bolster the raw aggression and the furor of a band who clearly had big rock dreams from an indie label platform very early on.
As added bonuses, the new package features extra tracks that didn’t appear on the original release. Early recordings of six of the album’s tracks are thrown in to dig a bit deeper into the earliest days of the band’s formation and shed light on an even denser, heavier side of Soundgarden.
While it’s usually fascinating to uncover the beginnings of a highly successful band to see and hear how they’ve developed on their way to international success, hearing Soundgarden from their start indicates the path they were on even at their dawning. The hard-rock arena band they’d become was firmly rooted in the power and punch they packed at their onset, and Ultramega OK is a fantastic sonic document that clearly illustrates that and sounds just as powerful and intense today as it did upon its original release.
Critics Rating (out of five stars) ★★★★
Soundgarden at 98 Rockfest
Amalie Arena, 1401 Channelside Drive, Tampa. April 28, 5 p.m. 813-241-8600. $19.98 & up. amaliearena.com
This article appears in Mar 2-9, 2017.