How exactly do you classify this record? Grunge? Metal? Hard rock? Whatever it is, it’s a classic, Soundgarden’s finest hour and a beacon of the grunge/alternative movement.
Soundgarden seemed to have the best musical chops of Seattle’s Big Four and were probably the most progressive of them all, forging a sound that truly belonged to them alone. On Superunknown, each performer gets his chance to shine; guitarist Kim Thayil comes out the winner, creating monster riffs on one hand (“My Wave”) and understated passion elsewhere (“Fell on Black Days”). His guitars say just as much as Chris Cornell’s voice — and few singers can match Cornell’s vocal range and intensity.
With those two over top of a powerful rhythm section, the songs spin by quicker than 70 minutes would suggest. The somewhat psychedelic “Days” flows in to the heavy “Mailman,” which then turns into the title track, the opening riff of which would make Slash jealous. “Black Hole Sun” and “Spoonman” are rock masterpieces, while the slow burner “The Day I Tried To Live” announces itself with thundering drums and a true climax, an example of building and releasing musical tension.
Only on a couple of tracks is do the proceedings, especially the derivative “Head Down” and the inessential “Kickstand.” But these only slightly mar the flow of an otherwise classic hard rock album that deserves its status.
