Audioslave

Audioslave is an alternative rock supergroup consisting of Chris Cornell (formerly of Soundgarden) and the instrumentalists of Rage Against the Machine. It's been disputed whether this bands sound owes more to the grunge sound of Chris Cornell's vocals, or the nu-metal genre exemplified by Rage Against the Machine instrumentalist.

Their first studio album, Audioslave, drew mixed reactions from critics but swiftly attained double platinum-selling status. Some lambasted the group as millionaire musicians who constantly argued during album production, and whose 1970s rock sound is primarily the result of post-studio modification. Others compared them to Led Zeppelin, saying they add much-needed sound and style to contemporary mainstream music. They toured extensively worldwide in 2003, silencing many critics and gaining largely positive reviews for their spectacular live performances.

Allegations that they argued during production are not entirely unfounded; the group broke up in April 2002, before they had even released an album, but reunited in the summer and went on to release their debut album on November 19. However, subsequent interviews with the band revealed that early problems had been partly due to external pressures which were resolved when the band members sacked their previous management companies and hired Los Angeles company The Firm.

On May 6, 2005, Audioslave became the first American rock group to perform a free outdoor concert in Cuba. The concert was authorized by the United States Treasury Department.

A new album, Out of Exile, is expected to be released on May 24th, 2005 which features "Be Yourself" as their new single.