A SOUNDGARDEN OF LIGHT

Vince and I both have framed posters from the Neurosis/Mastodon shows in Brooklyn a few years back, which means we both have the words “A Storm of Light” on our respective walls. But that’s really incidental, ’cause they were one of the support acts for those shows. I’d be lying if I said I was an active fan of A Storm of Light; honestly, I don’t have very many feelings about them one way or the other.

But I guess Kim Thayil, a.k.a. The Coolest Member of Soundgarden, digs ’em. ‘Cause he plays on a new track by the band, “Missing,” which is now streaming here.

The track really doesn’t do anything for me… I mean, it’s fine, but I didn’t jizz my pants or anything… but it’s just great to have Thayil around in whatever capacity. The guy practically pulled an Axl Rose after Soundgarden broke up, dropping off the face of the planet. Now Soundgarden are back together, and while it’s entirely possible that they’ll make an awesome new album — hey, Alice in Chains did it! — it’s also entirely possible that they’ll release a record full of suck. I mean, I don’t think Chris Cornell wakes up every morning and says “Man, I am gonna let my fans down today!”, but he does it anyway, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility that his mojo is just gone.

I’m saying this ASoL track could be the last reasonably cool thing Thayil ever does, which is all the more reason for you to check it out.

A Storm of Light’s new album — which, in addition to “Missing,” will also feature another appearance from Thayil on a different track — is called As We Become The Valley of Death, Our Silver Dreams Fade, and it comes out May 17 on Profound Lore.

-AR