Soundgarden’s Final Chapter Moves Closer As Kim Thayil Opens Up On Finishing Chris Cornell’s Last Recordings
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Nearly a decade after the passing of Chris Cornell, Soundgarden are continuing the delicate process of completing what will become the band’s final album featuring the iconic frontman.
Speaking on the State of Love & Trust Podcast, guitarist Kim Thayil revealed that work on the long awaited release is progressing, but admitted the journey has been anything but straightforward (per Blabbermouth).
Surviving members Thayil, drummer Matt Cameron and bassist Ben Shepherd are currently working alongside longtime Soundgarden producer Terry Date to finish material that was written and partially recorded with Cornell before his passing in 2017.
Reflecting on the process, Thayil explained that the project carries a unique emotional weight due to Cornell’s absence:
“It’s emotionally difficult and challenging because we tended to write songs that we liked, songs that we enjoyed, songs that moved us. So if it didn’t do anything for us, we probably weren’t gonna pursue it.”
The guitarist said revisiting the unfinished songs means constantly reconnecting with the emotions and creative spark that originally inspired them:
“So it is moving us emotionally, intellectually, psychologically. So you’re constantly re-exploring that within this context. And that’s different. That’s a trip.”
No fixed schedule
Unlike a traditional album cycle, the project has no fixed recording schedule, the band have been fitting sessions around family commitments, touring schedules and other professional obligations while piecing together demos that, in some cases, date back more than a decade.
Last month, Thayil revealed some of the material stretches back 14 to 15 years and described the current process as “finishing the sketches” that Cornell and the band had already started.
For Cameron, hearing Cornell’s isolated vocal tracks again has been both inspiring and heartbreaking. The drummer previously described the experience as a “massive emotional roller coaster”, while also hinting that some of the songs explore fresh creative territory that could have represented a new era for the Seattle legends.
The album’s progress follows years of legal disputes between Soundgarden and Cornell’s estate, which were ultimately resolved in 2023, allowing work on the recordings to resume. While no release date has been announced, the band remain committed to ensuring Cornell’s final contributions receive the care and attention they deserve.
As Thayil put it:
“It would be a great gift to the fans. And I do think about this, and I don’t know how strange this sounds, but I feel like it’s a gift to Chris too.”
