"Out of Exile" presents a band that has grown comfortably into its own skin. Three years after Audioslave's highly successful debut, the supergroup crafted a truly formidable rock album with a fresh, live-in-the-studio rawness. Former Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello rolls back the distortion subtly, playing with a notably more melodic touch, best evidenced on "Heaven's Dead" and "Dandelion." Soundgarden's Chris Cornell's weathered voice at times walks a perilous ledge, yet never to a fault--that very danger and heartfelt soulfulness are part and parcel of his revered approach. The heady and poetic "#1 Zero" and "Be Yourself" strongly uphold Cornell's consummate lyrical prowess.