Soundgarden – Satan Oscillate My Metallic Sonatas

Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by singer and rhythm guitarist Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil and bassist Hiro Yamamoto. Matt Cameron became the band’s full-time drummer in 1986, while bassist Ben Shepherd became a permanent replacement for Yamamoto in 1990. Soundgarden was one of the seminal creators of grunge, mixing elements of punk rock and metal to make a sludgy, murky sound through the use of fuzzy-sounding distortion in the guitars. They were the first of a number of grunge bands to sign to the record label Sub Pop, and Kurt Cobain being a fan was influenced by them to sign Nirvana with the label. Cobain also stated that Soundgarden was one of the only Seattle bands that he liked along with Tad and Mudhoney. Alice in Chains guitarist and vocalist, Jerry Cantrell also stated that Soundgarden was a big influence on his band. The band has been praised for its technical musical ability, and the expansion of its sound as the band’s career progressed. “Heavy yet ethereal, powerful yet always-in-control, Soundgarden’s music was a study in contrasts,” said critic Henry Wilson, proclaiming the band’s music as “a brilliant display of technical proficiency tempered by heart-felt emotion”. In anticipation of the band’s appearance at the 1992 Lollapalooza tour, a limited edition of Badmotorfinger was released on June 28, 1992 with a second disc containing the EP Satan Oscillate My Metallic Sonatas (or SOMMS). The title is a palindrome. This EP includes three covers, an unreleased original song, and a live version of “Slaves & Bulldozers”. For its cover of Black Sabbath’s “Into the Void”, the original lyrics are replaced by words of protest by Chief Seattle (also known as Sealth), which fit the meter of the song. At the 1993 Grammy Awards, “Into the Void (Sealth)” received a nomination for Best Metal Performance.

First Ever Vinyl Release
Label: A&M Records
Cat. # 00602557069167