Since they burst onto the scene in 2002, Audioslave have been overshadowed by another rock supergroup based on pretty much the same formula of former grunge singer backed by three members of a hard rocking band. However, with Velvet Revolver still flying high, the original mash-up of Soundgarden and Rage Against The Machine is back to reclaim their crown with Out of Exile.

A lot of people were wondering a few years ago exactly how Audioslave were going to work out. Would it be Chris Cornell trying an impersonation of Zack de la Rocha or would the former RATM boys be turned from rap-metal to grunge?

The eponymous debut album found a middle ground between the two and did it remarkably well, with both sides playing to their strengths and pleasing enough fans to shift millions of copies and establish Audioslave as a successful band in their own right.

So now they are back, with Cornell writing all the lyrics and sharing the music-writing duties with the rest. While this does occasionally result in songs that sound like RATM covering Soundgarden, it is impressive how comfortable the mix is again, even more so than on the debut album.

Your Time Has Come finds this generation's best rock guitarist Brad Morello on top twiddling form behind an anthemic Cornell classic. However, Out Of Exile is overall an album that will please more Soundgarden fans than RATM fans, especially on tracks like Be Yourself. While Morello still creates stunning sounds with his guitar, it's much more mellow than most songs on the debut.

The most unusual track though is Doesn't Remind Me, which appropriately doesn't remind me of anything anyone in the band has done before, with a gentle strumalong and very simplistic lyrics. While it does launch into a noisy and anthemic chorus, it's still quite an anomaly. Drown Me Slowly is mostly fairly by the book, apart from Morello's stunning solo, which tears up the book completely.

The Worm has an almost Led Zeppelin feel to it, quite reminiscent of Black Dog, chugging along very nicely and giving Cornell the chance to stretch his lungs to Robert Plant proportions. Dandelion is a much more relaxed song, as the flowery title suggests, bringing back memories of some of Soundgarden's best dark pop songs.

Audioslave shouldn't have worked the first time, but it did, and this second helping is arguably even better. It's the sound of a talented, experienced and mature bunch of rock legends showing the kids how to do it.