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King Animal

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King Animal
Studio album by
Soundgarden
ReleasedNovember 13, 2012 (2012-11-13)
RecordedFebruary 2011 – August 2012
Studio
Genre
Length52:01
Label
Producer
Soundgarden chronology
Live on I-5
(2011)		 King Animal
(2012)		 Echo of Miles: Scattered Tracks Across the Path
(2014)
Singles from King Animal
  1. "Been Away Too Long"
    Released: September 27, 2012
  2. "By Crooked Steps"
    Released: February 12, 2013
  3. "Halfway There"
    Released: September 3, 2013

King Animal is the sixth and final studio album by American rock band Soundgarden, released on November 12, 2012 by Seven Four Entertainment and Republic Records.[2][3] Produced by both the band and Adam Kasper, the album is the band's first in sixteen years, and the first not to be released on A&M Records since 1988's Ultramega OK.

Background and recording

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Soundgarden reformed in 2010 after a 13-year hiatus. Following the success of the band's Telephantasm compilation release that year, Soundgarden had been working on a new album with an undefined release date. The band went on an extended world tour between the release of Telephantasm and the summer of 2012 before word broke that a new Soundgarden album would be ready for a fall release in the United States.

The band reported they had 12 to 14 songs "kind of ready to go" in March 2011. They addeed the album's songs would be "90 percent new". One of the songs that updates of an older idea is "Taree." Bassist Ben Shepherd wrote in the late 1990s. He had recorded a demo of the song for his solo album In Deep Owl (2013). He decided it needed the full-band treatment after Soundgarden reunited.

Composition and lyrics

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In June 2011, Thayil said some songs on King Animal would sound "similar in a sense to Down on the Upside. He added that it picks up where the band left off. "There are some heavy moments, and there are some fast songs." Despite this, the maturation of the musicians during the band's hiatus is evident. "Non-State Actor" is mostly in 4/4, but has parts in 5/8 and 7/8.[4] "By Crooked Steps" is in 5/4.[4]

King Animal features more of a hard rock sound than Soundgarden's previous albums.[5][6] It has also been described as grunge,[5][7] alternative metal[8] and psychedelic rock.[5]

Release

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"Been Away Too Long" was the first single released from King Animal on September 27, 2012.[9] On October 31, "Non-State Actor" was released through Soundgarden's official YouTube channel. The son'gs video features an American flag waving back and forth with the King Animal logo replacing the stars.[10] The week before its release, the album was streamed in its entirety for free on iTunes.[11]

Track listing

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All lyrics are written by Chris Cornell, except where noted.

No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."Been Away Too Long" 
3:36
2."Non-State Actor"
Shepherd3:57
3."By Crooked Steps" 
4:00
4."A Thousand Days Before" Thayil4:23
5."Blood on the Valley Floor" Thayil3:48
6."Bones of Birds" Cornell4:22
7."Taree" Shepherd3:38
8."Attrition"ShepherdShepherd2:52
9."Black Saturday" Cornell3:29
10."Halfway There" Cornell3:16
11."Worse Dreams" Cornell4:53
12."Eyelid's Mouth" Cameron4:39
13."Rowing" 
  • Shepherd
  • Cornell
5:08
Total length:52:01
Deluxe Edition CD, Digital Download and Box Set bonus tracks
No.TitleMusicLength
14."Worse Dreams" (Demo)Cornell3:20
15."Black Saturday" (Demo)Cornell3:16
16."By Crooked Steps" (Demo)
  • Cameron
  • Thayil
  • Shepherd
4:23
Total length:1:03:00
Japanese bonus tracks
No.TitleMusicLength
14."Worse Dreams" (Demo)Cornell3:20
15."Black Saturday" (Demo)Cornell3:16
16."By Crooked Steps" (Demo)
  • Cameron
  • Thayil
  • Shepherd
4:23
17."Bones of Birds" (Demo)Cornell3:27
Total length:1:06:27
iTunes Deluxe Edition bonus tracks
No.TitleMusicLength
14."Worse Dreams" (Demo)Cornell3:20
15."Black Saturday" (Demo)Cornell3:16
16."By Crooked Steps" (Demo)
  • Cameron
  • Thayil
  • Shepherd
4:23
17."Halfway There" (Demo)Cornell3:34
Total length:1:06:34
Best Buy, Amazon.de, and Australian Deluxe Edition bonus tracks
No.TitleMusicLength
14."Worse Dreams" (Demo)Cornell3:20
15."Black Saturday" (Demo)Cornell3:16
16."By Crooked Steps" (Demo)
  • Cameron
  • Thayil
  • Shepherd
4:23
17."Bones of Birds" (Demo)Cornell3:27
18."A Thousand Days Before" (Demo)Thayil4:24
Total length:1:10:51
King Animal Plus bonus tracks
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
14."Taree" (Live from the Artists Den) Shepherd3:48
15."Blind Dogs" (Live from the Artists Den) Thayil4:24
16."Rowing" (Live from the Artists Den) 
  • Shepherd
  • Cornell
4:25
17."Non-State Actor" (Live from the Artists Den)
Shepherd4:09
18."A Thousand Days Before" (Live from the Artists Den) Thayil4:46
19."Halfway There" (Acoustic from 89X CIMX Detroit/Windsor) Cornell3:22
Total length:1:17:06

Personnel

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Technical personnel

  • Joe Barresi – mixing, additional production
  • Nate Yaccino – engineer
  • Sam Hofstedt – engineer
  • Josh Evans – engineer, studio assistant
  • Jay Follette – studio assistant
  • Neil Hundt – studio assistant
  • Gregg Keplinger – studio assistant
  • Jun Murakawa – mixing assistant
  • Ted Jensen – mastering
  • Josh Graham – album cover sculpture (The Last Equinox), album cover photography and design
  • Don Vancleave – band photography

Charts

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References

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  1. ↑ King Animal (vinyl sleeve). Soundgarden. Universal Republic; Loma Vista Recordings. 2012. B0017717-01.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. ↑ "Soundgarden King Animal". Soundgardenkinganimal.com. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
  3. ↑ "SOUNDGARDEN: New Album Title Revealed". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
  4. 1 2 "Matt Cameron: Back To The Garden". DRUM!. December 10, 2012. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 Coacci, Simone (November 26, 2012). "Soundgarden - King Animal". OndaRock (in Italian). Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  6. ↑ "Soundgarden's new album will feature 'updated old material'". NME. March 5, 2011. Retrieved November 2, 2011.
  7. ↑ Buchanan, Brett (November 10, 2014). "AlternativeNation.net Interview With Ben Shepherd, Soundgarden Bassist". AlternativeNation. Archived from the original on November 10, 2014. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Blog Archive » Kim Thayil Says New Soundgarden Album Has Elements Of Down On The Upside & Led Zeppelin". GrungeReport. June 21, 2011. Retrieved July 8, 2011.
  9. ↑ "Soundgarden - Been Away Too Long (Official Audio)". Soundgarden. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  10. ↑ "Soundgarden - Non-State Actor". Soundgarden. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
  11. ↑ "Soundgarden - King Animal (Stream)". Soundgarden. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
  12. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Soundgarden – King Animal". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  13. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Soundgarden – King Animal" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  14. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Soundgarden – King Animal" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  15. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Soundgarden – King Animal" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  16. ↑ "Soundgarden Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  17. ↑ "Danishcharts.dk – Soundgarden – King Animal". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  18. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Soundgarden – King Animal" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Soundgarden: King Animal" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  20. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Soundgarden – King Animal". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  21. ↑ "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  22. ↑ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Soundgarden". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  23. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Soundgarden – King Animal". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  24. ↑ "Charts.nz – Soundgarden – King Animal". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  25. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Soundgarden – King Animal". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  26. ↑ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS – Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Retrieved November 24, 2012.
  27. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  28. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Soundgarden – King Animal". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  29. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Soundgarden – King Animal". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  30. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Soundgarden – King Animal". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  31. ↑ "Soundgarden | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  32. ↑ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 11, 2025.
  33. ↑ "Soundgarden Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  34. ↑ "Soundgarden Chart History (Top Hard Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  35. ↑ "Soundgarden Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  36. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2013". Billboard. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  37. ↑ "Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2013". Billboard. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
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