Alternative rock collective King Ultramega, featuring members of Alice in Chains, Anthrax, Mastodon, and Soundgarden, have returned with a haunting instrumental rendition of the Audioslave classic, “Be Yourself”. This new single release once again aims to celebrate Chris Cornell’s musical genius while raising funds and awareness for MusiCares. MusiCares is the Recording Academy’s nonprofit that provides mental health, addiction recovery, and emergency services to those in the music community.
“Be Yourself” features legendary guitarist Joe Satriani on lead guitar, echoing vocalist Chris Cornell’s melodic motifs and building on the song’s phrasings. Though following in Cornell’s footsteps on a different instrument sounds like a tall order, Satriani rose to the challenge, proud to show his love for a fallen hero. Expertly replicating the essence of the song with crystal-clear lead tones, tasteful vibrato, and subtle pedal effects, Satriani lets his guitar sing with all the passion and tenderness that the song’s lyrics originally conveyed. This loving instrumental homage proves that the message and power behind Audioslave’s composition transcends words.
Satriani comments: “[Chris Cornell] was a brilliant vocalist and communicator. He often used his voice like an instrument, shaping the tone of his voice like a guitarist would finesse riffs and phrases. I took a deep dive into his magical sensibilities and came up with a multi-tracked guitar production approach that I felt would pay proper homage to his brilliance.”
The concept for an instrumental rendition of “Be Yourself” originated with the bassist, producer, and mastermind of King Ultramega, Mark Menghi. As a producer, he envisioned a version of the song that deftly balanced the art of paying respect to the original, while also reimagining the song with a unique musical voice from Satriani. As a bassist, Menghi strove to keep the bass parts nearly identical to the original song, allowing Satriani the freedom to lend his own voice to the music. Renowned drummer Kenny Aronoff, who has been named one of the greatest drummers of all time by Rolling Stone magazine, and has toured and recorded with a who’s who of legendary artists such as The Rolling Stones, The Smashing Pumpkins, Paul McCartney, John Fogerty and many more, provides the laid-back, but emotionally-resonant groove of “Be Yourself”, laying the foundation with Menghi for Satriani’s melodies to shine.
Menghi comments: “I remember like it was yesterday, I was on a run through some crazy trail, just zoning out and the original song came on through my headphones… as I was running, I remember hearing Chris sing ‘to be yourself is all that you can do’ it was like he was talking to me… then thought to myself ‘I can totally hear this as an instrumental a-la Satch style’… My hope is that whomever is listening to this song hears Chris over Joe’s guitar and understands that we are paying homage to Chris with our take on this tune.”
Aronoff comments: “I listened to “Be Yourself” over and over again, absorbing the lyrics and the feel and vibe of this song, then I recorded my drums. Their recording had an emotional impact on me and that had a big effect on my performance.”
King Ultramega is a passion-driven musical project honoring the life, voice, and genius of Chris Cornell, one of the most gifted artists of our time. It launches in conjunction with Soundgarden’s long-overdue induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
This project did not begin with a single, dramatic moment. Instead, it grew quietly and gradually, an organic result of years of conversations, inspiration, and deep reverence for a musician whose impact remains immeasurable.
“There is not a singular moment in time that led to this project,” says bassist and producer Mark Menghi, the driving force behind King Ultramega. “It was a trail of events that led to the formation of King Ultramega and the evolving creation to pay tribute to the voice of a generation.”
It started in 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, when Menghi recorded a version of “Rusty Cage” with friends. What began as a creative release soon became something larger. With every step forward, the project deepened in meaning and purpose. “I kept crossing the mental roadblock of ‘you are entering uncharted waters, are you sure you wanna do this?'” Menghi reflects. “Chris is one of those dudes if you cover, you better do it justice.”
The decision to continue became clear when Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil joined the project and re-recorded one of his own iconic tracks. “Once Kim got involved and re-recorded one of his own songs, I knew something was brewing,” Menghi says.
For Menghi, this project is as personal as it is musical. “I went through some very difficult times in my life. I should not be here right now, but I am,” he shares. “I like to think my past trials and tribulations helped me understand Chris just a little, hence the formation of King Ultramega.”
Song selection was guided by instinct. “My mood. It’s really that simple,” Menghi explains. “‘Rusty Cage” was recorded simply because it’s one of my favorite songs featured on one of my favorite records.” Other songs came to Menghi during moments of reflection and inspiration. “There is a bunch more in the can right now, all with drums fully recorded, which are currently being worked out for future releases.”
The goal was never to reinvent Cornell’s work. It was about honoring it with the respect it deserves. “It really is only about honoring the legacy of Chris Cornell. Nothing more,” Menghi says. Each musician brought their own voice, but always in service to the song and to Cornell’s memory.
The cast of collaborators is remarkable. Kim Thayil, Charlie Benante, Joe Satriani, William DuVall, Bill Kelliher, Alissa White-Gluz, Kenny Aronoff, Menghi himself, among many others. The mix of past friendships and new connections created a unique bond among them. “I think back and go ‘did I really ask Joe Satriani to do an instrumental reinterpretation of one of the greatest modern vocal songs ever recorded?’ or ‘what the fuck was I thinking asking the great Kim Thayil to re-record one of his own classic Soundgarden songs?'” Menghi laughs. Yet, no egos entered the room. “Each participating musician saw the vision and understood that this is about honoring the legacy of not only an inspiring musician, but an amazing husband, father and man.”
For Menghi, Cornell’s music has always been a constant presence. “Chris Cornell has been one of only a very small handful of musical constants in my life,” he says. “I never waivered, not once.”
The recordings were completed remotely over several years. The final tracks were mixed with care to ensure a cohesive sound that still captured the raw emotion of the performances.
Hope is the underlying theme that runs through King Ultramega. It is an offering to longtime fans and an invitation for younger listeners to discover the timeless brilliance of Cornell’s work. “KU is just a blip in the Chris Cornell universe,” Menghi says. “We are a subtle reminder that Chris was a true musical genius.”
For Menghi and his collaborators, King Ultramega is both a deeply personal labor of love and one of the greatest honors of their musical lives. “To be here thirty-plus years later paying tribute to whom I believe was the king of those times is one of the greatest musical honors of my life.”
