Chris Cornell’s Legacy Lives On: King Ultramega Drops Rusty Cage and Teases a Star-Studded Lineup.
There’s a badass new tribute out for Chris Cornell fans — and it hits hard. King Ultramega, a brand-new supergroup made up of rock and metal heavyweights, just dropped their debut track: a fierce reworking of Rusty Cage, straight from Soundgarden’s Badmotorfinger era.
Fronting the band is William DuVall of Alice in Chains, who brings power and raw soul to the mic. On guitar, there’s Bill Kelliher from Mastodon, with Mark Menghi (Metal Allegiance) laying down the low end and Charlie Benante (Anthrax, now also with Pantera) tearing it up on drums. The track — originally recorded during the pandemic — has now been remixed, remastered by Josh Wilbur, and paired with an official video to mark the release.
But this isn’t just another cover. All proceeds from the single go to MusiCares, an organization supporting mental health and addiction recovery in the music community — a cause that was close to Cornell’s heart.
And Rusty Cage? It’s just the beginning.
King Ultramega is planning a whole string of covers that’ll span Cornell’s legendary career — from Soundgarden to Audioslave, Temple of the Dog to his solo stuff. Each track will feature a rotating lineup of killer guest musicians, hand-picked to capture the depth and range of Cornell’s music.
Some of the big names already confirmed include Joe Satriani, who’ll bring his insane guitar chops to one of the upcoming tracks, and Alissa White-Gluz from Arch Enemy, whose vocals promise a fierce, heavy take on another classic. Kenny Aronoff, one of the most in-demand drummers in rock history, is also in, and yes — Kim Thayil himself is on board. Cornell’s longtime bandmate and Soundgarden’s guitar mastermind will take part, making this tribute even more meaningful.
This project isn’t just about nostalgia — it’s about love, respect, and legacy. In a music scene that often feels splintered, King Ultramega is bringing together artists and fans across genres and generations, all united by the voice of a man who changed everything.
With Rusty Cage now out and more tracks on the way, King Ultramega is shaping up to be one of the most heartfelt and badass tribute projects in recent rock history.
Watch the official video for Rusty Cage by King Ultramega below.
Born in Reggio Emilia in 1980. He created pearljamonline.it in 2001 and wrote the first edition of “Pearl Jam Evolution” in 2009 along with his wife Daria. Since 2022, he is behind 2 podcasts: “Pearl Jam dalla A alla Z” and “Fuori Orario Not Another Podcast”. He has collaborated with Barracuda Style, HvsR, Rolling Stone, Rockol and Il Fatto Quotidiano. He continues relentlessly to try to find “beautiful melodies that say terrible things”.
Favorite song: Present Tense
Favorite album: No Code
Favorite bands/artists other than PJ: Tom Waits, Soundgarden, Ramones, Bruce Springsteen, IDLES, Fontaines D.C., Mark Lanegan, R.E.M., Radiohead, Cat Power, Dead Kennedys