To commemorate the induction of the legendary SOUNDGARDEN into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, alternative rock collective KING ULTRAMEGA have unleashed a powerful new rendition of “The Day I Tried To Live”, featuring SOUNDGARDEN’s Kim Thayil, with Alissa White-Gluz of ARCH ENEMY, Mark Menghi of METAL ALLEGIANCE, and Charlie Benante of ANTHRAX. “The Day I Tried To Live” is also featured on a 2-song LP release that also features KING ULTRAMEGA’s rendition of the SOUNDGARDEN classic “Rusty Cage”. KING ULTRAMEGA crafted this single in loving memory of legendary vocalist Chris Cornell, while raising funds and awareness for MusiCares, which is the Recording Academy’s nonprofit that provides mental health, addiction recovery, and emergency services to those in the music community.
Kim Thayil welcomed this unique opportunity to rediscover his relationship with the song, outside of the familiar context of performing it as a SOUNDGARDEN member. Though the process of sharing his original contributions and interpretations of his guitar performances with other musicians was challenging, Thayil found it to be personally cathartic, capturing the essence of “The Day I Tried To Live”, while still bringing a fresh power and beauty to the song.
Thayil comments, “I believe that the personal exploration that came out of my accepting the invitation from Mark, and King Ultramega, to participate in these recordings, allowed me to open myself up to the creative risks of sharing an emotive and artistically intimate experience with other creative individuals, and that this has proved to be rewarding and encouraging, for me, of future similar collaborations.”
While Thayil’s smooth, soulful lead guitar performance shines on top, bassist and KING ULTRAMEGA creative visionary Mark Menghi keeps the groove of the song true to form. Menghi’s precise bass performance gives Thayil a familiar foundation to build upon so that together, KING ULTRAMEGA can do justice to Chris Cornell’s legacy.
Menghi comments, “It was a bit nerve racking for me to go in and record this track knowing Kim was going to be on this song, as it’s his band’s song to begin with. In addition, it was equally important for me to keep it true to the original so Alissa had a strong foundation to deliver her magic. ‘What would Chris think?’ was the question that kept repeating in my head over and over.”
As a longtime SOUNDGARDEN fan, vocalist Alissa White-Gluz cites Chris Cornell’s work as highly influential and inspirational to her own, through all of his projects. Her energetic performance carries the song through a range of emotional peaks and valleys, from smooth, dark verses to gritty, soaring choruses. The use of subtle dynamics and textures shows meticulous attention to detail, demonstrating White-Gluz’s intent to craft a tribute that remains true to Chris Cornell’s style and delivery.
“I felt that I needed to try to embody his unique power and swagger when delivering the vocals here,” she comments. “He has always had such a remarkable way of wording things; ‘I stole a thousand beggars’ change and gave it to the rich’ – just so, so good. He always managed to grab our attention with narrative and keep our interest with thoughtful word choice and intriguing messages.”
Finally, drummer Charlie Benante of ANTHRAX lays the beat down with care and intention, closely matching the dynamic structure of the original song. Always playing slightly behind the beat, Benante alternates lighter and heavier playing to recreate the signature sound of “The Day I Tried To Live”.
“This is one of my favorite Soundgarden songs,” Benante comments. “I just love everything about the song. I especially love the ending, I never expected it to end the way it ends. It’s just a beautiful piece of music. Matt’s playing on this tune really compliments the song so much. I just tried to stay true to that.”
Watch the video HERE: https://youtu.be/sOn0EAnBCj4
The LP featuring “The Day I Tried To Live” and “Rusty Cage” is available exclusively on the Reigning Phoenix Music webstore, SOUNDGARDEN webstore, and KING ULTRAMEGA webstore.
A limited run of 500 purple vinyls (available to US purchasers) and 300 lilac vinyls (available to European purchasers) will go on sale beginning November 7, to commemorate SOUNDGARDEN’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Purchase the LP from the Reigning Phoenix Music webstore (EU) here: https://shopeu.reigningphoenixmusic.com/KUeNSTLER/RPM/King Ultramega:::120475_120476_120725.html
Purchase the LP from the Reigning Phoenix Music webstore (US) here: https://shopus.reigningphoenixmusic.com/collections/king-ultramega
Purchase the LP from the SOUNDGARDEN webstore here: https://shop.soundgardenworld.com/ Purchase the LP from the KING ULTRAMEGA webstore here: https://bio.to/KingUltramega
About KING ULTRAMEGA:
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.
Thayil embraced the project wholeheartedly. “I’m super honored to record alongside all the amazing musicians appearing on the KING ULTRAMEGA project,” he says. “I’m equally proud that it celebrates SOUNDGARDEN in this tribute to the songwriting of Chris. Ultra-admirably, everyone’s participation is supporting the work of the MusiCares Foundation. Thank you Mark Menghi, Charlie Benante and Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM).”
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.
“Each musician has their own individual musical stamp,” Menghi explains. “You hear the absolute best of each one of them. You are talking about musicians who helped invent and shape musical genres and helped define their generations in popular culture, not just music, but society as a whole.”
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.”
Certain moments in the process were surreal. Recording with Thayil was one of them. “I remember thinking back saying to myself ‘holy fuck, I’m on a SOUNDGARDEN song with Kim Thayil. What planet are we on?'”
Throughout it all, Menghi served as the project’s creative director, always guided by one central question. “How would Chris like this?” Every choice, from guest musicians to mixes to artwork, was measured against that standard. “If there is even a shred of uncertainty at any point in the process, back to the drawing board we go.”
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.”
Lineup for “The Day I Tried To Live”:
Kim Thayil – Guitar
Alissa White-Gluz – Vocals
Mark Menghi – Bass
Charlie Benante – Drums
Connect with King Ultramega:
kingultramega.com | Apple Music | Spotify | Deezer | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok | X
About MusiCares
MusiCares helps the humans behind music because music gives so much to the world. Offering preventive, emergency, and recovery programs, MusiCares is a safety net supporting the health and welfare of the music community. Founded by the Recording Academy in 1989 as a U.S. based 501(c)(3) charity, MusiCares safeguards the well-being of all music people through direct financial grant programs, networks of support resources, and tailored crisis relief efforts.
For more information please visit: www.musicares.org.
About Reigning Phoenix Music
Founded in 2023, Reigning Phoenix Music is truly the 100% independently owned vision of music industry professional Gerardo Martinez and avionics and tech entrepreneur, Sven Bogner. The blueprint is to continue to help heavy metal, extreme, hard, and heavy music thrive by partnering with an array of well-established acts, new talent, and iconic artists, by offering best services and practices in the industry. But most important is to help the artists amplify their art and talent to a winning formula for success.
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