The all-star tribute collective King Ultramega is back with a blistering new reimagining of the Soundgarden deep cut “Birth Ritual“. Released exactly one day after what would have been Chris Cornell‘s 58th birthday, the heavy-hitting rendition also celebrates the 30th anniversary of the iconic Singles movie soundtrack. This new iteration unites original Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron, Halestorm powerhouse vocalist Lzzy Hale, Halestorm guitarist Joe Hottinger, and project founder and bassist Mark Menghi.
Discussing the project’s evolution and the deliberate choice to tackle this legendary track, Menghi emphasized the intense emotional weight behind the recording sessions.
“King Ultramega has become more than a cover project; it feels like a living tribute to Chris Cornell‘s entire creative spirit,” said Menghi. “If you notice the trend of King Ultramega releases thus far, we cover all aspects of Chris‘s career — spanning different albums, bands and solo records — with no more than one song from any given release.”
“‘Birth Ritual‘ was originally featured on the legendary ‘Singles‘ movie soundtrack, and it has always been one of my favorite Soundgarden songs. It was important to me to give a tip of the cap to a phenomenal film — which Chris famously cameos in — and a soundtrack that perfectly defined that entire era. I still have my original VHS of the movie! Even our artwork for this release is a direct nod to the movie’s fictional band, Citizen D*ck.”
“Bringing in Matt was essential,” Menghi continued. “Having the guy who actually lived that experience — and is famously in the movie performing the OG version of this song live from behind the drum kit in one of the scenes — gives our version an undeniable, authentic energy. Getting to lock in on bass with Matt driving the drums was an absolute dream. Pairing our rhythm section with the sheer power of Lzzy and Joe took this track to the stratosphere. Lzzy completely channels that raw Cornell vocal grit, and Joe‘s guitar work is just blistering. Together, I believe we honored the history while bringing fresh energy to it.”
“Humbled, grateful, and completely surreal,” Menghi added. “Between having Matt on ‘Birth Ritual‘ and Kim Thayil laying down guitars on ‘The Day I Tried To Live‘, it’s an absolute full-circle moment for me. Soundgarden has been woven into my creative DNA since a very young age. To have the very architects of that definitive Seattle sound validate what we are doing by stepping into our world and re-recording these tracks with us… it’s truly insane to think about. I’m just incredibly thankful for the opportunity.”
For the Halestorm duo, taking on a Cornell vocal performance and navigating a chaotic grunge arrangement required finding the perfect balance between deep reverence and their own unique musical bite.
“Every time I tackle a Chris Cornell track I always want to honor his legacy,” said Lzzy Hale. “But with ‘Birth Ritual‘, I wanted to dance with it, meld his incendiary words with my soul and find a way to live inside the song.”
“‘Birth Ritual‘ is such a wild song for the guitars,” added Joe Hottinger. “It’s a tuning I’ve never used and is super fun to play. I love how it just grooves with the drums. I decided to use my Bogner Snorkler and Wizard Hell Razor amps. My two favorite crunch amps right now. I kept it pretty true to the original on the rhythm guitar parts and took my liberties with the solos. All in all, the track was a joy to learn and play and I’m super excited to be on a track with one of my heroes, Matt Cameron.”
Returning to the intricate rhythms of the track inside a tribute project carried a heavy sense of nostalgia for Cameron, who noted how perfectly the new lineup nailed the chaotic energy of the original recording.
“The overall intensity of the song still hits home for me,” said Matt Cameron. “It’s a nice modern update, but still sounds true to the original. The chorus on the tribute version sounds amazing, Lzzy crushed the vocals and the guitars and bass are perfect. It’s nice when Kim‘s solo kicks in too.”
While it may not be a mainstream radio staple, the musicians collectively agree that this specific cut captures the unfiltered aggression and complexity that made the Seattle icons so revolutionary.
“I hope whoever listens to this song goes and revisits — or is introduced to — the movie ‘Singles‘, and then goes out and buys that soundtrack,” added Menghi. “It truly is one of the greatest soundtracks ever assembled for a film. It was the soundtrack to my youth, in more ways than one… Back then, all that music was brand new, and now those songs are revered as timeless classics. What I hope people hear in our version of ‘Birth Ritual‘ is the sheer, unapologetic power of that music. Chris‘s vocal phrasing on this track is insane and the song itself is a perfect example of what made Soundgarden so revolutionary — they could take heavy, complex, unconventional arrangements and make them absolutely slam. I want people to hear the timelessness of Chris‘s creative spirit and remember that even decades later, nobody has ever done it better. That raw energy still matters today just as much as it did on a cassette tape or VHS back in 1992.”
“‘Birth Ritual‘ is an obscure B-side, so newer fans of the band may not be familiar with it,” said Cameron. “After hearing this version hopefully newer listeners will check out some of our other interesting B-sides penned by Chris like ‘She Likes Surprises‘ and ‘Cold B**ch‘.”
“There is a raw, unapologetic honesty in Soundgarden‘s music that is something that any band new or old should be taking to heart,” Lzzy shared. “There are never-ending layers to peel back from not only ‘Birth Ritual‘ but from every album they released. Chris taps into the nerve of your soul to reveal truths about yourself that you didn’t think anyone noticed. Chris‘s voice and words have the ability to inspire and empower you to be the best version of yourself, something that is needed now more than ever before, and will continue for generations to come.”
“‘Birth Ritual‘ is not one of the big Soundgarden hit songs, but it’s a song that is an essential track for helping define all the aspects of how much of a monster this band was and how unique and heavy they were compared to most ‘grunge’ music,” Hottinger concluded. “Chris sounds like a demon on this track. His screams and howls are otherworldly and his lyrics paint the heaviest picture. These songs and Chris‘s voice are pillars of heavy music. They will forever be part of the DNA of a rock and metal.”
