What happens when you take three parts Rage Against the Machine, mix in one part Soundgarden, cover and bring to a simmer? You're served a lively and muscular rock outfit known as Audioslave. Shortly after Zack de la Rocha cured his anger and stopped attending RATM meetings, former Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell slid right in to assume the group's central sound. The concept was to take the ferocity of Rage (sans the rapping and political hoo-hah), and unite it with Cornell's cavernous vocals and knack for writing radio-friendly yet reflective alt-rock melodies. After early rounds of feeling each other out like two heavyweights in a title fight, Audioslave has outgrown mere collaboration status and morphed into a cohesive mutation of thick riff-based rock, ignited by the guitar mastery of the always inventive and sometimes possessed Tom Morello. It's a truly fresh sound not reliant on exploiting each party's past successes. Bon appetit. (Appearing at the UIC Pavilion on Nov. 7) --text: Joe Ptak --photo: Ethan A. Russell

He is to the turntable what Jimi Hendrix was to the guitar. The turntablist's Rakim, DJ Qbert keeps inventing techniques, creating unique sounds and simply dominating the genre like none previously or currently. Whether it is implementing obscure samples or referencing pop-culture icons like Street Fighter or Ren & Stimpy in his mixes, Qbert has done it all, from crushing competitors in tournaments for years, touring the world over and again and formerly participating in the most widely-known turntablist group, the Invisibl Skratch Piklz. He was even inducted into the DMC hall of fame. And like other hip-hoppers, he has delved into entrepreneurship - releasing DVDs and designing slipmats, toys and recently his personalized turntable, the QFO. But unlike some emcees, Qbert hasn't retired despite garnering all available accolades. Instead, he continually freaks his sound and further refines his technique as he melds turntablism into unknown dimensions. (Appearing with Paul Johnson and Danny the Wildchild for the late show at Metro on Nov. 5) --text: Nicholas Clar

On 2003's Down the River of Golden Dreams, Will Sheff & the boys capitalized on the hype created by a stellar showing at 2000's SxSW and a solid tenure as one of Austin's underground stalwarts. Propelled by Hammond organ, Wurlitzer, strings and horns, Okkervil River records have since maintained a delicate balance between hushed ballads and epic structures that threaten to break apart into chaos. Sheff's lyrics are the lynchpin - his vocals imbued with duende, trembling with the passion of a confession. While 2005's Black Sheep Boy doesn't bear the same sonic revelations as Down the River, Okkervil River is still in top form. And apart from the strangely mishandled eponymous track, Black Sheep Boy is a richly rewarding album. Okkervil is known for its live sets, and for good reason, as Sheff's vocals abut with the histrionic but avoid its bathos to leave the audience exhausted, yet oddly optimistic. (Appearing with the Minus Story at Abbey Pub on Nov. 6) --text: Jacob S. Knabb--photo: Mary Sledd

With a name like Saxon Shore, you might mistake this band for a hair metal project. However, one listen to Matt Doty's ambient post-rock and thoughts of Aqua-Net and leather pants will recede from your mind faster than Brett Michaels' hairline. The instrumental outfit from Philadelphia makes cinematic headphone music that leans on repetitious melody in the vein of Mogwai and Explosions in the Sky. When original members Josh and Zach Tillman left the band in 2004, Doty almost packed up his Pro Tools before catching the ear of producer Dave Fridmann, who agreed to produce Saxon's next album between knob-turning duties for Mercury Rev and The Flaming Lips. The Exquisite Death of Saxon Shore is a musical Roman a clef, exploring the fictional oblivion of the band complete with a moment of silence that ends the record. Think Peter and the Wolf meets Space Odyssey 2000. Mental, but definitely not metal. (Appearing with Anathallo at the Abbey Pub on Nov. 7) --text: Sean Foran

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