A Soundgarden is back in full bloom

After a 13-year hiatus, Soundgarden triumphantly returns with the release of “Telephantasm.” During the 1990s, the band helped bring grunge into the mainstream along with fellow Seattle rockers Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains. However, tensions within the band resulted in a breakup by the end of 1997.

That wasn’t the end of the Soundgarden story, however. Scraggly haired front-man Chris Cornell went on to form Audioslave with the instrumentalists of Rage Against the Machine. The band released three albums until it too broke up when Rage Against the Machine regrouped for the 2007 Coachella Festival.

Luckily for us, Soundgarden followed suit. On Jan. 1, 2010, Cornell announced the band’s imminent reunion on Twitter: “Knights of the Soundtable ride again!” The group roared back into the spotlight with a spectacular headline performance at Lollapalooza this summer — no special effects, no props, no costumes, just aggressive, explosive music. Headbangers rejoiced.

“Telephantasm,” the band’s new greatest hits compilation album, is a worthy testament to one of the greatest rock bands of the ’90s. The only problem is that it is somewhat unnecessary considering the existence of “A-Sides” — another compilation that was released a few months after the band broke up (eight of the 12 songs on “Telephantasm” are also on “A-Sides”).

Regardless, “Telephantasm” is a timely reminder of the band’s talent: Soundgarden seems to have slightly drifted out of pop culture relevancy, which is understandable considering that more than a decade has gone by without any new material. Many people probably only know them by their biggest hit, “Black Hole Sun,” off of “Superunknown.”

Like Soundgarden’s musical output in general, “Telephantasm” is a model of consistency, both in quality and in innovation. Quite simply, there is no weak song on the album. Cornell’s strong, distinctive voice melds perfectly with Kim Thayil’s rough and heavy guitar work, and the results are superior to anything produced by Audioslave or by Cornell as a solo artist. Just listen to the irresistible intro of “Hands All Over,” during which the guitar, rather than the percussion, handles the beat.

Sure, the lyrics are often perplexing. For example: “Someone let the dogs out / they’ll show you where the truth is / the grass is always greener / where the dogs are shedding” from “Outshined.” That’s kind of the point though: Soundgarden’s music often uses unsettling tactics to mess with the listener. Portions of “Burden In My Hand” almost have a pop or country feel to them, even though Cornell sings about murder and guilt. It’s a combination that few other bands could pull off.

All the songs on “Telephantasm” are great, but the album is also important because it lays the groundwork for new material. And it’s about time. For a band as talented as Soundgarden, a 13-year break is far too long.