Seattle rock royalty Soundgarden returned to form in 2010 after several defunct years. Since getting back together, fans have been salivating at the thought of hearing new Soundgarden material, and while their new album isn’t due out until later this year, the band recently contributed a brand-spanking new track to the soundtrack for the upcoming flick ‘The Avengers.’

Soundgarden’s ‘Live to Rise’ is the first single from the movie soundtrack dubbed ‘Avengers Assemble,’ and is currently available as a free download through April 24.

While the song may seem like a bit of a departure from what music fans have come to expect from Soundgarden throughout their career, frontman Chris Cornell explains that this is by design. He told KISW radio, “Although 'Live to Rise' is not really what I think of as a necessarily family friendly song, but it’s as close as we’ve ever come.” After being tapped to contribute to the soundtrack, the band sifted through their new material, and nothing really seemed to fit, so they wrote an original tune specifically for the soundtrack.

As far as how this new track compares to their upcoming full-length disc, Cornell disclosed, "Some of the songs on our new album are pretty far left of center, and sort of zero in on more of a hardcore Soundgarden fan and not necessarily a family that goes to see a film like that.  With that in mind, ‘Live to Rise’ seemingly gives fans something to sink their teeth into while they wait for the real deal. Fall can't come soon enough!

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