[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0A71tITqe0[/youtube]

Soundgarden have returned with the aptly-titled “Been Away Too Long,” the first song from King Animal, their first album since 1996’s Down on the Updside. On initial listen, this is a good, riffy rocker that sounds a hell of a lot like AC/DC. Of course there are some signature Kim Thayil guitar licks in there, and Chris Cornell’s vocals are better than Brian Johnson’s, but it’s a lot more straightforward rocky and less grungy than what we might have expected. We’re looking forward to hearing the rest of King Animal when it’s released on November 13th.