King Ultramega releases Soundgarden cover to fund mental health charity

King Ultramega, an all-star collective dedicated to the legacy of late Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell, has released a new cover of the 1992 track Birth Ritual. The project features Halestorm’s Lzzy Hale and Joe Hottinger, alongside Soundgarden and former Pearl Jam drummer Matt Cameron, with Metal Allegiance bassist Mark Menghi anchoring the group.

The release follows the collective’s June 23 cover of Loud Love. According to Menghi, the project intentionally spans Cornell’s entire career, covering different albums, bands, and solo records without repeating any single release. He noted that he still possesses his original VHS of the movie and that the artwork for this release is a direct nod to the film's fictional band, Citizen Dick.

For a European readership tracking the cultural economy, the most significant aspect of this release is its financial destination. Proceeds from the single, consistent with the project's previous releases, are donated to the mental health charity MusiCares. This highlights an industry mechanism where legacy acts and tribute projects are leveraged to address the mental health challenges that affect musicians.

Hale, who provides the lead vocals, explained her approach to the track. "Every time I tackle a Chris Cornell track I always want to honor his legacy," she said. She added that with this specific song she wanted to "meld his incendiary words with my soul and find a way to live inside the song."

Cameron, who performed on the original track, praised the modern update while noting the release serves to introduce newer audiences to obscure B-sides penned by Cornell, such as She Likes Surprises and Cold Bitch. Menghi emphasized the cultural importance of the original track, which appeared on the soundtrack for Cameron Crowe's 1992 film Singles. He described the project as a living tribute to Cornell's creative spirit.