EVANESCENCE singer Amy Lee has paid tribute to Chris Cornell, saying that SOUNDGARDEN‘s combination of “bluesy soulful wailing and the dark, heavy music changed what metal was to me.”

Cornell died last Wednesday night (May 17) by apparently hanging himself after a concert in Detroit. The homages to the late musician began moving from social media to the concert stage, where a number of acts covered SOUNDGARDEN songs during their sets.

Writing on her Facebook page, Lee said: “Chris Cornell was one of my favorite vocalists of all time. ‪When we were recording [EVANESCENCE‘s debut album] ‘Fallen’, I would sit in the car in the studio parking lot every morning before going in and warm up my voice to‬ ‘Fell On Black Days’. I loved how deeply soulful he was — it was such a beautiful and unique combination between his bluesy soulful wailing and the dark, heavy music. It was so much cooler than just screaming, which would have been the more obvious match to the music. That’s what made it special. They changed what metal was to me. Expanded the boundaries…

“There have been way too many tragic, early deaths in the music industry lately. Why are we so lost? Cornell moved and inspired so many people. SO many…

“For now, my thoughts are here: No one is immortal. Everyone feels the pain. No one has a perfect life. We have to remember our fragility — that of the people we love, look up to, even our enemies. You never know what people are really going through on the inside, so we must take extreme care. And love the best we can, while there’s still time.

“‘I’m only faking when I get it right…’ Oh, how I’ve always related to that line. Knowing you felt that way made me stronger.

“Farewell to another hero. Thank you for sharing your heart, your search light soul with us.”

Chris‘s wife Vicky and an attorney representing the Cornell family have questioned the results of a medical examiner’s report that said the 52-year-old musician committed suicide.

In addition to SOUNDGARDEN, Cornell sang with AUDIOSLAVE and TEMPLE OF THE DOG, while also recording four solo studio albums and one live set on his own.

Fonte: Blabbermouth.net