Soundgarden roars back to life

From the shuddering thunder of “Jesus Christ Pose’’ through the hitching brawn of “Outshined’’ to the feedback-drenched coda of “Slaves and Bulldozers,’’ each piece of the puzzle locked back into place.

Sporting longer locks recalling the band’s heyday, Cornell was in great voice, with a wail likely heard for miles, with almost all of his higher register still within reach on tunes like “Black Hole Sun’’ and “My Wave.’’ Bassist Ben Shepherd lurched around maniacally while keeping the bottom end throbbing on the sinuous “Spoonman’’ and the serpentine “Fell on Black Days.’’

With a beatific calm and not even a smidge of guitar-face affect, Kim Thayil tore up everything from straightforward riffs to laser-sharp solos and woozy ad-libs, giving “Rusty Cage’’ in particular an exhilarating punk energy.

The whole endeavor was propelled and given nuanced brawn by the hard-hitting yet tasteful work of drummer Matt Cameron, back with his old bandmates on loan from Pearl Jam.

A revved-up crowd, releasing 14 years of pent-up anticipation, responded enthusiastically. That catharsis was dissipated somewhat by the pacing of the set, with some frontloading of better-known songs causing peaks and valleys of intensity in the crowd energy.

But the heat with which the band played no doubt whetted the appetite of many for the quartet’s forthcoming new album.

Sarah Rodman can be reached at srodman@globe.com