The once-on-everybody's-lips-name decided to break the silence and reunite again after many years, for the release of a ninth album and live performances.

Soul Asylum was one of the most popular punk rock grunge band, that made it huge in the '90s with their 'Somebody to Shove' and 'Runaway Train'. But all that well-earned fame came with a price, and it consisted of rifts among band members. When they couldn't top their past performances, by the end of the '90s they split up and disappeared altogether from the music scene.

A few years ago, the band regrouped but misfortune seemed to be following it everywhere. The bassist and founder of Soul Asylum was diagnosed with throat cancer and died in 2005. Before passing away, Karl Mueller managed to lay down parts of four tracks that are today included on their latest album, 'Silver Lining'.

The album comprises exactly the same spirit that characterized Soul Asylum in its earlier years, although some think that the sound has gotten a bit commercial and tacky. But the original aggressive rock style can still be sensed in the first single released from the album, 'Stand Up and Be Strong' and most critics say that this is Soul Asylum at its best.

Opinions vary, of course. It is all a matter of taste, after all. If you remember 'Runaway Train' and want to see (and hear) what changes operated in a time lapse of 13 years, the 'Silver Lining' album is available in stores since this Monday.