Last month's announcement that Rage Against the Machine was reuniting for Coachella served as a pretty clear indication that Audioslave--three original Rage members and former Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell--was history.

Audioslave

Cornell confirmed that today, saying that he was leaving the group, citing "irresolvable personality conflicts as well as musical differences."

Cornell, 42, who rose to fame with defunct Seattle rock group Soundgarden, hopes to reignite his solo career with the May 1 release of Carry On, his second solo album.

"Due to irresolvable personality conflicts as well as musical differences, I am permanently leaving the band Audioslave. I wish the other three members nothing but the best in all of their future endeavors," Cornell said in a statement.

Fellow Audioslave members Tom Morello, Tim Commerford, and Brad Wilk have reunited with Rage frontman Zack de la Rocha for an April 29 performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California. The politically minded band's plans beyond this show are unknown.

Audioslave formed in 2001, a year after Rage broke up, and recorded three studio albums. In May 2005, it became the first American band to play an outdoor show in Cuba.

Cornell had previously told Reuters that the band was like a sociology experiment because of the various members' complex relationships with each other. He indicated that a solo existence could be a less stressful option.

"I think the biggest problem with people surviving in a band and getting along and appreciating each other is just the fact that for the most part musicians aren't the kind of people who concentrate or worry about what the other guy thinks," he said.

Carry On will include "You Know My Name," Cornell's main title song for the latest James Bond film Casino Royale, as well as a cover of Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean," which Cornell has been known to play in concert.