Audioslave became the first American rock band to perform in Cuba since the United States placed the country under an embargo. The recently released DVD, “Audioslave: Live in Cuba,” directed by Lawrence Jordan, documents the band’s blistering, two-and-a-half hour set and its trip through the country in May 2005.

U.S. travel restrictions on Cuba have made it difficult for American rock bands to play in the communist country.

Still, the concert was approved by the Bush administration, belying the government’s desire to isolate Cuba from America. The show promoted interaction between Americans and Cubans through music, as many Cubans have easy access to American music, but not a live experience.

After receiving authorization from the Instituto Cubano de la Musica and the United States Treasury Department, Audioslave received clearance to play.

The quartet has previously involved political aspects in its music and music videos, such as a war documentary for the “Doesn’t Remind Me” music video. Guitarist Tom Morello, formerly of Rage Against the Machine, along with System of a Down’s Serj Tankian, lead a political activist organization called Axis of Justice.

But for Audioslave, this trip was solely about the music. The group encouraged spreading music education to other nations, inviting other bands to take risks like this.

The DVD, offered in regular and special edition, captures the essence of the performance, including some of the band’s biggest hits, such as “Like a Stone.” The special edition version includes a five-song bonus CD from the band’s performance in August on the AOL Sessions.

Though the band played 26 songs, the special edition DVD includes only 18, while the regular DVD includes 14. The band included in its set songs by Rage Against the Machine and Soundgarden, singer Chris Cornell’s former band.

Morello took over the microphone to speak a little Spanish before going into a face-melting instrumental version of Rage’s “Bulls on Parade,” easily getting the crowd’s biggest response. Bassist Tim Commerford and drummer Brad Wilk backed Morello with a strong rhythm section.

Cornell returned to the mike for Rage Against the Machine song “Sleep Now in the Fire,” handling rap surprisingly well.

Even though the Cuban crowd did not know the words to every song, the 60,000-plus audience moshed to every note, even during slower songs like Audioslave’s “Doesn’t Remind Me.”

While the band’s performance was perfect, the editing was far from it. The regular version of the DVD cuts Cornell off mid- sentence in the beginning of the encore, skipping over Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun” and going right to Audioslave’s “I Am the Highway.”

Besides the concert, a lengthy documentary, featured on both editions, details the band’s three-day stay in Cuba. Along the way, the band makes stops at major tourist locations, such as the Karl Marx Theater and John Lennon Park.

Though the DVDs include candid interviews with all four band members, the documentary also portrays a vivid picture of Cubans. Morello jams with Cubans while other band members converse with locals living in impoverished conditions.

The documentary’s greatest asset is its depiction of Cuban culture. There is a tremendous emphasis on music, from a kid playing a pair of bongos on the street to an intense jam session.

In one sequence in the documentary, the band visits a music education center. After watching a local pianist and local bassist jam, Audioslave vows to send guitar and bass strings to Cuba to help music programs all over the country.

Throughout the interviews, each member stressed the concert was simply about the music. After all, music is the universal language.

"Audioslave: Live in Cuba" received 3 out of 4 stars.