Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against The Machine review
| Band: | Rage Against The Machine |
| Album: | Rage Against The Machine |
| Style: | Alternative metal, Nu metal |
| Release date: | November 10, 1992 |
| A review by: | Lucas |
Disc I
01. Bombtrack
02. Killing In The Name
03. Take The Power Back
04. Settle For Nothing
05. Bullet In The Head
06. Know Your Enemy [feat. Maynard James Keenan]
07. Wake Up
08. Fistful Of Steel
09. Township Rebellion
10. Freedom
Disc II [bonus]
01. Darkness
02. Year Of Tha Boomerang
03. Freedom [remix]
04. Take The Power Back [live]
Explosive. In my humble opinion, that is the best adjective for the self-titled debut of the American angry madmen Rage Against The Machine. Ten times the shockwave of a bomb, right in your face. A catchy, yet vicious message of hate to the authorities, to 'the man'. Ten times a call for battle, to stand for your (their) ideals and to call war upon the enemy, capitalism and the right-wing.
Yet it seems most Metalfans dismiss this album upon first sight. A typical example of narrow-mindedness, as this is not just another angsty teenage record like any Bullit For My Valentine or Linkin Park record. Eventhough it sometimes sounds like one. ("No-one's here to catch me when I fall. Death is on my side... suicide!") In reality, this album is so much more. It has a thrashing intensity that teaches most Thrash Metal bands a lesson or two, and the violence and hate that drips through should be an example for most Black Metal bands. And if people don't see that - fine.
Without wanting to discuss the strange deviations of Metal's modern public, let's discuss the album. As I said, it is nothing short of explosive. Their fusion of hip-hop, metal, punk and funk is matched by nobody to this very day. Morello's guitar is on fire and he makes it schorch, groove, scream and squeel like a dying pig. This man can certainly pull some sounds out of his instrument! Of course another attractive factor are the pissed-off and bitter vocals of De La Rocha. He screams, raps and spits his guts out with heart and soul. A venomous tongue, by all means: do not upset this man!
"Killing In The Name" is their most popular track, but there are other little nuggets. The first song, "Bombtrack" is a downright killer. The hateful mantra near the end of "Bullit In The Head" is a prime example of using your lungs to the fullest extend. And "Fistful Of Steel" has one of the catchiest choruses ever. These are a couple of personal highlights, but the other tracks are by no means bad.
If people would cast their prejudice aside for a moment, and would listen to some Rage Against The Machine in that very same moment, they would be in for a shock. I can almost hear their jaws dropping on the concrete ground. "This is intense!" Ah, I should stop hoping for the impossible..
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 9 |
| Songwriting: | 9 |
| Originality: | 8 |
| Production: | 8 |
 | Written on 03.03.2008 by If you're interested in extreme, often emotional and underground music, check out my reviews. I retired from reviewing, but I really used to be into that stuff. |
Comments
Comments: 29
Visited by: 268 users
| Katatronik Angel of Lust Posts: 1018  |
Their best work IMO, one of my favourite crossover albums ever...
---- "The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown." Howard Phillips Lovecraft
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| Clintagräm Shrinebuilder Posts: 5773  |
Good review for a great album. I've personally never heard anyone, especially a Metal fan, dismiss this album, so obviously we've had different experiences. And indeed, while De La Rocha and the gang have interesting ideas and motives, it can be quite annoying at times, but if it fueled their music, then that's fine with me.
---- The force will be with you, always.
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| kackbratze Posts: 234  |
Interesting, I wouldn't have expected this review from you. It's a shame, if there are really that many people dismissing this album... I have known it even before I started listening to "real" metal and I still think it's intense as hell. The guitars and drums work together very well and create a lot of rhythmic power. I also think this is RatM's best work, but the other albums weren't bad in any way. I'm interested in what their new album will sound like, when they finally announce it... *g*
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| Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Staff Posts: 9718  |
Interesting review. I like the music. But I cant listen to this band for too long, the lyrical content is such hypocritical bullshit. But like I said, if I ignore the lyrics it is great, me and my brothers used to listen to these guys non stop when I was younger.
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck." - George Carlin
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| Dangerboner Lactation Cnslt Posts: 7262  |
Rage Against the Machine is a band everyone can like, and often at my parties I'll take out some gay rap album and put this one in and everyone stays happy. Good review man!  tbh
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| iaberis Advice Troll Posts: 1698  |
I bought it some years ago cause my friends were saying it's awesome and because some clubs I was going to used to play its songs. But I never really liked it. It has 3-4 great songs but it's not really that masterpiece I've been told about. I don't regret buying it but I have to shout it's very overrated.
---- Bitch! Please
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| SlaytallicA Lycanthropy Posts: 1261  |
In ourdays maybe this isn't a great album 'cause many bands have similar sound but at the time it was released... It was and for me it is a masterpiece!
---- One Pound Of Flesh, No More No Less, No Cartilage, No Bones, But Only Flesh...
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| AnarChrist Posts: 253 |
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| Opium Account deleted |
Opium
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I can understand how people diss this and regard it as similar to some of the other alternative artsits out there who have no talent, unlike these guys. This perconception annoys the hell out of me. To say they're similar to anything else in the alternative scene is utterly ignorant and they need to rethink the way they see the matter. A decent review for an album that is definitely worth buying, congrats on exposing RATM further, Lucas
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| Severed Survival Account deleted |
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071  |
Damn, this album brings back memories. when it was released the song Killing In The Name was a huge hit at student parties all across the Netherlands. Hell, the times I have moshed to that song at those drunken debaucheries is innumerous. Back when I was still fit, non-balding, good-looking, and slim (okay that last one is a lie)  But although I have Killing In The Name way too many this is still an awesome album and Rage's (to piss Wrathchild off ) best.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996 
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| destroyah supercharger Elite Posts: 12195  |
A Great album with a capital "G". @Marcel - I still jump around like an imbecil everytime I hear RATM 
---- About me: "The best out of all the people ever" - Washington Post "We abandoned Christ for Destroyah's love!" - The Watchtower "Simply amazing!" - Rolling Stone
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| Deadsoulman Elite Posts: 8004  |
Written by destroyah on 10.04.2008 at 11:56 So do I, my friend, so do I  Ah, the countless times back in high school I did drunken-headbanging in nightclubs when they played Killing In The Name... I just love this album. The rest of their discography, although good (especially The Battle Of LA) doesn't match the quality of this one.
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| destroyah supercharger Elite Posts: 12195 |
Written by Deadsoulman on 10.04.2008 at 13:48 Yea, it's the ultimate manifestation of "fuck the system". Makes you wanna set your house on fire and go "ffreeEDOM!!!"
---- About me: "The best out of all the people ever" - Washington Post "We abandoned Christ for Destroyah's love!" - The Watchtower "Simply amazing!" - Rolling Stone
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| Lucas Mr. Noise Elite Posts: 13427  |
freeeedooom!!! yeaaaaaah!!! classic.
---- SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what?  "The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
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| addiction Posts: 277  |
excellent album!!! i love it!!! and i believe ratm is the band that brought into the world of heavier music...i will eternally love them... this album is filled with hits!!! and i think everyone would scream with zack: "fuck you i wont do what you tell me", "wake up" and "freedom"!!!! oh and good review btw...:)
---- alive in the superunknown
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| Stigma Account deleted |
Stigma
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I should spin this CD around again.. I really love it, makes me jump and gives me motivation to play bass.
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Staff Posts: 18369  |
Damn man... I'm in love with this album. There's so much energy on it. And I mean pure fucking energy. This is indeed mor eintense that many BM I've heard. The vocals of De La Rocha are just insane. and the guitarr is 3 levels above perfection. I will buy this album when I get the chance. FREEEEEEDOOOOOM!!!!
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| |55555| Account deleted |
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| -DC-002- Mastercommander Posts: 1703  |
Can't go wrong with RAtM. This could be considered their strongest album.
---- Coldgrits
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| Elio Red Nightmare Posts: 4920  |
What an album...simply great, the 90% of the rap I can stand was made by these guys.
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| amerislave Account deleted |
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| silenius Posts: 531  |
Amazing album from an amazing band, one of my all time favorites, without a doubt!
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| Uirapuru Liver Failure Posts: 2955  |
Lots and lots of great songs. Too bad they gather all their best efforts in a single album...
----  ---- member of the true crusade against old school heavy metal, early 80s thrash, NWOBHM, traditional doom, first and second wave black metal, old school death metal, US power metal, 70s prog rock and atmospheric doomsludgestoner. o/
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| Andreas Posts: 334 |
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| Winterthrone Posts: 289  |
This album is a pure masterpiece of the 1990's... When I was angry at my parents back in the day I would blast it to release my anger and they would become even more angered hearing that pure left-wing anarchist music. Today when I listen to it is still as good as it was, and when I hear KITN I still have those shisvers down my spine and the urge to destry this stupid society we live-in!
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| Copernicus Posts: 58  |
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071 |
Written by Copernicus on 17.08.2015 at 21:53 Your loss on all counts.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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| BlankFile Posts: 705 |
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