Rage win the battle of Los Angeles (The Battle Of Los Angeles - Rage Against The Machine)

Name: Mr Chubbers

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Product:	The Battle Of Los Angeles - Rage Against The Machine
Date:	05/02/06 (78 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Heavy as they come

Disadvantages: A limited production lets it down a bit

This CD came out in 1999 and is one of RATM's fiercest works. From the opening Tom Morello power chords crunch of "Testify" right through its twelve tracks this is one powerful son of a bitch. Jake De La Rocha, whilst not my favourite singer, spits out the lyrics with poisonous venom and the dead-on rythym section of Brad Wilk and Tom Commeford lay down the groove like tar on a new road.

The one downside to this album is that the songs are all so full-on and in your face that eventually it starts to wear you out. The production from Brendan O'Brien is rather claustrophobic, intential I'm sure, but it does not allow much freedom or scope for the band to explore some of the more musically interesting tracks such as the last two Ashes In The Fall and War Within A Breath, both sounding slightly less than a Panzer division in full march but somehow a little less satisfying due to the reasons above re the production.

We get a little hip-hop on Mic Check and Born As Ghosts but otherwise it's Led Zeppelin meets Sabbath all the way, with shattering numbers like Born Of A Broken Man and Calm Like A Bomb. You also get a few worthy causes namechecked: Mumia Abu Jamal, Democracy In Mexico and Women Alive, to name just a few. Infiltrate and subjugate from within, as the Rage credo goes.

This album is probably their finest moment before Rocha called it quits and the rest of the guys turned to a more mainstream rock sound with Audioslave. Still highly recommended, but bring some ear plugs with you.

Summary: Zepp meet Sabbath