One of the greatest albums ever recorded. (Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against The Machine)

Member Name: contagiousmind

Product:	Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against The Machine
Date:	23/01/09 (110 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Amazing music and lyrics.

Disadvantages: Probably not ideal for people that are not a fan of this genre of music.

I was only 6 when this album was released, and first heard it close to 10 years later in a friends car. The power of the music and lyrics instantly pulled me in. I had to own this album. It still get's played regularly 10 years on from that day.

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LINE UP
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Rage Against the Machine are a 4 piece metal/hard rock band from California comprising of;

Zach De La Rocha on mic duties. The full force of Zach's emotions and amazing lyrical capabilities get unleashed on your ears during every track on this album. Everything that you hear from this man's mouth is so honest.

Tom Morello on guitars. Tom's talent on the guitar never ceases to amaze me, the shear versatility of sounds he can create from one 6 stringed instrument is incredible.

Tim Commerford on bass. Is a solid man to have keeping up with Tom's licks and riffs. Also providing amazing solo moments of his own along the way.

Brad Wilk on drums. Brad's pounding beats all the way through this album really keeps things going. Powerful, technical drums, excellent!

Individually these guys are incredible at what they do, put them together and it's works so well.

One of the most amazing things about this album is that is was recorded pretty much 100% live. With only a few second attempts at parts.

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TRACK LISTING
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1 - Bombtrack
What an awesome song to start this incredible album off. It starts with a quick slick, bassline, that slowly builds up into a big hitting riff to knock you back in your seat to where you should stay for the next 30 minutes. Now you're seated nicely the verse starts with Zacks mesmerising rapping, over another brilliant guitar and bass riff. After 2 verses and 2 choruses this breaks down into another solid choppier riff, that Tom later rips into in a solo over to finish the track with as much power as it started with.

2 - Killing The Name
Probably one of the most well known tracks from this album, for Zach's... how should I put this.......colourful lyrics. The song starts with a strong riff, which get's muted for the verse, and changed slightly for the bridge., which works really nicely. Then it all slows down for a few choppy stabs on the D octave, with Zach almost whispering 'Now you do what they told yaw', over the top, this buildings up into a big chorus, which smoothly slumps back into the muted main riff for the verse. At the end of the song, Tom pulls out impossible sounding solo, with notes that just don't sound possible on a guitar. Following this is the well known and very aggressively sang outré, with the chorus playing in the background, you get Zach shouting out his opinion..... I wont specify exactly what that might be as it's a family site!

3 - Take The Power Back
Track 3 from this 4 piece starts slower, with a few atmospheric guitar sounds, lovely slap bass riff with tickles on the cymbals from Brad, until it bursts in with Zach, and the guitars joining the bass. Zach's amazingly heart felly lyrics come in early and are superb to listen to, he's concentrating on getting the message across of 'Take The Power Back. Around half way through the song breaks down slightly, and Tom rolls out an awesome solo. For the final verse it get's broken down to mainly Zach so you really centre in on what he is saying. Overall a lyrically powerful track.

4 - Settle for Nothing
The beginning to 'Settle for Nothing' has an eerie feeling to it, with a minor sounding simple bass line, with Tom making obscure guitar sounds to create the eerie atmosphere, Zach does his usual amazing job to make you focus in on exactly what he's trying to say. The second half of the verse kicks in with big guitar, and screamy heartfelt words. Before quickly sinking back to the eerie atmosphere of the intro. The song breaks down with Tom performing a sedated almost classical sounding solo, over the bass and drums, before reverting back to the eerie sound followed by the intense emotions being screamed from Zach's vocal chords.

5 - Bullet In The Head
Start with a bass riff you can't help but tap your foot to, Zach quickly comes in with his brilliantly opinionated lyrics. After the first chorus you get a strange solo from Tom. The main riff of the song comes in soft for a couple bars, then the drums bring it in big! Zach fills it out with his usual brilliance! The outro for this track SCREAMS 'A BULLET IN YOUR HEAD', for a hard hitting end to an awesome track.

6 - Know Your Enemy
Track 6 of this masterpiece starts with Tom's seemingly favourite toggle switch flicking trick, before the metal heavy riff brings in the track. The verse comes in with a more melodic guitar riff. Brad and Tim drive this song on, keeping you nodding your head along with the incredible rhythm. My favourite line in the album is in this track 'The land of the free?, who ever told you that is your enemy'. The song ends with Zach reeling off lines, and following them up with 'All of which are American' dreams, which is how the song ends, the music drops out, and Zach keeps going to really get his words in your head.

7 - Wake Up
Most people will recognise the intro to Wake Up from the end credits of the Matrix movie. It starts my simply belting a Dminor/D chord at your followed a great riff, to get you moving! Tom somehow get's his guitar to almost sound like a harpsichord, the mans got talent.

8 - Fistful of Steel
Gettings toward the end of the album you come across 'Fistful of Steel', which is a slightly slower paced track. It comes in with a few odd guitar sounds, which continue through the verse, allowing you concentrate on what Zach's got to say. Probably my least favourite track on the album, but that's not taking anything away from it. It's still superb.

9 - Township Rebellion
The penultimate track is anothe slower paced one. It seems to be much more about the lyrics as apposed to the music, just trying to get the message of the track across.

10 - Freedon
The final track is by far my favourite for the agressive guitar riff, through to the amazing flowing simple guitar solo, to the massive outro and screamed simplistic message of 'FREEDOM'. Definitely one to get the crowd moving.

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OVERALL
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Rage's self titled debut album of 1992 was full of hugely political views of it's time and amazing original style. The amazing thing about this album, is how popular it still is now. It feels timeless.

To anyone that has not heard this it is a must listen. To those of you that don't like this genre of music, it may become tiresome, but everyone should listen to the power of the lyrics. Any guitar players should listen to Tom, some of the stuff he comes out with are unreal.

Rage Against the Machine - Rage Against The Machine is available for £4.89 for sendit.com - Enjoy!

Summary: FANTASTIC!