Origins of Rage Against the Machine
On Sunday, February 21, 1993, Rage Against the Machine’s first explosive album was released, and it changed the world. That day, the name Rage Against the Machine meant nothing to some people because they hadn’t received widespread notoriety yet.
In Los Angeles, California, Rage was formed by musicians that had left other bands to form this one: vocalist Zack de la Rocha, guitarist Tom Morello, drummer Brad Wilk, and bassist Tim Commerford.
As 2019 was ending, it was reported that Rage Against the Machine was going to have a revival. Appearances at Coachella were settled that would put the band with rap duo Run the Jewels.
The band did have an official revival and charted a global tour in 2020 that got put off by the outbreak of COVID. According to ALLMUSIC, Rage’s return “struck a chord with demonstrators, reentering the U.S. charts as every one of their albums returned to streaming services.” As we wait for Rage’s next tour to begin, let’s look back at one of their best albums.
The Album Review
Rage Against the Machine’s third album, The Battle of Los Angeles, was released on November 2, 1999. Their song “Guerrilla Radio” got a Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance. From this album, my top two favorite songs are “Voice of the Voiceless” and “Guerrilla Radio.” This album gets five stars because I’m a big fan of Rage and they have such a captivating style of music.
The things they talk about in the songs on this album are really gripping, especially because it talks about politics. Some of the songs that talk the most about politics are “Sleep Now in the Fire,” and “Testify.” For example, some lyrics from “Testify” are: “The movie ran through me, the glamour subdue me, the tabloid untie me; I’m empty please fill me; mister anchor assure me that Baghdad is burning.”
De la Rocha uses his voice with persuasion about the politics of the time of the album’s release, and you can hear how forceful his delivery is. Some of his best lyrics are from “Testify,” “Calm Like a Bomb,” “Mic Check,” “Born as Ghosts,” and “Guerrilla Radio,” you can really hear the passion in his voice when he performs.
Morello has his absolutely astonishing guitar-work that sounds like it’s a part of him. Some of his best guitar solos are “Guerilla Radio,” “Ashes in the Fall,” and “Calm Like a Bomb,” and he does such a good job because his style is so forceful and unique. When he plays his riffs, it’s like he’s expressing how he feels through guitar.
Some of Commerford’s best bass lines from songs off this album are from “Calm Like a Bomb,” “Ashes in the Fall,” and “Testify.”
Some of Wilk’s best drum work is on “Testify” because you can feel the power that he uses and it helps to tie the whole song together.
Why you should listen to this album in 2021 is because the songs are relevant to what’s going on right now. If you haven’t heard any of Rage’s music before, check it out. You’ll be glad you did.