Throughout the 1990s, there has been a major increase in the number of hard rock bands, and the amount of appreciation for these bands (particularly among teenagers) is steadily increasing. Slipknot, Korn and Limp Bizkit are perfect examples of hard rock bands, singing with a lot of aggression, playing their guitars through heavy distortion and thrashing those drumkits like no other musical genre has seen before (well, Slayer might be an exception...).

Anyway, I feel that this new wave of "hard rock appreciation" was started by one band and one band only: Rage Against the Machine. The name itself already makes you think that this band will be different to any other band that has ever existed. That statement can not be any more correct. The band consists of Zack De La Rocha on vocals, Tom Morello on guitar, Timmy C. on bass guitar and Brad Wilk on the drums. Together, they are a powerhouse. Perhaps the most rhythmically tightest band of all-time. Morello's guitar work is amazing, and you often mistake it for something that is done on synthesizers, while Timmy C.'s bass work is stunning and is second only to Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Brad Wilk provides a solid rhythm on the drums, while De la Rocha's powerful voice and lyrics make an impact on people.

Not only are they one of the tightest bands ever, but perhaps one of the most politically outspoken bands to ever exist. The band is involved in all sorts of politics (which is expressed in the songs as well). One such example is the case of Mumia Abu Jamal. Jamal, a famous radio DJ (part of the "Black Panther" group, a black supremacist movement) was accused for killing two police officers. After these accusations, he was put on death row. RATM raised awareness about this, and he was eventually put off death row, despite the fact no one is sure whether he did or did not commit the murder.

Anyway, you get the point I am trying to make. They are an extremely politically outspoken band. To prove all that I have said above, get a copy of Rage Against the Machine (their self-titled album). This album is their debut album, and is perhaps one of the influential debut albums of all-time, leading us into a new genre of music. Anyway, I better stop rambling and I will start talking about why the album was so good.

The album starts off with a mellow guitar intro from Tom Morello, and while the intro is being played, Brad Wilk's drums start off very quietly and gradually increases in volume and once it drowns out the guitar solo, Morello starts pounding out heavy guitar chords (along with some funky slap bass from Timmy C.), which starts off Zach De La Rocha's lyrics to Bombtrack. De la Rocha's lyrics about how people are persecuted and how they often want to retaliate by resorting to violence, and might bring back memories of Vietnam for some people. The lyrics are extremely powerful, and De la Rocha tries to fill it up with a lot of anger. Nevertheless, this is a great way to open the album.

After this cracking opener, we again hear heavy distorted chords and a simple bass solo that starts off Killing in the Name. This also shows Timmy C. doing more slap bass, features Morello thrashing out heavy chords and Wilk pounds those drums out loud. De la Rocha's lyrics criticize the military system, how the government and army gives out commands like "now you do what I told you" and how "those who die (in war) are justified". De la Rocha's chants of "f**k you, I won't do what you tell me" are extremely powerful, and it almost seems that de la Rocha is attacking the U.S. army for forcing people to fight in wars such as the Vietnam War (De la Rocha is screaming this at the top of his lungs, and at the very end, calls these people "mother f***ers"). The song also features an amazing octave pedal guitar solo from Morello. The band coalesce very well throughout the song, and the tightness of the band here boggles my mind. Probably my favorite RATM song of all-time.

We then enter into Take the Power Back, which starts off quietly, with just Brad Wilk's bass drum and some experimental guitar work from Morello. About ten seconds later, Timmy C. enters with a slap bass solo, which leads into Wilk and Morello pounding out the volume from the guitar and drums. De la Rocha powerful lyrics in this song criticizes the U.S. school curriculum and how the teacher regurgitates "facts" and "lies" to students. Powerful words from de la Rocha that will make you think. The band are tight with Timmy C. doing a lot of slap bass, Morello experimenting with a wah-wah pedal, toggle switch and producing a fast, blistering guitar solo, and there's Brad Wilk filling your ears with his dominating presence on the drums.

After hearing yet another very powerful song, we move into Settle for Nothing, a very mellow song. The song's riff is pumped out from the bass with some cymbal work throughout the intro and verses. The chorus returns to heavy distortion, and is the only part of the song containing any distortion. Morello's guitar part has a small role in this song, but his guitar solo halfway through the song is amazing. Although not a typical Morello solo, the clean tone solo contains a lot of finger work and raking, but no bends or any effects. De la Rocha also does not sing with much anger, but with a lot of depression. It sounds like this song is about how the world restricts people from having the right to forward their ideas to the government and how these people almost seem to be nothing in the eyes of the people with power ("to escape from the pain and an existence mundane"). Again, more thought-provoking lyrics from de la Rocha.

We then move into the bass solo of Bullet in The Head, and soon hear Morello playing around with effects early in the song. Morello's guitar work is interesting in this song, since he plays around with distortion, feedback from the guitar and using a wah-wah pedal for his solo. De la Rocha's fills his voice with a lot of anger towards people who are unable to think for themselves. The song is essentially about thinking for yourself instead of following rules and being brainwashed by them (he makes reference at the beginning of the song about how propaganda was used to brainwash people). Wilk's presence in this song is not as powerful as on the other songs, but he is able to provide a tight rhythm throughout the song. Not my favorite RATM song, but still a great song.

The lyrics to Know Your Enemy are quite powerful as well. De la Rocha shows his anger towards the U.S. government, and he criticizes the government by saying, "What? The land of the free? Whoever told you that is your enemy", and at the end of the song, de la Rocha screams out, "all of which are American dreams", referring to how the U.S. government contradicts itself with its laws. The guitar work is quite impressive, with Morello changing from delay at the beginning of the song to distortion throughout the rest of the song, while Timmy C. again uses some slap bass and Wilk's drums provide a solid, powerful rhythm. Great song. Great song, indeed.

Wake Up is one of RATM's more popular songs, and was used in The Matrix soundtrack. This song fades in with some feedback from Morello's guitar, then BANG! The drums, bass and guitar pump out these heavy, distorted, fat chords, which leads into a bass solo from Timmy C. and de la Rocha's lyrics. The lyrics talk about how "movements come and movements go". De la Rocha makes reference to Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, and how their movements came to an end (both verses talking about King and Malcolm X end with the line, "then came the shot"). Morello's guitar work is kept simple with distorted chords, but his solo is put through some kind of delay effect, which is quite effective. The bass backs up the riff throughout the song, while Wilk smashes those drums and make your ear bleed (not literally, but you know what I mean). One of the best hard rock songs ever (and that's saying something!).

Next, we start to hear some very strange guitar effect Morello has put on his guitar. I have no clue what it is (I think he's messing around with the pickups), but it makes for an interesting beginning to the song, Fistful of Steel. After this unusual beginning, Morello starts thrashing out hard chords with Timmy C. and Wilk keeping a rhythm in the background. Soon, it is only the bass and the drums that are played through the verse with Morello bending up to a high E every 4 beats. De la Rocha's lyrics are a bit unclear, but it seems to be about how people follow what the authorities say and how it is wrong (at the end, he does say, "but if ya bowin' down, then let me do the cuttin'"). Morello's guitar solo is also quite interesting, with him playing with his pickups and using a lot of feedback, which leads into a different palm-muted riff and some scratching on the guitar strings that is reminiscent of Bulls on Parade from Evil Empire, one of RATM's later albums. His second solo is amazing: swift, with a lot of style and quick fingering along the fretboard. Timmy C. and Wilk do not have a big role in this song, but are used, as I said earlier, to keep the rhythm.

The verses of Township Rebellion are different to all other RATM songs. The bass is played through a 'wah-wah' pedal while the guitar ocassionally hits the high notes throughout the verse, with the drums using the cymbals throughout the song. Morello's guitar solo in this song is similar to that of Settle for Nothing, except it is played through a strange effect (it might be an E-bo, but I am not sure). De la Rocha's lyrics seem to be about how black people are suppressed and how they have to resort to revolution in order to achieve their aims (this is a stick-up, our freedom or your life, I wish I could be more peaceful, but there can be no other sequel and De la Rocha makes reference to Johannesburg and Southern Central U.S.A.). Not up there with other RATM songs, but still a good song that will make you think.

The album closes with Freedom. The title speaks for itself. Basically, it is about our lack of freedom, with De la Rocha repeating the line freedom, freedom, yeah right with a lot of sarcasm. I believe the song was not the best one to end on, since there was nothing that separated this song from other RATM songs in this album. It was basically just De la Rocha chanting at the top of his lungs, Morello playing through distortion, Timmy C. and Wilk providing the rhythm, although there is some great drum work during the silent parts of the song. Morello's guitar solo is played through light distortion and is played very well. However, the ending was a bit unprofessional (the band playing around with the feedback), but otherwise, this song was a good song. Not up there with the best RATM songs though.

As you can see throughout the review, you might now know why the content of the album might be considered offensive to some. The album is anti-American. It criticizes a lot of what is going around in America, and RATM portray it through playing hard rock music, since this allows De la Rocha to let out all his anger in the songs. There is also a lot of swearing throughout the album, which people might take offense to, so if you are not into the whole idea of using swearwords and hearing guitars through heavy distortion with heavy drum beats, then this album is not for you. If you are not into politics, I am unsure if this is your type of music (politics caused the band's singer, De la Rocha, to leave the band). However, if you like this type of music or want to hear a band criticizing the U.S. political system and social issues, then this is your album! Everything is musically and lyrically perfect for those of you who have strong political views and/or like hard rock bands such as Limp Bizkit and Slipknot.

Thanks for reading the review.

Recommended: Yes