When he's not anchoring the band with those regal riffs, Tom Morello is coaxing previously unheard of sounds from his Frankenstein guitar. "No samples, keyboards or synthesizers used in the making of this recording," claims the liner notes, and it's for Morello's offbeat work that this claim becomes necessary. Every fill and solo is unique, almost anti-guitar, in their sound. 'Bullet in the Head's solo begins with some echo-filled, mechanical sounding distortion. The solo on 'Know Your Enemy' could have been produced by a malfunctioning tape machine. 'Wake-Up' features a solo bathed in extreme echo and Frampton-style talk-boxing. Even his more conventional solos are enormous. 'Settle for Nothing' offers up some some languid jazz lines. 'Freedom' is a fine example of how tasty his playing can be when it's not trying to overwhelm you. And if you love Public Enemy-style sirens with your hip-hop, check out the variations Morello puts on that convention scattered throughout the album (most notably in his rhythm work on 'Fistful of Steel').

Bassist Timmy C gets several moments to shine as well. He slaps and pops the addictive intro to "Take the Power Back". Then, a lazy, loping 4-note theme serves as the delicate opening to "Settle for Nothing", before the heavens cave in ("Death is on my side... Suicide!"). On "Bullet in the Head", he provides a 7-note riff that's funky and confrontational (4-notes... 7-notes... See what I mean about simple and intense?).

Drummer Brad Wilk combines the skin-pounding intensity of a Dave Grohl, with the Caucasian funkiness of the Chili Peppers Chad Smith, and the hardcore speed of Faith No More's Mike Bordin. He is much more versatile than you'd think, sprightly riding the high-hat in one verse, crashing the cymbals in the next, and then shimmering through with a snare roll. Wilk's work on this album, to this day, is my favourite to air-drum to.

Frontman Zack de la Rocha may be focused (obsessed?) with social and racial injustice, so much so that those without his same political bent may feel excluded. But he's also aware enough of the power of a catchy rhyme to draw in those not in the choir, that he lays them out end to end through out the album ("Another funky radical bombtrack started as a sketch in my notebook / But now dope hooks make punks take another look" he raps on 'Bombtrack', essentially making this point for me). Zack raps with such passion and verve, and he has such a talent for succinct sloganeering, that he becomes the perfect frontman for this band of agitproppers. Witness his lyrics to 'Killing in the Name' (still my favourite track). The song starts with a distorted, almost Wagnerian, guitar overture. It settles into a quiet bass-guitar and cowbell section duet. And then the riff comes in. Finally, Zack begins to chant. And chant. And chant. He doesn't attempt to tell a story here, but instead just spouts slogan after slogan ("Now you do what they told ya", "F--- you I won't do what you tell me", etc.), repeating each over and over. It's the perfect song for a rowdy group of teenage boys to scream to. Which I suppose explains its enduring popularity.

I've owned this album since 1992, when I was 17 years old. That year, I saw the Rage boys live in concert twice, and could have gone back for more. If a CD could show wear, like an old LP could, then I would have worn this one out by 1993. It rarely left my stereo that first year. Now, usually when one's love affair with an album burns so brightly at the outset, it's liable to fade quickly. That's hasn't happened yet here. I can still play this one all the way through, two or three times a day, for a solid week. And it still makes me want to move, and yell, and scream, and think. Now *that* is staying power.


An Early 90s classic   April 11, 2005
 38 out of 42 found this review helpful

Rage Against the Machine were definitely one of the best bands from the 1990s, and their debut remains their strongest effort. When RATM made it big in the early 90s, they were a breath of fresh air. They borrowed sounds and styles from other bands, like the MC5 and Led Zeppelin, but were also distinctly groundbreaking and original.

First and foremost, they were just such a killer band. Drummer Brad Wilk and bass player Timmy G were an exciting and dynamic rhythm section. Guitarist Tom Morello came up with some of rock's best riffs and solos in years. Singer Zack De La Rocha singing/rapping was intense and urgent, and his lyrics were intelligent and insightful, yet never simplistic or pretentious. The lyrics will make you think, will make you question your life and your values, and societal values and norms. The band sounds raw and intense, yet the production is clean and crisp, so it's easily assessable.

Rage Against the Machine is band that should appeal to all different types of people. There's definitely an element of rap/hip-hop, punk, as well as classic rock. This album never lets up. From the opening "Bombtrack" to the closing "Freedom," every song is intense, and has an infectious groove and catchy riff. It's really impossible to choose any standout, because really the entire CD is quite excellent.

Rage Against the Machine's other two albums "Evil Empire," "The Battle For Los Angeles," and the cover album "Renagades" are also quite good, but I'd start off with the classic debut. Easily their best album and one of the decade's best CDs.


FLASH: Rich Capitalists Praise Socialism!!   August 3, 2002
 25 out of 61 found this review helpful

This has to be one of the best oxymorons in the past 15 years. Filthy rich capitalists known as Rage Against the Machine made their millions by praising the virtues of socialism.

If these [guys] grew up in the old Soviet Union (and Tom's got the old hammer and sickle on his guitar), they would be piss-poor unhappy rebels without a cause. Because these [guys] grew up in the great USofA, they are very rich rebels still without an intelligent cause.

I don't blame RATM though--they sure pulled the wool over the eyes of millions who bought their cd's. Well done boys!


No... please, I beg you... DEAR GOD, MAKE IT STOP!!!   August 7, 2000
 22 out of 97 found this review helpful

I've listened to just about every kind of music & song imaginable, from the wimpiest easy listening to the heaviest of metal. I've usually been able to endure just about every kind of tunage thrown at me- even country! But after hearing a few cuts by Rage Against The Machine from their debut disc, I just couldn't hack it. Other than a few killer guitar riffs, I found the music and lyrics to be the most aggravating and obnoxious ever recorded. Sure enough, the kids love it! The nonstop hyperactive screaming that allegedly are vocals, and the annoyingly repetitive lyrics are almost as bad as running your fingernails across a blackboard, if not more so. The whole album makes deafness seem like a blessing.

Not since my sampling of the latter-day works of the Beastie Boys have I ever been this agitated by an alternative/rap-rock group. And it comes as little surprise to me that both the 'Boys and 'Rage' have toured together in the past. They gotta save Mumia, after all!

Anyway, thank you for your attention. I gotta cool down a little now, and get over all this. Now where's my James Taylor greatest hits CD...?

'Late!


An essential cd   March 14, 2000
 20 out of 25 found this review helpful

This is probably the best cd I own (and I own many cd's) It just doesn't get old. I have listened to it a million times and each time I notice something I didn't before. It's better than Evil Empire and Battle Of L.A put together.( Then again I hated Battle) Tom Morello(Rage's guitarist) is without a doubt the best guitarist of the 90's and he's the main reason I picked up guitar. People compare them to bands like Korn and Limp Bizkit and that's embarrassing so if you read something somewhere that puts RATM and Korn, LB, etc.. in the same category and you think "well I hate Korn" so you think they must sound similiar since they're grouped together ,it doesn't matter, get this cd anyway. Rage sounds nothing like the bands mentioned. Rage started "rap-core", these other bands just brought a bad name to it. Rock on