RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
- Product Code: RATM-RATM
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€ 3.90
- Price in bonus-scraps: 39
The debut full-length studio album by legendary American Alternative Rock/Rap/Funk Metal band.
Probably the first album to successfully merge the seemingly disparate sounds of Rap and Heavy Metal, Rage Against The Machine's self-titled debut was groundbreaking enough when released in 1992, but many would argue that it has yet to be surpassed in terms of influence and sheer brilliance - though countless bands have certainly tried. This is probably because the uniquely combustible creative relationship between guitar wizard Tom Morello and literate rebel vocalist Zack de la Rocha could only burn this bright, this once.
While the former's roots in '80s Heavy Metal shredding gave rise to an inimitable array of six-string acrobatics and rhythmic special effects, the latter delivered meaningful rhymes with an emotionally charged conviction that suburban white boys of the ensuing Nu-Metal generation could never hope to touch. As a result, syncopated slabs of Hard Rock insurrection like "Bombtrack", "Take the Power Back", and "Know Your Enemy" were as instantly unforgettable as they were astonishing. Yet even they paled in comparison to veritable clinics in the art of slowly mounting tension such as "Settle for Nothing", "Bullet in the Head", and the particularly venomous "Wake Up" (where Morello revises Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir" riff for his own needs) - all of which finally exploded with awesome power and fury. And even listeners who were unable (or unwilling) to fully process the band's unique clash of muscle and intellect were catered to, as Rage Against The Machine were able to convey their messages through stubborn repetition via the fundamental challenge of "Freedom" and their signature track, "Killing in the Name", which would become a rallying cry of disenfranchisement, thanks to its relentlessly rebellious mantra of "F*ck you, I won't do what you tell me!"
The songs on Rage Against The Machine all feature political messages. Activists such as Provisional IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands and Black Panther Party founder Huey P. Newton are listed in the "Thanks For Inspiration" section. The cover features a photo of the self-immolation of Thích Quảng Đức, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, in Saigon in 1963. The monk was protesting President Ngô Đình Diệm's administration for oppressing the Buddhist religion. The photograph drew international attention and persuaded U.S. President John F. Kennedy to withdraw support for Ngô Đình Diệm's government. It was taken by Associated Press correspondent Malcolm Browne; a similar photograph earned the award of World Press Photo of the Year in 1963.
BBC Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe named Rage Against The Machine as one of four 'Masterpieces'. This was his best album, on December 2, 2008. In October 2011, Rage Against The Machine was ranked number five on Guitar World Magazine's Top Ten List of Guitar Albums of 1992.
The album peaked at number 1 on the US Billboard Heatseekers chart and number 45 on the US Billboard 200. It was included in the book "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die". In 2012, the album was ranked number 365 on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and number 24 on the magazine's list of "100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time".
Ultimately, if there's any disappointment to be had with this near-perfect album, it's that it still towers above subsequent efforts as the unequivocal climax of Rage Against The Machine's vision. As such, it remains absolutely essential!!
Unofficial release, 1992. Rare Russian bootleg. Used (cover/disc): EX+/EX+.
Tracklist:
1. Bombtrack 4:04
2. Killing In The Name 5:13
3. Take The Power Back 5:36
4. Settle For Nothing 4:47
5. Bullet In The Head 4:46
6. Know Your Enemy 4:54
7. Wake Up 6:04
8. Fistful Of Steel 5:30
9. Township Rebellion 5:24
10. Freedom 6:06
Total playing time: 52:57 min.
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