Rage Against the Machine (Body of Work)

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Formerly drewpost, Human Pop Can
Since the release of their self titled debut album in 1992, Rage Against the Machine has been one of my absolute favorite bands. Their music has always had the ability to psych me up and get me focused. Even though they only lasted about 10 years, they were very unique and highly influential to the sounds in modern music.

I keep Rage Against the Machine in constant rotation in my work outs, as they still get as hyped up and motivated as they did when I was a teen. So, I thought of this thread yesterday while working out and I hope you enjoy it.

Rate Rage Against the Machine’s albums (1-4, 1 being your favorite/best, 4 being your least favorite/worst).
Include notable tracks when you feel necessary, explanations of why you rated they way you did, and really anything else you think could be of value.


Here is my list.

1. Rage Against the Machine (self titled 1992)
This album completely took me by surprise and really changed how I viewed music. It inspired a new and rebellious nature in me and helped me in the early stages of figuring out who I was. This is an album that a person can listen to from beginning to end without skipping a track.

Favorite/Best tracks: Killing in the Name, Bombtrack, Bullet in the Head, Know Your Enemy

2. The Battle of Los Angeles (1999)
This track came out when I was in my late teens and was a much needed distraction to the cookie cutter pop music, dance crap, and boy band music that was being spewed through the air waves. For me, this album rekindled the feeling of Rage’s debut album while providing a spark for rock music into a new century.

Favorite/Best tracks: Testify, Guerilla Radio, Sleep Now in the Fire, Maria, Ashes in the Fall

3. Evil Empire (1996)
This was a solid sophomore album. It had the same hard driven style of songs as the first album, with introspective tracks and social commentary. It is a great album and I have no reason why it is 3rd, except for the fact that I prefer the other two more.

Favorite/Best tracks: People of the Sun, Bulls on Parade, Tire Me, Roll Right, Year of the Boomerang

4. Renegades (2000)
Ok, so it’s a cover album, and has a bunch of songs on it that I had never heard the original version of when it came out. But look who they covered...The Rolling Stones, Cyprus Hill, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and the Stooges. Anything new by Rage was great to get. While this isn’t my favorite album by them, it was a nice change of pace.

Favorite/Best songs: Microphone Fiend, Kick Out the Jams, I’m Housin, How I Could Just Kill a Man.

I hope this gets some responses! :)
 
I love Rage Against the Machine. Tom Morello is such a beast on guitar and De La Rocha is one of the only "rappers" I can stand.

1. Rage Against the Machine - Great debut album with a ton of songs I love: Bombtrack, Killing in the Name, Know Your Enemy, Freedom. Know Your Enemy contains probably my favorite Tom Morello guitar solo. De La Rocha's lyrics in this song and his natural flow were great and seeing as they were just breaking in he seemed to have a lot more passion in his voice than some of their later work.

2. Evil Empire - I love this album as well with Down Rodeo being the standout. People of the Sun featured another Tom Morello guitar trick (using an allen wrench on the strings) and I love Zack's lyrics in it. My friends and I always laugh at, "Yeah, neva forget that tha wip snapped ya back Ya spine cracked for tobacco, I'm the Marlboro man, uh". Good times.

3. The Battle of Los Angeles - In my book this was a decline in quality. I only enjoyed maybe three songs from the album. After hearing Guerrilla Radio for the 100th time I no longer wanted to hear it. Sleep Now in the Fire was great as was Testify.

4. Renegades - An album full of covers? I would wager that it's not really what any Rage fan wanted but it's what we got. Renegades of Funk was the only song I liked. If I had to be honest I'd say that I've given the album a full listen maybe once. Who knows a couple of the songs might have grown on me.

So it looks like as their career went on I liked their work less but if they ever release a new album I'd definitely give it a listen
 

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