Reviews (page 5 of 15)
Pretty neat album. Definitely had great energy to it, and I liked that it was so political and all that. Wasn't a huge fan of the musical element, and I'm generally not a huge fan of Punk, but this was overall pretty good. Reminded me a bit of Public Enemy. Favorite Track: Killing in the Name
Political charged rock at its finest
Ya classic Rage songs. I feel like I liked this music a lot more when I was younger but it's too much now.
“If we don’t take action now we settle for nothing later. We’ll settle for nothing now, and we’ll settle for nothing later” FUCK ICE
Fabulous album
i listened to a little bit of it and it wasn’t quite my style
Day 1
It's just such a sick album isn't it? The mixing and production are flawless. I don't really like settle for nothing, and I think it loses momentum a little bit after know your enemy, but it still just slaps
General thoughts: Rap metal is one of those genres I haven't been able to click with. Sounds cringy, it's repetitive musically and lyrically. Structurally, the songs may have some cool tricks, but when you hear them on every song, it’s just tiring, e.g., slowing down, voice goes quiet gradually, then boom, an explosion of energy. Cool, once or twice. Tempo is almost intact in all songs. The rhythm and the pace of the main riff blended with the rapping, I swear I can hear myself thinking "Killing in the name for" in every track, because it's like all songs are variations of a couple of base songs. Instrumentally, the riffs are cool, the solos are really good, and they always elevate the songs. The guitar tone was outstanding, almost electronic. All other instruments just fall behind. The singer, this guy had such an obnoxious voice, I could almost feel his fucking spit on my face. Tied along with the "I'm in pain, I'm angry, boo boo" lyrics, made me kinda hate him. Like, yeah, I get you're angry, but what else do you have? Show me something you haven't sung dozens of times before. Same thing with the social commentary. I mean, it's a mood, but it's very narrow, tunneled - a good album should be able to cover more than one emotion/topic. The album is somewhat conceptual, with songs revolving around anti-establishment, anti-propaganda, make-noise. Outstanding song(s): Bombtrack, Killing in the name of Weakest song(s): Wake up, Take the power back Cover: A photo of the famous self-immolating monk during the 1960s Buddhist repression in Vietnam. A symbol of protest. Rage against the machine, though both scenarios don't envision the same kind of response... They say 'Anger is a gift', but is there more to it? I have mixed feelings too here, but it makes you think about it, which is a good sign. Real rating: 3.1
This is a great album. Aggressive from beginning to end, it knows what it wants. There was really only one song ("Township Rebellion") where I thought "this is probably a skip." Solid 4/5.
🔥🔥🔥
This album blew my mind at first listening. It’s is in my top 60 best albums of all time and will never leave this list. Powerful, relevant political and social commentary, Tom Morello changing the guitar game for ever, great rhythm section and an incredible Zach De La Rocha spitting some of the most powerful vocals and raps hitting you between the eyes. 10/10
Some great, some less great.
RAtM is loud, angry, repetitive, and not particularly talented.
RAtM has confused and juvenile politics. I've always kind of hated that about them, but I let it go because I liked the music. The older I get the less I am able to let it slide. The cover with monk Thích Quảng Đức feels wrong and cheap on the band's part to use.
4/10
It's very american.
Album No. 0140 on my playlist. Nice. I've been looking forward to listening to this. "Rage Against The Machine" was one of my favorite albums as a teenager. I hadn't listened to its entirety for some time, but I was really looking forward to doing so again. And what can I say. It is definitely the greatest crossover album of all time, and certainly one of the greatest collections of protest songs ever made. Besides, this album is certainly RATM's opus magnum. RATM is really the perfect combination of Zack de la Rocha's lyrics and rapping, Tom Morello's incredible, agressive, creative guitar work, Brad Wilk's superb drumming (the contribution of which should not overlooked), and Tim Commerford's powerful, driving bass work. The power that this album unleashes is still incredible, and that is not least due to how well it is produced. This is definitely one of the greatest-sounding albums of all time, so Brendan O’Brien certainly should be mentioned as well while reviewing RATM. I will add the following songs to my playlist: "Killing In The Name" (every edgy lefty teenager's favorite song, sorry to my friends in school for annoying them), "Take The Power Back" (my personal favorite), "Bullet In The Head", "Take The Power Back", and "Township Rebellion" (a song I totally forgot about but that was surprisingly good). But I could as well add the complete album. My impression of this album is certainly less one-dimensional as it was as a Teenager, but that doesn't change its greatness. It has certainly stood the time as one of the greatest alternative rock albums of all time. 5/5 stars - of course!
Only got part way through, I’ll circle back
HELL YEAHHHHH
Ground breaking
This is really boring lumpen try-hard “revolution” metal rap. I don’t mind the perspective so much but it’s so simplistic and ironically (law of unintended consequences…) feels like the kind of posturing, finger-pointing, nuance-lacking, non-debate discourse that is such a favourite tactic of the far right nowadays.
This is a new genre for me. Rap lyrics sung (shouted/screamed) in a metal style to metal music. Some of the music was OK, but I don't enjoy rap lyrics nor metal screaming so this album barely ticks any boxes for me and I won't listen again.
don’t like it too much, a little boring
8/10
Album #1029 Almost done with this challenge and I thought they may have forgotten this band. I don't give a toss about their politics -- and I only know a couple of their songs. Let's see if a full album is any good. I really like the instrumental part of the music. It’s got a good groove to it, and there is some inventive stuff that you don’t hear other bands doing. The singer doesn’t bother me either. My only complaint really is the far-left angry lyrics. That stuff just doesn’t connect with me, a fairly content 51 year old dude. I will listen to the album again. Best track: Know Your Enemy
Yeah it bangs. One star taken away because Tom Morello can belt out an insane riff but has no clue what the hell a gutar solo is supposed to sound like
It's ok, bit long and same-y
respect the genre but everytime I hear an ounce of screaming in a song its a no immediatly
This album holds up insanely well even to this day! Incredible production, great riffs, crushing lyrical content and just perfect overall. Without this album we wouldn't have nu metal and pretty much a lot of the politically inclined music you hear nowadays. This was groundbreaking when it came out and it's still so so relevant in this completely fucked up world. Anything under 5 stars for this is just wrong.
Incredible, a perfect album. Protest album produced beautifully, every track is brilliant and touches on a lot of themes
Teenage angst years at their finest for me but this album is so much more than that, hugely influencual
I love this album and I'm happy to see it's on this list. 🖕🧊🖕🍊
Banger efter banger
Punched me nan
Best paired with a new outfit and a sassy attitude!
Adore this album, incredibly influential on my taste
The funky instrumentals really carry this one since there is no vocal melody happening. A really entertaining album.
Turn it up all the way and start headbanging.
all day everyday
I think Mr. Donald Trump would love to listen to this album
I have listened to this, not my personal favorite genre or type of music but I could still enjoy it and understand the appeal
It sucked, sorry.
you know what hell yea
easy 5/5 for me, one of my favourite rock albums ever
This shit slaps, just like I heard it when I was in high school. I remember I had a cassette tape someone burned for me, it was like 74 minutes on each side. One side was this album, the other side was Evil Empire. But plant me smack in the middle of the group of people that didn't pay attention to their politics or care about them. I just liked the anger, the guitar...it is music to have on while you're lifting and working out. It's just hard to take their politics seriously and it was hard to take their politics seriously back in the day. I remember some magazine article where these guys were out golfing...the hypocrisy was just evident from the start. And while I'm sure these guys really believe the shit they're yelling about, they're just cartoons, especially Morello and De La Rocha. They built their identity and messaging on anti-capitalism and anti-corporate power while becoming hugely profitable, major label stars that sold out arenas. They Raged Against corporate exploitation and then sold tickets through Ticketmaster and Live Nation at prices that the working class couldn't afford. Yeah, they've donated money, yeah they protested Ticketmaster at one point but at the end of the day they used the system. They signed with a massive corporation in Sony and always claimed some bullshit along the lines of "we're using their money to spread anti-capitalist ideas" which was just fucking hysterical. Sony didn't sign these guys because of their ideological messages, they did it cause RATM made them a shit ton of money and you don't subvert capitalism by becoming a platinum selling band inside of it. Morello lives a really comfortable, elite life. The rest of the band members do, too (De La Rocha's house that went up for sale a few years ago is very nice but not over the top extravgent, I will give him that, but it was still 3 million) but Morello's a bit above the rest. It doesn't invalidate their beliefs but it's hard to take their moral high ground seriously. There's no personal sacrifice here. In their own way, they're completely safe. They felt somewhat dangerous in the 90s and were always loud and angry about US imperialism, capitalism and policing. They are consistently quiet on authoritarian left-wing regimes, labor abuses in countries that are aligned with their preferred politics and censorship when it comes to their side. I will admit that they've donated millions to activist causes they believe in, they've platformed radical politics since the start, they've never pretended to be neutral on anything and I think they've read the books they put in their albums instead of pretending to have read them. That all said, the self awareness is lacking. They exist inside of capitalism but they think they're morally superior while they rage from the penthouse that overlooks the machine. It's a band that rallied around being dangerous to power but always embraced it, especially when it suited them best. Now... what they should have done was adopt the philosophy of Ian MacKaye. MacKaye didn't just say anti-corporate things, he designed his entire life and career around never having the message and behavior be in question. MacKaye is the anti-RATM. No major labels. Ever. He never had to explain that contradiction because he never got there to begin with. He capped ticket prices for decades. Never gave in to festivals...it was always 5 bucks. It was a moral obligation and he never strayed from it....and he never needed Ticketmaster. Yet, he still sold hundreds of thousands of records. Toured a shit ton. Influenced a lot of bands. He never went to sell out arenas, he never made the luxury leap, he never bought the big house and the fancy car. MacKaye's politics weren't slogans that he tapped into whenever he felt like he needed to...it was DIY or don't do it, keep prices low for all ages shows, no corporate sponsorships, no gouging on merch. He just opted out of the system/machine instead of trying to play some sort of a game that RATM did. RATM chose maximum exposure, mass culture reach...MacKaye chose sheer autonomy and limits. Neither of these ways are invalid or bad, but one avoids hypocrisy completely. If RATM went the MacKaye way, fewer people would have heard them, they might not have been icons and they wouldn't have filled arenas. But no one could roll their eyes at them. So...yeah, I hate their politics. I'm not reading Howard Zinn, I'm not reading Marx, or Guevara or Alinsky or Chomsky. And a big reason why I never wanted to, even as an idealistic teenager, is that in 1996 when I saw RATM's reading list inside of Evil Empire, I just rolled my eyes. So why am I giving this a 5? It's music to lift weights to. As much as they don't want to be lumped into this category, it's music for football players and they had to have known that when they were making it but they did it anyway. It's great rock music, maybe even slightly innovative rock music, it takes me back to a time where I'd blast this album, not give a shit about their politics, understanding that the guys were making the music were hypocrites and realizing that most people are. And that's the lesson to be learned from RATM, it's not revolution, it's not anti capitalist politics...the lesson to learn from RATM is that most people are hypocrites.
más agradable de lo que pensaba que iba a ser para lo que son mis gustos de princesa chicle, me ha devuelto a mis raíces
🖕🧊
There's not much more to say about this album than has already been said. Excellent album, incredible riffs, amazing bass guitar, powerful lyrics. Captured with skillful audio engineering, this album remains timeless.
One of the easiest 5's I'll give on here. Rage isn't for everyone (either politically or sonically), but fuck are they awesome if you like heavy music with great guitar work and righteous anger.
It is very hard not to think of "Get up those stairs and tidy your room" as what prompts the "Fuck you etc" refrain in Killing In The Name. But also nice to remember it getting to Christmas number one at the expense of yet another X Factor contestant.
Good. Just not my cup of tea
Raged Out, first timer, not bad. Something cheesy about tom morello's playing even though it's incredibly talented.
more angry music
Don’t like Rage in a personal level. What he stands for and how they failed their listeners. Charges $6000 for tickets but screams out against capitalism and taxes.
pig feds are executing folks in camps and boy scouts in the streets - this is no fucking joke.
Ahhh, jaki to jest świetny album!
Anthem of my youth 5 - near perfect album
Coincidentally I had to the urge to listen to this yesterday! So listening through it two days in a row (well, except for Killing In The Name, I just don't like it, it's overrated) brought me back many years when it was in regular rotation. I still remember the summer of 1993 when my friends and I first heard about that band with that Bombtrack song, and then getting into the album was a revelation. This is the sound of a band firing on all cylinders. And it's crazy how every lyric is somehow more relevant today than they were 34 years ago. Playlisted: Take The Power Back, Bullet In The Head, Fistful of Steel
I have never listened to RATM before. They are a band I've avoided, as I just assumed they were too noisy and too...everything for my tastes. I knew I totally agreed with them politically, and I became a fan of Tom Morello's guitar work through his stint with the E Street Band. But yet I still never really listened to them. I approached today's album with a lot of apprehension. I felt I'd appreciate the lyrics (if I could understand them) and the guitar work, but I thought I'd just feel bludgeoned by it all. I'm happy to say I was pleasantly surprised by the listenability of the album as a whole. Was it loud? Absolutely. But not to the point of it being impossible to enjoy. I get why people have them on work out playlists. Back in my running days this would have been a perfect addition. I do think it's a bit longer than needed, but there are so many good songs. And yes, Morello's guitar playing is excellent throughout. As well as the rest of the band. I thought I'd tire of Zack De La Rocha's "singing" but I never did. Standout songs were Killing In the Name, Take the Power Back, Bullet in the Head, and Township Rebellion. The only song I didn't really like was Settle for Nothing.
They were telling us what all honest people now know and rocking as hard as anyone has ever rocked while doing it. Tom Morello’s guitar work is at its creative peak. I also forgot that Maynard James Keenan is on “Know Your Enemy”. Could this possibly be his only appearance on this list? Would still be a crime, but better than nothing I guess.
Already listened to this album for the first time a few months ago due to a famous VGM composer's fandom for the band, and I see why this is such a revered album of the 90s. A great in-your-face, left-wing metal record that draws from other genres like funk and hip-hop as well.
Great album, I do love rock/metal after all, but the guy's voice got a little too annoying after some time and in general I just could've done without all the edgelord nonsense they kept trying to cram in. The messages they were trying to convey were powerful, but other artists have managed the same untainted by some of these more questionable/jarring themes
Has to be one of my personal favorite albums from the 90s. Rage came out and took the world by storm and opened a few eyes of dormat people on the way. A new music not peaculfully protesting but showing a violent revolution against the powers that be. Solid as fuck an album all kids should listen at 16-19 years pf age maybe they can grow a brain listening to this instead of being indoctrinated by the system.
6/10 not my thing but still very enjoyable
I will never understand why this band blew up compared to some of the hardcore bands around at the same time. It's not bad, but nothing special as far as I am concerned.
Teenager of the 90s that I am, this is a classic. I went to see them live. I had 2 t-shirts. We played Killing in the Name at school dances until a swarm of sweaty teenage boys screaming "F U I won't do what you tell me" scared the assembled chaperoning teachers and parents a little too much and it was banned. I think we played in once more before switching to "Know Your Enemy", which is actually the better song. So it's definitely nostalgic to listen to this almost 30 yrs later. And I think, if I'm being honest, this is going to get one star for nostalgia. This album always had 2-3 skippers, songs I never listened too--and I think it's got a few more than that now.
Goddamn does this record still sound great. Take even Bombtrack on its own — a minor song — but the way it *growls* Rage into the world in '92 is exceptional. It sounds like an angry V6 revving without a muffler. Even more than Evil Empire — probably still my favourite, even though I have little appetite for this music now — they sound like a single ferocious instrument on this record. Truly exceptional.
Finally something different. This felt like a refreshing alternative to the music this list usually has. Really enjoyed this one, never heard it in full, but it definetly has a place in my heart
Fav: know your enemy 1.5/5 ( rounded )
Pure aggression. Opening track smacks you in the face and it doesn't really slow down from there. Bombtrack, KITN, Take The Power Back and Bullet In The Head are all rammers. Lyrically and musically on point, a fantastic record.
Best Song: Take the Power Back There are some insanely good albums that came out in 1993 and, in my humble opinion, the Rage Against the Machine debut album is the best one to come out that year. That isn't knocking anything else that came out but this is one of the best and most influential albums to come out of the 90s - and is still conceptually valid which, in the world of music and politics, is a feat in itself. There are no bad tracks on here and too many that could be considered the 'best song.' 5/5.
One of my consistently favorite albums, but this is not a 5. Some songs (mainly bullet to the head) hold it back.
10/10
Fuck yes Amazing again how applicable this is, fighting the exact same fight 30 years later. I'll always be amazed that this was perceived by the right the way it was, hmm
I've always appreciated the importance of this album and I know that its good but I just don't think its for me. There's a level of irony about this album being released by Sony as well. I'd love to give this album 3.5/5 or a 7/10 but I need to round it and the coin flip came up tails so its a 3. Playlist track: Know Your Enemy
très kiffant j'adore
ouah ct vener la team
Oh my fucking god exceptionnel purée. Je m’en vais détruire le capitalisme de ce pas. Cover iconique, rifts iconiques, voix iconique c’est fou
Excellent album!
Forgotten how good they where
Asså ändå en vibe men inte riktigt min typ av rock
Another no-skip album.
Let’s start a revolution
Perpetually timely.
Me when I see AI-generated art or music
Anything less than five stars for this album would be a travesty. The sound; the lyrics; the message is timeless and is the perfect snapshot of the feelings of America at the time of release, and even more so right now. Perhaps even more telling that some of RATM is now part of the machine. Time grinds us all down… 5⭐️
Ich hab jetzt doch die 5 gezückt nach längerer Überlegung. Weil man solche Kracher wie „Killing in the Name“, „Know Your Enemy“ oder „Bombtrack“, die auch mehr als 30 Jahre später noch so gut funktionieren, erstmal schreiben muss. Außerdem zu viele Hits um hier nicht die 5 zu zücken. Wenn man ganz ehrlich ist, war der Sound der Band dann mit einem Album aber auch schon auserzählt.
Klare Höchstwertung. Absoluter Meilenstein, extrem hohe Hitdichte und für Generationen prägend.
Klare 10/10 und Kandidat für die Allzeit Top 10, wobei mit "Settle for Nothing" sogar ein minimaler Dip dabei ist. Dafür sind die anderen 9 Songs aber alle auf einem Perfektionsniveau, von dem andere Bands nur träumen können.
Glasklare Nummer!
Was für eine Wucht. Welche Wut braucht es, um so einen Banger zu schreiben? Ja. Unabhängig davon ist das halt genauso (wenn nicht mehr) hitgepackt wie bspw. Number of the Beast, es passt aber auch als Album absolut zusammen. Probs auch für das Anniversary Cover, finds besser als das Original.
Es ist großartig, es war damals die Innovation schlechthin und es ist bis heute extrem prägend. Dennoch kann ich die volle Punktzahl aus einem Grund nicht geben: Das Album an sich zu hören, gibt mir nicht viel, das war bei der Musik von Ratm schon immer so. Meine Freude an der Band kam erst - und nur - beim Liveauftritt. Ich finde live ist das einfach ein dermaßen anderes Level, dass ich das irgendwie zum Ausdruck bringen muss.
Ich war bereit hier nochmal sehr kritisch dran zu gehen, das Album nach langer Zeit nochmal in Gänze zu hören und zu schauen ob alles Songs außer die, die sich in meinen Playlists halten so gut sind. Doch meine Kritik wurde hinweg geblasen. Wir brauchen vermutlich kein weiteres Album dieser Band obwohl es mehr gibt und wir müssen obwohl Tom Morello ein einzigartiges innovatives Gitarrenspiel hat keine weiteren Features mit ihm hören, aber was der Mann hier raus haut hat Respekt verdient. Dazu Zacks aggressive Vocals und die beste Rhythm Section der Welt, das ist ganz großes Kino.
Raging yes, revolutionary perhaps, listenable no.
Sure, maybe this is an acquired taste. Special thanks to the TV show Skins and the 2009 Facebook protest campaign to knock Joe McElderry off Christmas number 1, for helping me acquire it. And oh boy does it still slap today.
Good album.
Great
10 songs that rock but all sound the same with the same lyrical story
ok starting strong the second song is getting on my nerves like why u repeating the same thing the whole time currently on the last track and i got so sick of it too many screams and repetitive riffs
goated record
Metal but with a hip hop style of lyrics. Musically very good but the album feels a bit long and it can grate on you with the screaming.
Im dtill not a big fan or hard rock or metal but i enjoyed the songs with more of a punk rythym
Killing in the name of...?
Raw, angry, and a masterful mix of rap and hard rock coupled with a powerful and still relevant message
It's a classic. It's a lot of fun. Punchy and ace.
Can't listen to them the same after knowing they've sold out to The Man. No relief from the headbanging so in that sense it's a consistent album
I've never been a massive RATM fan, but I've always respected them, not least because of their political messages and activism. This is my first time listening to a whole RATM album, though I've listened to a reasonable number of individual tracks in the past. The vocals have never been my favourite style, too shouty, and generally too rap-like, but they do fit the music and the general angry tone of the album as a whole. The fact that I can actually relate to the lyrics and the angry message makes it a lot more tolerable than the kind of rap you get in hip-hop. Musically it's actually more my thing, I like the slap-bass that appears in several tracks, I like the heavy sound, I like the powerful riffs, I like the fact that no individual theme or motif outstays its welcome. It's well done. Tom Morello is very talented, but his style of guitar solo isn't my favourite thing ever. Appreciate the skill though. Highlights: - Bombtrack - Killing In The Name - Take The Power Back - Wake Up - Freedom It's not entirely my thing, but I enjoyed the listen more than I thought I would, and a fair amount of it slapped. Can't really knock it.
All Timer x2
I like the message, this genre just isn't my cup of tea
Great album
It’s so heavy
BOEMBA LEUK
A very politically charged, angry album. It's hard for me to imagine myself listening casually, but it doesn't change the fact that this album is so poignant and timeless. The instrumental work, like Tom Morello's guitar, really stands out to me. Listened once
Really good! 9/10
Shit yeah. 5 stars
Fistful of Steel was probably my favorite Again, not really my vibe and don't believe I'd have listened to otherwise...but glad I did I also realize that I'm less lyrical in a lot of ways, I did not really internalize many lyrics...I want to work on this!
my throat kinda hurt by the end of this album #empath this came out two days after my bday (8 years before i existed) but i will give them a point for this this isn’t rly a style of music i gravitate to, cld see it being fun if i was a more angry individual, tho i do like the messages behind a lot of the songs, take the power back afff i feel like its part of the whole thing they have going on, but idk if i rly like how the instrumentals kinda drown out the vocals, that said i do think the instrumentals r probs my fave part of the album if they had an instrumentals only version i lowkey think i wld listen to that i feel a need to draw attention to the fact that i did not get them in spotle last week so this feels personal i found for a few of the songs i was like ok yeah i kinda get it, this is fun then they wld rly up the scream for the last minute or so and they wld lose me
Tom Morello's guitar work is insane; you can hear it a lot on Fistful of Steel I didn't expect to like this as much as I did, as a 1992 predecessor of Nu-metal, and debut album, I expected it to be much messier. This is very coherent and works well for an overall "protest" theme to this album. I couldn't really find misses, but rather things that were forgettable, although each track had highlights great standouts like Bomb Track and Killing In The Name, or even the mostly instrumental Freedom. A great first Rap-Rock album with absolutely insane cover art that matches the theme. Feeling a strong 9, and it definitely holds its own against my 5s, so I think it'll be there.
They say “Rate!” You say “How high?” A four a solid four. Raging against the music quality more like it. Know Your Enemy was better than sickman in my opinion, and I really liked Township Rebellion.
I have not listened to this album from start to finish before tonight. They picked the perfect opener and closer IMO. Bomb Track and Freedom are the stand outs and are under played.
this is what comes to mind when you think about a rage against the machine
Not my style😭not super bad though
The beginning opening rift is very good. So is Know Your Enemy. Very good. 10/10
Really amazing sound; i love their guitar solos; i'm just not a fan of they logic between some lyrics but, it' a great and enjoyable album
The sound is punk / anarchy but the lyrics don’t walk the talk for me.
MEGA!!!!
The primal scream of a generation
I remember listening to them in middle school an playing some of the easier parts on guitar. From the band name onwards it seems that anger is the main and only emotion of the album, a feeling only partly interrupted by Tom Morello's masterful solos. 3 1/2 stars
vabbè non nelle mie corde quindi non sono andata oltre l’ascolto del primo pezzo sorry
Non fa per me
Grande album tra il rap, metal e funk, fatto di energia e testi impegnati. Se ti piace il genere è un capolavoro
Frig off, I’m not going to adhere to your requests!
Good album but all the great songs are near the start and it tapers off at the end
bangers!! no skips! wow! really enjoyed this
I liked everything individually, unfortunately I didn't like this as a whole as much as I thought I would
Es mi estilo
355/1089 - Initially it was fun and sludgy and energetic but once I started paying attention to the music some more I found it pretty dull and derivative. One blues riff after another blues riff and some Drop D to spice things up. Let's throw in a 8 bar crescendo where we repeat the same thing over and over and never actually develop any ideas! Also let's play the same song 5 times with different lyrics on top of it and different blues/pentatonic riffs but with the exact same structure as listed up above. This is one of the few times where I wish I could put a 2.5 instead of a 3.
Never listened to them before and really really liked this record. The social polical commentary was really telling of the times, and still continue to this day. Heard this the week of the fatal ICE shootings… and yeah… killing in the name
no me gustó ;(
very angry, very loud favourite track - wake up I love the bang on the nose no metaphor sort of lyricism. It's brilliant at conveying political messages in a straightforward no bullshit manner, the perfect antithesis to the jargon and buzzwords thrown around so often in all honesty all the songs sounded rather 'same-y' to me, I would imagine I would struggle to differentiate them
3.1/5 Very much garage rock.
3.5
Already know it cold. 10/10 album, have never grown tired of it.
I had heard a few of these songs before -- some were obviously huge hits, but I had a little exposure to this album before, so I remembered hearing some of the non-hits. I absolutely loved every minute of this. It kinda blows my mind how amazing all of the members of RATM are at their respective instruments. Zach's palpable passion and cutting vocals, plus Tom's amazing catchy and punchy guitar riffs (which sometimes sound like no sound ever produced before -- amazingly), plus the awesome bass and drumming... It's really something amazing that I honestly feel in awe of and thankful that we even got to hear it. This was awesome and I listened to the whole thing twice. Five stars, easily.
a mi parecer no varía bastante, no es malo simplemente no lo que más me guste
BANGIN
hard rock doesn’t interest me at all. no.
starting off with a bomb literally. not something that i ever listened or would listen to. appreciate the guitars tho. i guess the lyrics are deep, i just didn't really want to listen to them.
This shit is awesome. Second half of the album especially I enjoyed a lot. Good job RATM.
Way too angry.
Peak angry music
It's everything you expect from a Rage Against the Machine album. Some great hits. Some deep cuts.
I've never been a huge metal head and always thought Rage was a ~little~ corny. But I listened to this in the gym and it was great for my workout
Brilliant album. Loud and raw anger. Very appropriate for what is happening now with US imperialism. "Ignorance, brutality, hypocracy, the elite."
Awesome record
I fw it more than I thought I would. Obv it’s very metal and the lyrics are still really applicable. Pumped me up in the morning, totally was not expecting to get this one first thing in the morning. Enjoyed it but prob wouldn’t reach for this day to day.
Liked very much.
it was ok
un grido alla ribellione e alla libertà: testi crudi e potenti, si sente la rabbia e la passione tipiche del movimento punk. linee di basso memorabili e sempre nuove, assoli di chitarra freschi e innovativi, monotona la parte vocale
Album still holds up but it's funny listening to it after growing up and listening to what a nerd Tom Morello is, talking about starting revolutions from his little SiriusXM studio
Righteous anger that's still relevant 34 years later.
Rap metal/rap rock is not my thing usually but this albums works even it borders on corny (as the previous user who reviewed it wrote). The lyrics are teenage level dumb, but this is a good album to let out anger and frustration. The sound stood the test of time, it doesn't sound dated. However, it's about 10-15 minutes too long. Overall an average 3 star.
A big, rightfully angry start to the year. I've never liked Rage (Morello's voice, not the music), so a somewhat challenging start too. At ~53 minutes, easy enough to give it a full listen. T2 (Killing In The Name): It's a classic, but I still think let down by the vocals. That said, what structure, what dynamic range, what a fucking anthem. Later - some real jazzy moments (still not my thing, but can appreciate the complexity here). The bass! T7: Goddamn, this is a lot. I like it, objectively, but I'm tired. Stop shouting at me. T8: That siren noise is making me want this to be over sooner. T10: It's good, it's smart, but all of that doesn't make me want this to be over any less.
yea we know you’re against the system, at least the music was good
prob not the best thing to listen to when i was battling to make my coach against train delays and tourists in london. didn’t make my coach and the music just pmo and hurt my head. might have some good songs but i wouldnt know atp
Not really my style, too hard rock for me
Ok jeg skjønner hvorfor folk synes dette er et bra album. Bra sinne, men for det meste ikke for irriterende eller bråkete. Tenk at jeg er nesten 26 første gangen jeg hører ordentlig på rage against the machine, det er litt flaut… spesielt når jeg liker det… det er vanskelig å alltid skulle være så kontrær
2nd listen
Top 100 album all time for me, don't know what else needs to be said about this record. Totally seminal rap rock record. One of the hardest records ever. Long Live ZDLR.
borders on corny but it works
okay a 90s album and a band i’ve heard of -um yeah okay -i actually just don’t like this that much i fear -lowkey all sounds the same again -literally just noise -like i can see how someone might like this i just don’t like this genre of weird indie rap almost rock i don’t even know -i can’t think of a scenario where i would ever listen to this organically
Great industrial album with intense political commentary.
certainly out of my comfort zone
Es ist Ok, ich habe es mal gespeicher
Hell yeah!
Makes me want to spray paint something and yell at politicians. Good album for some let out some female rage.
mochte die erste hälfte sehr danach eher nicht so wurde mir wahrscheinlich zu repetetiv :(
Positive anger
Subtle as a brick, but bricks work just great
Oh...
While it’s not my favorite Rage album.. what a banger
who up raging against they machine
I like the message but sonically a little too hardcore for me lol
meh
This still hits hard.
Still a long time for such a hard album, but every track slaps
Aivan tautisen hyvä, kuten muistelin. 5/5.
Been a long time since I've listened to the album in full, holds up excellently
Great commute album
Non stop bops
Love it
Gives the vibe of an angry teenager mad at the world, fuck the system, etc. Not my speed but see why it’s hits for some people.
Such an timeless classic
6/10
4.5/5 - A favorite in early high school. Still sounds strong and powerful. The lyrics seem more pertinent than ever with fascist ICE picking people up off the street. More young men should probably be listening to this instead of whichever alt right podcast is currently trending. Had a lot of fun listening to this one again.
Fuck yes!
Probably top 5 favorite albums for me. It changed 12 year old me’s life.
The Beastie Boys featuring Tom Morello. 😂 I guess I never knew they sounded like that! Yet I did enjoy the listen.
Makes me want to tear down the establishment.
Awesome debut album. This is in my regular rotation.
8/10 Top track: Know Your Enemy Perfect fusion on rock, hip hop and 90s rebellion.
4.
Kyllähän se jytäs
Sairaan kova ja yksi suosikki bändeistäni. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I appreciate this band’s passion for conveying their messages; lots of energy here. Unfortunately, there is too much screaming and repetition throughout the album. No singing here, only screaming and talking. I guess that is expected from a heavy metal group. One and a half stars for this one.
This band is not reaaally my thing, being a rap-metal(?) fusion, but they kinda remind me of System of a Down, mainly because of the lyrics, so I actually don't hate them that much. Even though their sound is in reality more like the Beastie Boys. But they don't use any slurs! So this is one of those rare cases where I like the band, it's just not a genre I like (i.e. very loud). I only listen to Slow Melodic Complaints Against the Machine, thanks. Highlights: 'Killing in the Name' (gets stuck in my head a lot), the part MJK sings on 'Know Your Enemy' (Machine Jun Kelly? is that anything? haha no, but seriously, I really hope Tool or APC are on this list) Lowlights: 'Settle for Nothing' (extra screamy), 'Fistful of Steel' (extra noisy) More logic problems: "If ignorance is bliss / Then knock the smile off my face!"
Iconic and brash. Still holds the same power.
Best angry political band?
pretty fire and political
NOOOOOOO
Rap Metal/Nu Metal is my least favorite genre other than doo wop. I hate it and I hate the bands that inflicted it on the world. But there are always exceptions! RATM is the only palatable rap metal and some of their best work is here on this record. Killing In The Name has both one of the all time great protest lines (some of those who work forces are the same who burn crosses) AND the motto of my generation (fuck you I won’t do what you tell me). And that last one makes me a bit sad because we were always raging against the machine but never doing anything about it. Just fu. Sigh. Anyway, I love this record while also recognizing that ZDR is a bit cartoonish at times and Morello’s beeps and bloops are sometimes irritating. But both really bring it most of the time here.
Lyrics are interesting and insightful. Definitely want to research more. Reminds me of Beastie Boys but more aggressive. Enjoyed but for very specific feelings/situations.
Holds up
I feel like i should like this a lot more for the political messages but the vocals dont do it for me great riffs though
ROTM is the AC/DC of the 90s, in that they are a band with huge popularity but every song sounds the same. Except where one band sings about bazoongas, the other sings about racism. They do one song and they do it well. Luckily that song is awesome and it'll pump you up to make a difference before remembering you forgot to send your OoO - after which point all you'll want to do is have a wee sit down and doom scroll. Anyway, you all know the song.
If I had to run through a brick wall this would be my soundtrack. Fave tracks: Bombtrack, Bullet In The Head, Know Your Enemy
Has held up really well and still hits hard. Very formative for me, musically
Dnf…might come back later but too grunge for my tastes
me gustaaa, ya tenia en mis likes killing in the name of, por ahora en mi primera vez escuchandolo está bueno killing in the name of, temazo, no me acordaba que era tan bueno 4/5 para escucharlo cuando quieres algo "mas fuerte" muy cargado con guitarra, no sé como explicarlo bien
Epic album, didn't realize it had so many 90's hits
Great!
Au biz Gamer Nostalgie wieni de Papi bi Need for Speed hot Pursuit II uf de Playstation 2 schlimm usenandgnoh han und Killing in the Name im Hintergrund gloffe isch. Aber abgseh vo dem nüd meh für mich. 2 Mal Rage Against Rage Against The Maschine
Heilandsack, woni s erst mal driglosst han heds mi fast vum stüehli grüehrt. Au ez na kei nerve gha. 2 rage quits vu mir = 2 sternli
RATM are the shit! Tom Morello is not the best guitarist in the world, despite what some might say, but the riffs he chugged out for this album slap. This is an unmistakable killer debut album. Full of powerful, genre fusing, raw political angst. Zack's vocals are gripping and heavy. It's a sound revelation. How dare you give it less than a 5.
Great album
every moment his messages become more and more relevant
we all know its a classic. cmon, its rage against the machine. just one problem for me, it feels to repetitive. every melody, every lyric, every composition. it all feels like a repeat to me. legit took me 15 minutes to realize a song had even passed. it feels like the kind of rock that you would see in a political young adult movie. yes its powerful, but i feels flat. amazing start, not such an amazing continuation. no one can deny its a classic though, still a type of genius in itsself
It’s ok
nais
Love music with a message.
Heard this tons of times before Bombtrack - 5/5 Killing in the Name - 5/5 Take the Power Back - 5/5 Settle for Nothing - 4/5 Bullet in the Head - 5/5 Know Your Enemy - 5/5 Wake Up - 5/5 Fistful of Steel - 4/5 Township Rebellion - 4/5 Freedom - 4/5 Average score: 4.6/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
fugazi
Helen did not like it, but it was fine
I loved "Stolen Cars" and "Stars All Seem to Weep." Enjoyable album overall but a bit glum.
Best possible example of an album everyone needs to hear. The message is as true today as it was in 92.
Awesome
Punk not my thing
Don’t know a lot about Rage against the machine, but good first impression. Big fan of their guitar parts, very energetic instrumentals. Not the style of music I listen to the most but they remind me a lot of Limp Bizkit. Solid album, but some of the more experimental sounding parts aren’t for me. 2.5/5
The album that spawned a hundred inferior rock-rap bands. Not sure if the sub genres ever got more perfect than this - maybe Battle of Los Angeles gives it a run for its money, but I think it’s still not as strong. Not sure if a sub genres ever ever showed up in a single album so perfectly and completely.
Great, butUrban Dance Squad did it first
had me jumping off the walls as a kid 10/10 of course
as a whole i loved this album, every song rated atleast a 7/10 with them all having their own unique aspects. the lyrics are extremely political and as they should be because everything is political. an absolutely amazing album
Great album, not the usual one of RATM that I listen, but enjoyed listening to their first album
Riff-heavy, guitar really seems to be the focus of this album. Has a real 90s feel. 1 listen, 3 stars
This rocks pretty hard. I love the energy and the short respites where it feels like everyone is just catching their breath before they start rocking even harder.
Raw and heavy
oh fuck yes its raw, its hard, its catchy, its brilliant and unfortunately still very relevant. looked to see if they had any more stuff on here but sadly not, been wanting to listen to all their stuff at some point anyway. 2nd 5
Heavy when it needs to be, quiet when it needs to be. Grooving all the way through, every song felt unique but they all belonged in the same album. No standouts but every song was great. It even had a few noise sections. Easy 4
not really my style but i still liked a few songs
RIP Joe McElderry’s music career
This is simply one of the most badass albums ever. The sounds are just so fire - crushing riffs, aggressive guitar tones and vocal performances that just drip wuth anger and frustration. The songs have aged so beautifully, somehow a lot of them are even more impressive and relatable now. The highlights are the noisiest moments, but the slower ones also have a lot of merit to them. It's so punky in spirit, can't help but love it. Listening to this while walking in the streets made me wanna burn cars and destroy buildings.
Killing in the name is good. I'm not much into rock but it was an interesting listen.
Great music, great lyrics. Very relevant to the socio-political odiern state of our world. Unfortunately I don't like rap and hip hop's rhythm. I will not listen to this again but its relevance and quality are undenaible. I will for sure reccomend it to my friends.
Sonoridade bastante diferente, muita spoken words, e fala bastante dos problemas da sociedade e da guerra.
Having only heard the higher profile singles from this album, I enjoyed getting to listen to every track all the way through. Certainly captures my mood given the way 2025 keeps 2025ing in newly creative and horrible ways.
Such Machine, Much Rage
A very solid album with catchy riffs and lots of attitude. Even though I'm not sure if it should be on this list, it is a very good album all ground.
Amo este disco! De lo mejor de los 90!
Golden!
Cool album cover and if I was in a different mood I would have enjoyed this album more
Music that makes you go "hell yeah"
subtlety is an art
Expected to dislike it, because I'm not a fan of funk or alternative, but some Tom's riffs are cool
This is one of those albums that is just so unique and so perfectly encapsulate the energy the band tried to create. I literally could not think of a better name for this band, nor this album and it's themes, than Rage Against The Machine. Favorites are Take The Power Back, Killing In The Name, Fistful Of Steel, and Freedom
I like how Zack does his best imitation of a TiE fighter from Star Wars in Township Rebellion. Understanding the political values of this album and Rage as a whole is an important media literacy test that many people fail completely. This is THE rap metal album. Often imitated, never duplicated.
There's nothing here that I don't like.
More like a 3.5, they have a good sound here, but Evil Empire and Battle for Los Angeles are much more cohesive
HARD no
Loved this album, makes me want to run through walls and join anarchist movements but in a groovy way.
Rage is one of those bands that I didn't really understand until I got a bit older and started to pay attention to the world. They were always a great sounding rock band, but they're also so incredibly lyrically powerful. One of the first to blend a hip hop lyrical style with heavy rock. Every issue addressed in their music HAS NOT CHANGED in the 3 decades after this album released, which is just depressing. Killing in the Name STILL rings true and is even more true right now with the ICE running the streets, which is just pathetic for the US as a nation. Message is awesome, music is awesome, Zack de la Rocha is a genius, Tom Morello is a genius on the guitar. This is an easy 5/5 album and with that said, every Rage song pretty much follows the same pattern. Repetitive lines, awesome guitar solo, more repetitive lyrics and end with some verses sprinkled in there. It's a simple and predictable formula that only works because Zack and Tom are gods. Unfortunately, the "Rage" against "the machine" is pretty much contained in album form. This album came out in 1992 and could have come out today and would have equally expressed many peoples frustrations. This album is basically a Call to Arms that didn't happen and the social problems of America have only gotten worse. Shout out to the reviewer 2 weeks ago that was upset with RATM's call for violent protest, but is also unhappy with their album cover featuring the ultimate form of non-violent protest. These Boomer Karen's really just are unhappy with everything.
Apart from one well-known song, I am very disappointed with this album.
What a powerhouse of a record. Rage Against the Machine is a band that I've known since 10 years or so, and one of the few that I still comeback to this day thanks to how well their energy is preserved in their music. It is incredibly angry, punchy and rebellious. No other band, that I've known of, can imitate the power of their sound. Before continuing talking about their music, I want to mention a personal realization I had. Maybe due to they being associated so much with nu metal, I always thought that the rapping was a result of the influence from rappers with bigger names. But this album is from 1992. It came before some of the most recognized hip hop and rap record such as 'Illmatic' or 'Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)', which I think gives the group way more authenticity than I previously gave it. Probably all of this is just common knowledge, but I think it is so funny that I realized this fact after so much time listening to them. Now, back to the music. As I said before, it is incredibly. When it comes to performances, every member shines in their own way. The bass lines are super funky, the drums are very energetic, the guitar solos and riffs are very unique with Tom Morello's weird techniques and Zach De La Rocha's delivery is just insane. He screams like a maniac and gives the songs an incredibly amount of anger. When combining it with his very political charged lyrics, I just want to get up and start a protest. Another thing that they do very well is ending their songs. Almost every track, if not all of them, have their most angry and energetic moments in their last seconds. 'Killing in the name', 'Bullet In The Head, 'Wake Up' and 'Freedom' have the most remarkable endings. Each one has a crescendo that leads to the Zach screaming his lungs out. Truly timeless masterpiece that captures perfectly the anger towards fascism and regimes.
i rated this and had my notes and everything and now its just gone but whatevs. anyway love love love this album, im in awe of the sheer power in their sound and im not even sure how they were able to produce such noises anyway. shout out
Let me set the scene on this one. Lazy Sunday morning, it’s snowing outside, Christmas tree is lit up, I’m wrapping Christmas presents, and what do I have on for music? Delightful Christmas carols? Nope, Rage Against the Machine and Zack de la Rocha (yes, I had to look that up) screaming fuck you, I won’t do what you told me and how he’s gonna put a bullet in ya head. Santa would be very displeased. Coal for Rage Against the Machine this year, which is probably what they were hoping for anyway. This is not my kind of music, especially when Zack starts screaming, but I actually did like more of it than I thought I would and I can understand why people love this album if it is their jam. It’s got great rhythms, driving guitar, and solid bass and drums. And you always have to love anti-establishment lyrics even if you’re just trying to enjoy the holiday season. If I was grading purely on my own enjoyment I would give it a 3. Giving it a 4 for recognition of the talent and impact of this album.
The music alone demands that you get up and move and I don’t necessarily mean in a good way. Any one of these songs could be an anarchists anthem and the vocals almost dare you to throw the first punch without even asking you to. The aggressive upbeat tempo of the album breathes life into each song and the lead singer’s ability to build to a crescendo on each track is powerful. Great album that had me ready to run through a wall by the end of it.
Well, I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I think the lead singer might be upset about something. What do you think Zack de la Rocha does to unwind? Yoga, gardening, sudoku? May I suggest that Rage Against the Machine and Florence and the Machine switch lead singers for an album - I would certainly buy that shit and I bet you would, too. This is a pretty f’ing solid debut effort but their downfall is that, by virtue of their incredibly unique sound, they have horribly pigeonholed themselves - you immediately know a Rage song because they are so iconic … and they never shake off that style so it all starts to sound like the same magic trick. It’s a great trick, but you’ve heard it so many times before that it wears thin before too long.
Rage Against The Machine, a monster band that gave us an amazing album. Zack's screaming delivery demands your attention. His message is personal and he will not be ignored. Guitar legend Tom Morello's iconic riffs, creative sounds, and ecletic solos absolutely shred. Brad's drumming paired with Timmy's bass groove so hard it actually reigns in all the chaos and has us bobbing our heads as we prepare to jump into the mosh pit. These songs have a powerful message, but the music shines most, as it must, for without great music the message is not heard. Not a bad track on the album, an absolute gem
Maybe it’s a good álbum, but not my genre
Still sounds urgent and unstoppable. An explosive classic that remains unmatched in its genre.
The opening two tracks are some of the most exciting music ever made. Amazing energy. The rest is solid and probably would be standalone greats if not overshadowed by the openers. Very distinctive excellent sound and messaging.
As un chic as it is to like this kinda stuff in 2025 I still love it. No one has EVER liked rap rock/metal right? I wouldn't say I do all that much but this is it. The exception to the rule. I grew up with this kinda stuff and it was ok back then but never really my favorite thing. Sure I liked the early Lincoln Park and shit but i wasn't in my jencos kickflipping my element skateboard. This record is about as good as that kind of music gets. The lyrics are there if that's your thing. The vocals are pretty great too. Its got that wubba bubba bubble tape guitar thats really is this bands defining factor. And the rhythm section is so good. The bass and drums are killer actually. They hold the insanity together. There are a couple songs that im not all that into but there is always a part from someone who blows me away. It really is pretty close to perfect. As close as we can get at least. It rocks. Point blank
I already had heard this album but this is literally the best! One of the greatest metal albums of all time! Album cover iconic and all the songs are peak! This is the best album they’ve given me so far. I was saving 5 stars for albums I give a 100 on aoty and I gave this a 98 but if any album deserves a 5 it’s this!
7/10
Powerful blend of rock, hip hop and the punk rock ethos. Somehow every song ultimately sounds the same – a good sound of course, but their musical depth always feels pretty surface.
One of the albums I had on repeat growing up. It was a perfect mix of rap, rock, rebellion, and just sounds that you couldn't help but want to hear over and over again. I still remember hearing Killing In the Name on the radio and trying to catch it every time I could until I got the CD. Its weird listening to it now. I do feel that sense of rebellion anymore, but I do understand more what they were raging against. Im sure I'll bust out my Rage mix CDs now to hear my little collection I made. Hit - Killing In The Name Miss (if I had to choose one) - Settle For Nothing Underrated - Know Your Enemy
If nu metal were like this it would be an amazing genre: 90s sounding, powerful and groove alternative metal/rock, with aggressive vocals, catchy songs and weird guitar solos. Unfortunately, the following band missed the opportunity and instead took the shitty path. Fuck them. This record is massive. And regarding if it's actually political or is just controlled dissidence: I don't really care. The music itself is amazing, even omitting the political part. That said, it's better to be a false dissent than being a stupid clown saying "People equal shit!" or singing stupid love songs. 9.3/10
Bombtrack // Killing In The Name // Settle For Nothing // Know Your Enemy // Township Rebellion //
Yeah i can't get with this album. I don't know i understand the reasoning why this album was even made i do agree with the message i just can;t stand the repeating of words, sounds of repeating, some song are okay but thats it.
4/5 if killing in the name of doesn't make u want to go and tell your boss to fuck off, i dont think we would get along with this album is so good
Wild this came out in 92, even crazier as a debut album, there's maybe 1 song on here i think is a little less than perfect. In my head Evil Empire was their good album, but I'd give this shit more than a 5 if I could.
This album feels as good as Butters running without a leash.
Obviously
Another one I own a physical copy of. Fucking great album. Personally, I prefer Evil Empire but no complaints here. Was lucky enough to have caught Rage with Run The Jewels a few years back. Great fucking show. Lousy afterwards.
Haven't listened to this one in a few years. Did NOT expect to give it a 5, but goddamn it still holds up.
Meh
Music is an exceptional blend of funk, rap, rock and punk that has a unique fingerprint. I don't care for their politics at all but that has very little to do with how I appreciate the music (see guys, it's easy!)
This album is as fresh and as relevant as when I first heard it in the early 90’s. America needs more of this energy right now!
Remember when people campaigned to have "Killing in the Name" beat the X Factor winner for that years Christmas number one single and then it did? Good times.
4.5 3x great album.