Reviews (page 6 of 14)
A power house of political rock, with single note progressions and hard hitting rhythms. The OG of GOOD rap metal, with a straight out of protest vibe. Love this record, glad I got a chance to listen to it again
No need to make an effort to listen. This is one of the best albums ever made and I have been listening to it for more than 30 years
all timer
As a young metalhead, I was never interested in RATM as I was very much not into rap and also not too much into the thrash metal roots they draw from. But dang, seems like I was missing out! This album delivers pretty much from start to finish, with only Fistful Of Steel being kind of weak. But the heavy instrumentation with tinges of funk and sludge metal, the vocal delivery, and even the righteous anger (it may be a bit much, depending on the mood - but it's part of the package) make for a pretty potent mix. I'll revisit this one.
I get the feeling these fellows know how to party. Way better than PJ Harvey.
absolute banger after absolute banger
My jams!!!
I am mad but in a good way
Incredible
I've listened to this album so many times that I can hear it beginning to end just by looking at the cover. So many important things about culture and society were said to idiots that only heard a swear word and a heavy guitar riff. But there were those of us that listened and heard. 10 stars.
Raaaaaagggggeeeeee
Solid, blir gira. Bra til gaming, eller når sur?
Love this album. Classic.
Pivotal, iconic, and hard hitting bangers from start to finish.
slayyyyy!!!!!
Amazing album. Visceral, political, energetic. Takes me back to my youth learning about the world
Fantastic. Was as good as I remember it.
CLASSIC
Oh delicious irony that is Rage Against the Machine. But just because you're a bunch of rich kids, doesn't mean you can't scream at the broken machine of your society. The ultimate complaint rock album.
A lot of their songs sound VERY similar, but it's nonetheless a great album. Also feels so easy for them. Thought-provoking and rebellious. 5*
Sehr gut
No better way to rage than against the machine. Such a great album.
Solid album from front to back that never requires skipping a song
I usually use my motorcycle rides out to and back from my partner's place on the weekends to catch up on albums, and this morning was no different. However, that fact made this album the first album that has actually posed a threat to my life. Throughout the album I was easily doing 10-15 over the speed limit, and it took deep breathing exercises to keep my decision making reasonable. My safety aside it's incredible how well this album has aged (or how poorly the USA has aged). Landlords and greedy businessmen are still ruining things with literal rent seeking behavior (having capital isn't providing labor), the government is an economic imperial engine, and the American dream is still a MLM pitch to get the internationally destitute to do the labor that no one else does. The ending of "Know Your Enemy" still resounds today, and "Township Rebellion"'s lyrics "Why stand on a silent platform? Fight the war, fuck the norm!" echos in the discourse around the 2020 BLM movement. Musically this album is a total banger - goddamn these guys go so hard and its incredible to hear. I makes me sad that we don't have punk like this today. Of course with all things punk comes with the conspiratorial undertones, but I'll take a bit of coordinated gov't conspiracy as long as it's shouted at me with a killer soundtrack. Also I see where the 90s rap rock originates.
Never been a big fan of RATM but this album soundtracked my teenaged years as I'm sure it did many people. Mainly a 5/5 for nostalgia but it does get abit tired after a few listens
fantastic! i never listened to this whole thing. i loved it
Classic
Great album loved it
this rocks
Pure rage, anger, and energy. Fucking outstanding.
FUCK YOU, I WON'T DO WHAT YOU TELL ME! The rhythm section, especially bassist Tim Commerford is rather overlooked, but they made some of the most violent funky stomps alongside the like of Faith no More. Morello is a DJ without scratching disc & guitarist without guitar-hero convention. And de la Rocha is without a doubt, the most "trebling" & "intimate" MC, if we consider him as a rapper than a rock singer, perhaps. Fav Track: Shelter for Nothing
This is one of my favourite albums, Bombtrack, Killing In The Name, Bullet In The Head, Know Your Enemy and Wake Up are superb tracks
God damn it's good
The production value of this album alone is worth all of the stars you have to give. Seriously, production studios soundcheck their equipment with this album. Look it up. Then the musical trio come in with the performances that are as precise as they are powerful, fronted by Tom Morello's boundary defying guitar tracks. The soundscapes that he creates honestly redefine what most thought was possible with a guitar. I mean honestly, how in the world did they come up with "Settle for Nothing"!? And then Zack comes in with his punch-to-the-gut lyrical tour de force that harkens to Gil Scott-Heron's pleas to wake people up from their entranced complacency. The mainstream honestly had no idea what was coming when these guys showed up on the musical scene in the grunge era. Their fight-the-system sensibility was simultaneously anachronistic and rife for rediscovery. The song that sums it all up perfectly is "Wake Up". It is a plea to awareness. A song as evocative as a hymn, a ballad, screaming to be heard and to be headed.
I WONT DO WHAT YOU TELL ME
This album hasn't aged one bit...it is as fresh as it was the first time I heard it. The power. The lyrics. The creativity. I think it might be hard for folks to realize how radical this was when it first came out in the early-90s. There wasn't any rap/rock mainstream music minus the Run DMC/Aerosmith collab of "Walk This Way". 5/5
Angry, firepowered political statement. Amazing.
oh yeah baby lets gooo
One of the most masterfully crafted rock/rap records ever produced. I hold this album in the highest regard.
The louder, the better!
I really liked this album
Never replicated
Zack de la Rocha !!!!! Favorite Tracks: Killing In The Name, Take The Power Back 5/5
5/5
Favourite tracks: wake up; killing in the name; bullet in the head; bombtrack; take the power back; know your enemy
Rating: 9/10 Best songs: Killing in the name, Take the power back, Settle for nothing, Wake up, Township rebellion, Freedom
No one before or since has made music this heavy and funky with so much conviction behind it. For all the anger and frustration they convey, it is still pure joy to hear something that is so honest. Tom Morello is a wizard of guitar sounds. Zack de la Rocha rapping, singing, shouting, screaming is all so powerful. The thought of rap rock or rap metal barely crosses my mind - Rage stands on their own as a brilliant convergence of sounds and styles that never feels overdone.
BANGER AFTER BANGER AFTER -
I remember buying killing in the name of more than once to get it to Christmas number one
Apart from a couple of songs that were too straight-ahead metal for me, the rocking bass lines had me hooked. I appreciate that they use their music for political activism and not just general rage; this is exactly the kind of music you want to listen to after a bad day at work to get your frustrations out. I forgot this was The Matrix closing music.
quite good! this is good rock and good messaging. nothing to complain about really. #rageagainstthemachine
The machine has taken over, immediately after this album in 1992. Hope you're happy not. Do what they tell you!
My birthyear was pretty great! I’m bummed out I didn’t get to see these guys in their prime, but I’ve spun their albums countless times. Rage Against The Machine is just so good. The way they blend Rock, Metal and Hip Hop is great. One hell of a record! 9 out of 10
sonzeira absurda, letras massa, curto das antiga mas foi bom relembrar o quanto curtia
revienta esto a cualquiera
Woowaah ça te décoiffe le tapis, superbe album de quand t’es fâché
It's Rage! Classic, wall-to-wall heavy hitters and they inspired virtually everyone that followed them. Easy 5
What did you think we were raging against? The toaster?
Oh man this is a 5/5 going in. I remember the first time I bought and listened to this album that I was hooked immediately from the bassline on bombtrack. So much energy and such an instantly classic sound these guys churned out. Not a bad song on here, but the standouts to me are: Bombtrack, Killing in the Name, Know Your Enemy, and Township Rebellion
great album
Hell yes instant 5 stars for this baller album. So many hardcore songs with such distinct bass or guitar lines that give me the chills. Settle for nothing is awesome
Easy 5 before I even listened to a song. I just mowed my lawn and did yardwork to this album and was head bobbin and fist pumpin the whole time that I just wanted to burn everything to the fucking ground. Maynard James Keenan is an awesome feature on here too. Saw them last year and was lucky enough to hear 7 of these songs but reallllly wanted Settle for Nothing. Was fucking sick to hear Freedom though. Also shoutout our group here is named after these mothafuckaaaaassssss
One of the rawest, most powerful albums made during the last 40 years. Breaking the system from the inside was their plan -I guess-. Even though the machine is still there, and the band is not active anymore, this album influenced thousands of new bands (Limp Bizkit, among them) and a completely new generation. I, now in my late 30s, do not listen to the band very often. I don't share some of their ideas, but still, I keep my rage within. A rage against regimes like the one from my home country. A rage against double standards and moral relativism. Personally, I cannot condone the hypocrisy of Tom Morello. A Starbuck communist with a US $30+ million net worth who made his fortune marketing the life of those who struggle and claim true justice. Well, on the other hand, the rhythm section is one of the best in rock music, at the same level as John Entwistle and Keith Moon. And about Zach, that guy knows his thing. I disagree with some of his ideas -like romanticizing Zapatistas, for example- but I respect him. Truly. Everybody needs to listen to this album; with headphones, if possible.
Energy is just oozing out of this album. It’s a shame raging against the machine just means “Republicans bad” in 2023, but back in 1992 this album’s message must’ve been infectious. Tom Morello underrate real guitarist.
Most people know this as the F*** you I won’t do what you tell me album, but for me it’s about Wake Up, Know Your Enemy, Take the Power Back. Incredible moments in Fistful of Steel and Freedom as well
The band right wingers think is on their side, but 100% is not the case. TAKE THE POWAH BACK.
Classic album, not a bad track on it, on the fence between a 4 and a 5 but might just go with a 4
Fuck you I won’t do what you tell me! One of the greatest debut albums ever! Change that. One of the greatest albums ever!
Bomb Track I know due to my sister learning to play it on bass guitar back in the day (hi Mimi!). Other than that it is only really killing in the name I knew... but the whole thing is done with such feeling that you can't deny. Red Hot Chilli Peppers took a lot from this and made it shit (or did Rage take it from RHCP and make it good)?
A vital political album full of Rage!
This album is just so passionate and inspired. It's kind of amazing how fantastic this still sounds. I thought maybe this would just be a 'nostalgia' pick for me - there is def some of that - but it's just a really gritty, powerful record and time hasn't changed that a bit.
What a great album, especially for a debut. This came at time of music discovery in my young life and will probably always hold a special place.
Righteously badass! 🤘 I think I like this more now than I did when it came out. Fave track - "Killing in the Name" is the obvious choice - "Wake Up" is great too...
I can still hear this album for the first time. Walking into a record store in Israel as a 13-year-old freshly-minted bar mitzvahed kid, asking what the locals were listening to. Riding on a bus that had to get rerouted due to a potential bomb on the road makes Bombtrack hit different.
Brutal
Rage is excellent!
Love this album! It is amazing to me how much this stuff relates in 2023. Worth of purchase! 5/5
Klasyk
Absolute slapper of an album, hever beat is this massive drop and pump back up, super energetic and angry, and it's for very good reasoning
love it. always have. always will. fight the man.
Perfect album.
FUCK YOU, I WON´T DO WHAT YOU TELL ME 4.5/5 Actually, because this thing rocks.
Come on, although you try to discredit You'll still never edit The needle, I'll thread it Radically poetic Standing with the fury that they had in '66 And like E-Double, I'm mad Still knee-deep in the system's shit Hoover, he was a body remover I'll give you a dose But it will never come close To the rage built up inside of me Fist in the air, in the land of hypocricy Fucking A plus album right here! This is the absolute best way to put into words how the 90s counterculture felt and what we thought we knew and could take action on then. This is one of those high water marks of a generation. 5/5
A certified classic.
The sheer energy and power on this is off the fucking charts. Zack de la Rocha spits out every line with equal parts discontent and rage, and Tom Morello's guitar sounds like nothing the world had ever heard before. Of course the entire thing is sublimely produced as well. Though I will never quite forgive Rage Against the Machine for the horrid wave of nu- and rap metal which followed, their debut truly stands as a landmark in music history. From the cover, to the sound, to the politics. Iconic through and through.
Some 30+ years after its release (wow, that felt weird writing…) their debut album is still as relevant as it was back in 1992. The fact that de la Rocha is able to even deliver lines with this amount of rage and fury is beyond belief. Rarely, if ever, have straight up content and anger been delivered with his power and passion. Wilk’s hard hitting playing, Commerford funky yet aggressive bass lines and the unique and innovative nature of Morello’s guitar style puts Rage Against the Machine in a league of its own. Well done for really hitting a nerve back then. And shame on us that we still allow it to hit those same nerves today.
Fuck yeah! Brilliant energetic music with a Fight The Power attitude. Includes cross-over like music, as e.g. the equally brilliant Mental Floss for The Globe by Urban Dance Squad.
Fucking rad man. wow wow wow. from the first breath on til the end it is just pure fucking rock. loud. insanely loud. impossibly loud! like truly the instruments feel louder than normal instrumetns they are somhow just more powerful instruments. rad rad rad man just fucking rad as hell like history lesson straight from the gods of history and legend themesles and they are just blasting the message straight into your being just louder than is possible and banging and booming and banging lol and just loud and that is the life you live and you find that fun and enoyable kivevevevevevevvedsafljkfdljkdfsajlksafdjlksfldjk (day inn the life end chord)
You’ve gotta respect this album for pushing the boundaries of modern music. However it remains remarkably musical despite its innovativeness.
this is a really nostalgic album for me, and i’m absolutely biased here, but it couldn’t be anything less than a 5. also, fuck paul ryan
Angry rap metal. Brilliant, especially "Killing In The Name Of"
Doesn't really ring as true to me as it did when i was a nipper, but damn does it still slap
yeessss 10/10 5/5 so good
Fuck you I won't review how you tell me
FUCKIN' Instant 5. I've loved this fucking album since I was a kid and I love it now. Additionally, fuck Youtube Music. Holy shit, I listen to fucking pornogrind but RATM warrants interrupting my listening with a fucking content warning? And accepting that content warning means wiping out my entire playlist queue? I might have to find a new streaming service, this is wildly fucking annoying.
One of the hardest rock bands. Bummer they canceled their reunion in my city. This album is an easy 5
As raw, hard and relevant as in 92
I’ve loved this album since the moment I heard it. I still remember where I was.
Fuck yeah dude. This album is great. You do have to be in the right mood I think.
The most appropriately named band in the history of bands? I’ll admit when I first heard KITN on the radio I didn’t quite get it; something about that earnest now-you-do-what-they-told-ya mantra seemed a bit on the nose and kind of amused me. Maybe I just wasn’t used to artists spitting truths with absolute, irony-free conviction. Thankfully I soon realised that I was wrong, and their righteous political anger is indeed a gift. Also, as much as I enjoy Tom Morello’s inventive soloing, what I *really* like is all the riffage. There are more great riffs on Know Your Enemy alone than some bands manage in a career.
It's a masterpiece for me! What an album. Tom Morello is one of the best, if not the best, guitarist in my opinion. I love everything RAtM stand for and they are such a good vehicle for their work.
This is one of those albums that formed me, musically and politically. I was already quite used to the style when this came out, due to the music of the Urban Dance Squad, but this album blew me away. And re-listening to it now, not much has changed.
HOW LONG?! NOT LONG!! BECAUSE WHAT YOU REAP IS WHAT YOU SOW!!
Brilliant album that still sounds as good today as it did then. Mainly because the world is still as shit as it was. Nothing changes.
A solid classic that I can’t believe was released in 1992.
A very aggressive album by itself and the political aspect makes it more harsh and brutal to listen to. The ability to tell so much about our society and politics just using music and rhymes is just fascinating. Bangers such as Killing In the Name, Know Your Enemy and Bullet In the Head really stand out. Will I listen to it again? - Already have multiple times and will more 5/5
You do need to be in the right mood for it but it's an excellent album. Every track hits. Great running album.
Banger after banger
A tour de force in making great metal songs that will be misinterpreted by the people it's criticizing in a couple decades.
This album is mixed so good - each instrument just punches you (ie end of bullet in your head). I absolutely love this album! The riffs, lyricism and energy is just unmatched and gets me going Fav Tracks: Bombtrack, Killing in the Name, Take the Power Back, Settle for Nothing, Bullet In the Head, Know Your Enemy, Wake Up, Fistful of Steel, Township Rebellion, Freedom Worst Track: N/A 10/10
4.5
Classic
Some of those who work forces are the same who burn crosses
Awesome album, start to finish
I remember one time my dad got mad at me because I had never sat down and listened to any Rage Against the Machine. I didn't expect this sound, though. Honestly, though, I loved the guitar riffs from the very beginning. I also love the album cover, really cool. Fave track(s): Bombtrack, Know Your Enemy, Township Rebellion
Timanttia vielä 30v myöhemminkin. Ehkä yksi aavistuksen ohibiisi ja loput ihan pelkkää seksiä! Kevyesti tähtikategoriaan.
Epäsäännöllisen säännöllisessä kuuntelussa vuodesta toiseen. Go-to-pre-game-album. 6/5.
what an album... no silly hair or cucumbers down leather pants and still sounding angry and timely and totally on fire 30 years later
FUCK YOU I WON'T DO WHAT YOU TELL ME!!!!!!!!!!! A masterclass in righteous outrage, with thought-provoking and paradigm shifting lyricism that shocked a young generation awake and into action. We can never stop fighting to take the power back \m/
5 stars. No review required. Burn, burn, yes you're gonna burn!
This is not the kind of music I usually enjoy or seek out, but I thought this album was actually very excellent. It’s basically just a socialist zine put to heavy guitar but somehow it really, really works. This album was released quite a while before I was even born, so this review is not influenced by nostalgia at all. Fav tracks: Killing In The Name Of, Take The Power Back Least fav track: Freedom 5 stars!
5/5 The best fuckin album we have had so far in my opinion! I have listened to this 100s of times over the years and it still bangs. It is a sometimes album, and you have to be in the mood for it or it can be overwhelming and too angry etc. I love the lyrics, the messages behind them and I love the music! This one made me happy!
FINALLY a five star album. Can't believe this is over 30 years old, it still sounds fresh and packs a punch today. Had me from the first note until the last both musically and lyrically. Yay, a good one!
Revolutionary in many ways, one of the greatest debut albums ever.
semmonen albumi... 90 luku amerikka main stream rock, mitä perrKELE!se on hyvä???? whalecum to the machine...black sabbathesque mutta silti omanlainenesque...genuineluisesti yksi parhaista mitä on täälläo llut.. banger after banger...en olisi ikinä kuunnellut ilman tätä sivustoa joten ihan kiva, nyt anna 5 british indie rock albumia putkeen kiitos bullet in the head
WE GOTTA TAKE THE POWER BACK!!!!! This album is a real rage against the machine. The energy here is just so infectious. There’s such a passion fire burning across each song. It’s hard not to be motivated, or at least pumped up when listening to this album. For such an angry piece of music it’s surprisingly uplifting, it makes you feel like change is possible. “Anger is a gift.” Faves: Settle for Nothing, Bullet In the Head, Take the Power Back, Killing In the Name, Fistful of Steel, Know Your Enemy, Wake Up
Debut van Rage! Meer hoef ik niet te zeggen
Lekker hard! Absolute topper van een plaat
9/10 - Brilliant album, very heavy and really enjoyable
Yeah, you know what, we do gotta take the power back
Love some rage to get pumped and pissed off
One of the marks of a great album is that you could out it out a decade after it originally came out and it would still be impactful. You could put this album out today and it would still light the world on fire. The energy of this album, the raw power that must be constantly restrained to prevent it from boiling over, is perfectly matched by the lyrics built from equal parts rage and intellect. I think this album may be more pertinent now than it was when it was released. It's that rare album that was ahead of its time, but also highly respected in its time. 5/5 Easily one of the top 5 albums of the 90s
I shouldn't like this so much but the whole album roars.
Awesome hard rock.
Great album. Really enjoyed listening again and finding all of the intricacies in the lyrics that I couldn’t get in my teens. Add fantastic guitar and bass and you have the makings of a great album.
Does it need any introduction? An all time classic, rap-metal at its finest. Even includes a UK Christmas number 1!
hellyeah_fuckthesystem.mp3
After the frou frou rock of Black Sabath and ZZTop it feels awesome to hit some rock with some WEIGHT. Let's GO! It's fascinating to listen to this after Blood Sex Sugar Magic, because the rap against the rock background is similar, Rage just raps infinitely better. Yeah, that's the stuff.
Banger
I'm going to put 5 stars so I can make up for my weird friend's note of 3 stars.
Now you do what they told ya
Oh hell yes. Great band, great album.
hell yeah
This is not usually my main go to genre but the album started off on such an impactful note. Love the mix of rock and hip hop! The music hits hard but it’s also so groovy at the same time! This type of music makes me want to fight someone but the songs actually have great messages within them. Love how in your face and overt the album is! It’s one of those that speaks to my ♈️ moon tbh Favorites: Bombtrack(!!!), Killing In The Name, Take The Power Back(!!!), Settle for Nothing, Bullet in the Head(!!!), Know Your Enemy(!!!), Wake Up(!!!), Fistful of Steel, Township Rebellion, Freedom
This is my jam. Rage Against The Machine encapsulates anger perfectly and makes it accessible to the general audience in ways other bands have yet to accomplish. They've got a really unique sound and are nu-metal before it even was a thing and many bands that followed in the genre pale in comparison. RATM haven't made any new material lately but their albums and songs are modern classics. It's hard to find a bad song in their discography and this album is no exception. Whenever Killing in the name comes on it's hard not to start headbanging or at least nodding along to the music. This is an album everyone should give a listen to.
5/5 Banger Sehr heavy Sehr geil
LP
Fuck you
Ningú els va veure venir. Tot i que a l'época la barreja de géneres ja portava uns anys en boga, amb bandes com Faith No More, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fishbone o altres europees de menys calat com Urban Dance Squad o Clawfinger, el sorgiment del fenòmen RATM ens va agafar a tots per sorpresa. El treball de guitarres de Morello i la manera d'escupir les lletres de Zack De La Rocha destacaven amb molt sobre tots els seus contemporanis. Les lletres polítiques i subversives acabaven d'arrodinir un missatge sec, dur i directe, com un cop de puny a la cara. Un dels grans discos de la década
lol
I like Rage, but I was leaning on a 4 star because every song ends the same. However, it gets a full 5 partly because this is something I do like and partly because it's crazy how the politically charged lyrics are still completely relevant today. Little has changed.
Killer debut album
ALRIGHT. BK made some good points. Many bangers in here.
:eyes:
If the Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Black Sabbath had a baby, it would sound like this. Surprisingly funky, but hard as nails, ‘Rage Against The Machine’ is angry and militant, but also strangely a lot of fun, with a singalong nature to a lot of the songs and choruses (perverse I know given the subject matter). What’s not perverse is just how incredibly good and fully formed this debut is.
Heerlijke basloopjes, schurende gitaarriffs van Tom Morello en opzwepende zang/rap van Zach de la Rocha. Wat een bak energie. Heerlijk!
Great lyrics
Så jävla bra?
Perfect cowbell
The frenetic energy, the politics in Zach's lyrics, the sonic landscape, the guitar... it all hits like an uprising. Five stars.
I loved it. So much. Obviously a fantastic makes hard rock actually something I enjoy.
Fucking amazing album everything hits perfectly also one of my favorite album covers
Yes! That's how to express anger for the system as an artist and an activist.
Now we're talking, rap-metal with socially conscious lyrics. Album totally holds up 30 years later. No shitty synths or reverb drenched guitars thankfully. Totally deserves to be on the list
Total banger from start to finish.
I was going to give this a 4, but I know I wouldn't have Run the Jewels without this. RtJ is more my personal taste these days, but I still appreciate this a lot. Let's call it a 4.5 that I'm rounding up because FUCK YOU, I WON'T DO WHAT YOU TELL ME! MOTHER FUCKER!!!
Loved this album in highschool, haha.
Awesome album, the lyrics seem more pertinent these days than ever before!
Excellent
Love this album. Love Rage's attitude in these early records.
You already know I feel a certain type of way about this album. This fools combine rap metal and funk in a way that is only disgusting in a good way. One of the only albums I’ll hear what they say
The album cover alone has significance to the reason this project all together. This album earned a spot in the top 100 metal albums of all time according to the Rolling Stones. This paved the way for modern metal and i loved it. It was my personal introduction to metal and i cant be more grateful. Favorite songs: Killing In The Name, Bullet In The Head, Township Rebellion, and Freedom.
Great album
They need to come to Atlanta like yesterday. I love all of their albums
Straight fire and more relevant than ever. Fuck any nazis that think they have a right to listen to this. Learn to read.
I LOVE RATM and I love this album. Morello's lyrics are excellent even if they can be repetitive (to invoke protest chants but still). The guitar playing and energy though bring everything up to great.
Spent a lot of time listening to this getting pumped up for soccer games in high school. Love this band, love Tom Morello's guitar playing. Faves are Bullet in the Head, Know Your Enemy, Fistful of Steel. The album drags a bit, exceeds the magic 45 minute mark, and by the end it's kind of like... ok guys I get it. But they really keep the intensity up throughout, and I respect that. I think Battle of Los Angeles edges this one out for their best album. Probably a 4 star album, but I am rounding up for nostalgic value.
Thirty years old and it feels as fresh and relevant as ever. 5/5
Raw as hell, with innovative sounds, killer instrumentals, amazing vocal delivery, and a based lyrical message. The only thing more I can ask is more of this, please.
Loved it
This one rocks.
Solid 10
Second time listening to this classic. After moving to Nashville and seeing Brass Against cover much of their songs, as well as interacting with cover bands in the area, I can safely say that I under-appreciated this album the first time I listened to it. I like the lyrical content cause, you know, fuck the government, however I must say it mainly consists of phrases rather than lyrical sentences. This is something I've known for quite some time, but I haven't fully realized until now. I don't think I've listened to another band that does that. Tom Morello has always been an musician that I've been fascinated with. The creativity with his axe knows no bounds. It is interesting to hear his work on this album, knowing the kind of music he's going to make in the next 15 or so years with Audioslave. Overall a great and classic album.
Starting strong. I'm biased because I already own this and love it. Haven't listened in a while, holds up incredibly well. A product of it's time but still extremely relevant, which is... Depressing.
Mowed the lawn and started my journey 9/5/2022 labor day
When this album first came out I had no interest in it at all. Over the years something changed in me and I love it.
Fuck you I won't do what you tell me!
!!!! Love this record. My older brother had this on tape and I first heard it when I was maybe 10 years old. Didn’t really understand what the lyrics were about but the heavy riffs and rhythms moved me in a visceral way. To this day, it gets me pumped up in a way that nothing else quite does. It’s so accessible and minimal. Sounds super ahead of it’s time compared to other stuff I’ve heard from 92. Morello had a really innovative voice on the guitar in his tones and lines. Bomb track has like 4 of my favorite riffs. These grooves are so deep. Killing in the name of- they are the absolute best at doing a build and landing in a heavy groove. Take the power back was I think the first bass line and first music I learned to play. Definitely super influential for me.
What is there really to say? Some of the best riffs and grooves of all time Track 1 the kick drum thing and guitar break and guitar scratch stuff at the end Guitar noise on settle for nothing is awesome Bullet in your head is so sick, I’ve been sleepin on that one Know your enemy has such a cool guitar intro, Tom morello is the shit Fistful of steel intro is one of the sickest things I’ve ever heard
This one grew on me, I was hesitant at first but I like it a lot now. I’ve loved killing in the name so it’s about time I listen to the whole album already. I like that it actually has a message and is activism in music form. It has a clear purpose. It’s a very good album to wake up to if you don’t wanna get up in the morning
This album is ridiculously good. Especially for a debut.
Maaate. Instant classic. EZ 5-stars. I remember as a kid, I borrowed this album AND Enter the 36 Chambers from a friend at school (the he himself had *borrowed* from his older brother). That day, my musical tastes really started to develop, mature, and evolve. Never looked back since. Stand out tracks: Killing in the Name, Bombtrack, Wake Up (used at the end of The Matrix movie), all of them, really.
Exactly how I imagined a Rage Against The Machine album (never heard one before). Fast, hard and angry.
This is literally the first album that I have listened to in my life. I think I was 12 at the time and I wasn't into music at all, then my friend told me to check this out - and the rest is now history. It's been now almost 20 years since that moment, but my musical journey keeps coming back to this specific album. It obviously has so much of sentimental value, I won't be able to be objective when describing the album, but that's just another reason why this should be rated highly. As a self-proclaimed bass player, songs like Bombtrack, Wake up, or Freedom are so rewarding to play. Bass is actually so characteristic on this album and in many songs it is a focal point of the composition. Tim Commerford was my first kind of an 'idol', or a person I was trying to shape my style after. I am not a big enthusiast of guitar solos, but Tom Morello is definitely one of the exceptions. And even though my favourite solo is on a different album, the heart and soul of his style is felt on this self-titled album. But what I really respect Tom for is his riffs - when written down they are pretty simple and very easy to play, and yet they match perfectly in the songs and they are the main reason, why your head is banging to the rhythm all the time. And finally, Zach de la Rocha and his vocals and lyrics. Ratm is mostly known to the wider audience for their 'Anti-Machine' themes. Just listen to the names of the song: 'Take The Power Back', 'Township Rebellion', Settle For Nothing'. Once again I think that Zach and his lyrics got more sophisticated on later albums, but here, there is the titular rage and raw energy, which gave them the fame. Great album, easiest rating I will ever do on this site.
Addictive riffs, rhythyms to move and lyrics to anger
An album that was and still is ahead of it's time.
jam
As hard hitting now as when it came out.
I'm not sure if I've listened to this album all the way through. I've always liked Rage, but mostly listened to the hits. This was of course awesome.
This is on constant, constant rotation. Still holds up, obviously. The only mild, tedious stinker is Settle For Nothing, but even that has one of the most pretty guitar solos anywhere.
RAGE! Filled with heavy hitting singles and an overtly political sensibility, Rage synthesized a rap-rock sound that only has sparsly been replicated with success by others.
Perfect encapsulation of what it advertises to be with no apologies, and some great songs to go with it.
Hell yeah!
Can’t believe I never listened to this before this shit bangs. It’s aggressive and in your face but also pointed and political. Morello is insane on guitar and De La Rocha is just an absolute force. And the revolutionary politics here only seem to get better with age. No skips, great album.
They tried to warn us. I remember the exact moment when I first heard this album. I was on a bus bouncing through the back roads of the South San Juan Mountains of Colorado. This was the last album I heard before 24 days of hardcore alpine mountaineering with a crew of five dudes, ice axes, lines, and brand new boots. Hundreds of miles and weeks later and the lyrics were still bouncing around in my brain as they had all along the trail. The album stands. It was way ahead of its time. Probably is still ahead of its time and inaccessible to a lot of Americans who will never understand. Game-changer.
Some of those who work forces Are the same that burn crosses
Man - these guys hit a homerun with this album out for sure. They managed to pioneer a sound all of their own, and managed to perfectly distil the feeling of political and societal dissatisfaction into a musical artform.
Listening to this while walking around London makes everything feel a bit epic. Another rone from my teens that just lights me up.
RATM. 5 absoluto.
Let's rage
Þessi plata kom út árið sem ég varð tvítug og hafði mjög mótandi áhrif á hugsanahátt minn varðandi kerfið margfræga. Get alveg gleymt mér í headbanginu því þetta eru bara allt djöfulsins bangerar. Elskidda!
I loved and listened to this thousands of times when I was in my twenties. I can't be unbiased when rating this.
Love this album. Was released while I was in high school.
Rage is a band with almost unmatchable energy and intensity, yet their sound is still funky and lively. And of course the political message is important top. 5/5 Top tracks: Killing in the name Fistfull of steel Wake up
So fucking good. Similar to Beastie Boys, this group has blended rock & rap so perfectly. Zack's lyrics are very political, provocative and punk, which pairs so well with the fat bass lines, distorted guitar and tight percussion. What an insanely good release for a debut album, perfectly named band and perfectly timed release given the social climate during that period in the early 90s. I can workout to this, I can mosh to it, I can burn my government documents to it. So versatile. Fave tracks: Bombtrack, Killing In the Name, Know Your Enemy, Wake Up
Wow, dropping this shit as a debut album with that album cover is one hell of a statement. I guess that's exactly what Rage is all about though. It makes me sad that in the 30 years since this albums release, all of the themes contained within are just as, if not more, relevant. But it makes make happy that this exists, so at least there's that. Fav Tracks: Killing In the Name, Settle For Nothing, Wake Up
It's sad how relevant all of this still is 30 years after its release.
Brilliant heavy guitar and drums. Baselines straight from Jah himself. Incredible lyrics. Headbangable. Fight the power. 5/5
4.6 + Incredible. The righteous rage that appealed to my teenage angst still feels just as urgent and resonant in my 40s. Fantastic bars, amazing screams and truly exceptional guitar work (esp. on “Settle For Nothing”).
I can't ever picture a day where this album won't sound fresh and relevant.
I never liked RATM much in my university years, mainly due to disliking a few people who really liked them and not being a fan of other rock/rap bands that followed in their wake a decade later. How wrong I was. This is powerful stuff. Aggressive and p'ed off, but the anger is directed constructively. Rating: 5/5 Playlist track: Killing In the Name Date listened: 17/06/22
Some all time classic fat riffs. Tom Morello is a god
6/5
RATM!!!!!!!
When people tell me they don't like this album I realize I have no idea what some people even listen to music for. This is incredible.
An absolute force.
Recorded live at Sound City Studios.
Heard this one hundreds of times before. Classic album, in the contention for RATMs best. Usually when you listen to an album you've heard before you'll forget about some of the songs on there. With this album that is not the case, I knew and remembered every single one. RATMs energy is unmatched, especially in a genre which they arguably pioneered and noone has managed to surpass them. Standouts: all of them, can't really choose a favorite
Rulez
Best Song: Killing In The Name Of. The song, its political message, and its musicality all make it a great song. What makes it an iconic song is when De La Rocha switches the lyrics in the final minute of the song to "fuck you I won't do what you tell me." The way it takes the heated and passionate political tone of the song and cranks it higher, when you thought the dial was already as high as it could go, is perfect. Worst Song: Settle for Nothing. Trends a little too far towards prog-rock with its meandering guitar solo, which doesn't really add anything to the track. Overall: It's killer. The whole album sounds youthful, smart, and talented. Takes the best of both rap and rock and mashes them into a rare fusion that actually works. Zack De La Rocha raps like a man on fire. If I close my eyes I can forget that Tom Morello is shilling NFTs now and remember when his guitar work was pure alien madness. This album is political and musical brilliance.
Classic. Filled with bangers. Crazy good.
What can I say? This is one of the best albums of all time, and you should definitely listen to it before you die. For preference, you shouldn't just listen to it. You should HEAR it. The issues that are raged against are still here now, unfortunately. It's shame that everyone who already knows this already knows, because the people who don't or won't like this music on the basis of its messaging probably won't be changed; even when someone sets themselves on fire.
9/10 Best Song - Killing in the name
Épico y lleno de ira, este disco ya es un clásico. Los riffs, los gritos, las melodías y la descarga de adrenalina siguen igual de potentes.
Absolutely fantastic, made me very aware of everything wrong going around.
Simply put, probably one of the best albums ever. At least partially responsible for my political radicalism.
Firstly, I've never seen this angle of the album cover before. RATM was the craziest mosh I've even experienced, my feet were rarely under my body. Very fun. This album was one of the few guitar bands in rotation during high school for me. Tom Morello is a genius. A fun revisit, even if a bit cranky. It's election time people. Fists in the air!
Fuck you I won’t do what you tell me
Znam da nije za goga ali je sjajno🙂
som en riktigt välsmakande hurring!
This is one of those albums I've always known of but never sat for a listen. I could stand to listen to this from start to finish with no distractions.
Loud, angry, intense and awesome. I love this album just as much as I id when it came out.
Just a good ass album, it has all the components of a perfect rock album
Never listened to these guys back when they were a going concern, so this one’s a fun time capsule and also cipher key for understanding like 50 different memes. Killing In The Name alone resolved so many fucking previously-incomprehensible jokes for me.
Awesome album! Love the messages!
Discazo
Driving deep bass and pounding drums, loud guitar, aggressive vocals and political/social lyrics. This was pretty groundbreaking stuff and it hit damn hard. Play at high volume.
One of my go-to albums
Groundbreaking. Too many cheap imitators though.
FUCK YOU I WONT DO WHAT YOU TELL ME
:)
I’ve heard Rage Against The Machine here and there but hadn’t ever sat down and listened to an album. I put on the album and at first thought given the genre I’d need to break up this listen into parts. Instead I was enthralled and listened to the whole thing straight through to the end. This rocks hard. A lesson in truth in labeling. What surprised me most was the skill and subtlety in the music and intelligence in the lyrics. “Wake Up” is a masterpiece - an incredible song on an album of incredible songs. The angry lyrics are served perfectly by the angry music. I get it. I dig it. These songs should rock hard and they do. Thirty years later this remains a relevant kick in the ass. The machine is still fucking winning. RAGE!
This is another one of those albums that was part of the soundtrack to the early 90s. I didn't know about hardcore at the time, I was into stuff like Metallica, Pearl Jam and Guns n Roses, but this was completely different... I didn't know what it was, I had no context to put it in, it was just a fucking great album. I was too young to understand the whole sociopolitical anger thing, I just liked it because it was pissed off. And far out, it really is pissed off. De La Rocha really slams it home. There's a real grit to his voice that sucks you in. I think I still listen to it probably 2-3 times a year. Same with Evil Empire. Listening to the lyrics today I can kiiiinda see some of the criticism - it IS just basic entry level anti-establishment stuff (I'll admit I bought right into similar ideas when I was a first-year uni student, so no judgement here), and I do understand the ticket scandal a few years ago was really hypocritical of them, and Morello's subsequent statement was really half-arsed - but who gives a fuck? I don't care if they are/were diehard guerilla warriors, MAGA dickheads, or anywhere in between. I don't think there are many topics you couldn't cover when you thump this hard. I know there are people who think you aren't allowed to listen to it unless you agree with it, then others who think RATM are really just part of the machine they claim to hate so can fuck off... and cool guys. You do you. I'm rocking out. I also think "know your enemy" is one of those really underrated rock songs of the 90s. Not underrated in the "wicked underground" sense, but just overlooked despite the size of the album. 5/5.
Disco totalmente disruptivo para su momento, con un poder y unas letras que transmiten un mensaje político brutal que sigue vigente al día de hoy. Mejores tracks: "Take the Power Back" y "Wake Up".
I love this album. Cranked it in my Walkman as a teen. Still possesses that perfect blend of aggression, funk, and superb musicality. Some of the greatest riffs of all time are on display here. They never came close to this again.
Loved this album as a kid. Still works today. A bit angsty for my tastes now really, but the nostalgia carries it through. Interesting to hear the demo versions of the tracks on the anniversary edition. Pretty much note-for-note the same with worse vocal processing. Great to see they arrived pretty much fully formed.
Yeah, they may be capitalist phonies but when your riffs are as good as anything Black Sabbath came up with, I can look the other way. Best Tracks: Killing In The Name; Take The Power Back; Know Your Enemy
what if AC/DC got angry and political, then collab'd with the Beastie Boys?
Amazing debut album.
Aaaaaah Shit! Imagine it’s 1991 and you’re 18. Going to see an unheard of new band in a shitty, sweaty underground club. Moshing the fuck out to this. It makes all these other albums seem so weak and pointless. This is what music can be about and it’s powerful as fuck.
bomzão
was the music great? no. do i have very discerning tastes? also no. it's metal. i like metal. metal good. good album. ALSO it occurred to me that metal and jazz are very similar in that they take a relatively simplistic melodic motif and riff off it constantly for the entirety of whatever track it is. so maybe metal is, objectively, a little good, yk
Now THIS is how you combine rock and rap. The instrumentals are always on point, both kicking ass and grooving at the same time. Over top of these instrumentals Zack de la Rocha manages to spit fire with a punky attitude. The combination works so well largely due to the shared "fuck the establishment" motif of both punk and rap. The only slight issue is that the intensity never lets up, and it becomes one of those albums that leaves you mentally drained at the end of it. But Soundtracks for the Blind does that too and I still consider it perfect. Also, Tom Morello is one of the most inventive guitarists I've ever heard. Favorite Tracks: "Bombtrack", "Killing In The Name Of", "Take The Power Back", "Bullet In The Head", "Know Your Enemy", "Fistfull Of Steel"
Even better than I remembered
A staple of my youth that made political anger sound awesome
This one goes hard all along. Love it.
A favourite in my younger years- a gatecrashing enema hit of power. And no, Paul O’Brien, Rage is not just Linkin Park with a political twist. Fuck you
RRAAaaaaaage! (against the machine)
Are you angry? Do you want to add fuel to that anger? If so this is the highest octane fuel out there. Burn burn yes your gonna burn. Start to finish every song is a five star.
I am not familiar with either the band RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE or their debut album entitled, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, but I am aware of their existence. After listening to RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, I was very pleasantly surprised at how good the band and this album is. I usually don’t listen to hip-hop/rap, but this combination with metal of Metallica-like proportions. With the political lyricism of Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Patti Smith, U2 and Public Enemy. This WORKS! In 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE’s self-titled/eponymous debut album Is the only album listed. Rate Artist: RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE (5.0) Rate Album (Year): RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE (US 1992 Original) (5.0) Rate Album (Year): RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE (US 2012 Box Set) (5.0) Ranking of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE - RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE songs No. Title Length Ranking 01. "Bombtrack" 4:02 10.0/10 02. "Killing in the Name" 5:14 10.0/10 03. "Take the Power Back" 5:36 10.0/10 04. "Settle for Nothing" 4:49 10.0/10 05. "Bullet in the Head" 5:08 10.0/10 06. "Know Your Enemy" 4:57 09.5/10 07. "Wake Up" 6:06 09.5/10 08. "Fistful of Steel" 5:32 10.0/10 09. "Township Rebellion" 5:22 10.0/10 10. "Freedom" 6:06 10.0/10 US 1992 Original Release 99.0/100 = 9.90 / 2 = 4.95 XX CD 1 – Bonus tracks (B-sides) No. Title Length 11. "Bombtrack" (Live) 5:56 10.0/10 12. "Bullet in the Head" (Live) 5:44 10.0/10 13. "Take the Power Back" (Live) 6:09 10.0/10 XX CD 2 – "The Original Demos" No. Title Length 14. "Bombtrack" 4:05 10.0/10 15. "Take the Power Back" 5:40 10.0/10 16. "Bullet in the Head" 5:09 10.0/10 17. "Darkness of Greed" 3:40 10.0/10 18. "Clear the Lane" 3:48 10.0/10 19. "Township Rebellion" 4:19 10.0/10 20. "Know Your Enemy" 4:19 10.0/10 21. "Mindset's a Threat" 3:56 10.0/10 22. "Killing in the Name" 6:28 10.0/10 23. "Auto Logic" 4:07 10.0/10 24. "The Narrows" 4:35 10.0/10 25. "Freedom" 5:40 10.0/10 US 2012 Box Set (15 Bonus) Release 249.0/250 = 9.96 / 2 = 4.98
I fucking love it lmao 5/5 or 4/5
RATM. 5 absoluto.
24th January 2022 Listened while oiling the kitchen surfaces. Chilled in the evening with victor and watched the lighthouse before finishing leave the world behind. Who knew blending hip hop and hardcore rock would work so well?
Own it. Listened to it a lot. Set the tone for the next decade in a lot of ways. For better or worse the 2000s rock/rap thing won't have happened with out this record.
Powerful political album with very strong hooks and amazing guitar work. Strong from start to finish.
Damn Paul Ryan has some good taste in music.
Very good
Loved this album. Definitely their best work. 9/10. The extended 25th Anniversary edition is also excellent.
True 5
One of my favorite albums of all time.
What an amazing work. If feels less like music and more like art based critical theory, even though the music is incredible. I don't know if I ever realized how much of a protest album this is. I can almost see the line from "A Change Is Gonna Come" to this. It feels so timely that happened in the US the last few year and is a bit disheartening to think that things haven't changed much.
What an album. Evil Empire was a bigger deal for me personally. But this can’t be anything but 5 stars based on how it impacted me and how it still holds up.
Pure energy in an album
Bombtrack after bombtrack. It's just banger after banger. This album just brings the energy way up with the first track and it stays there until the end.
This album makes me wanna karate chop the sun in half while punching a cop in the dick.
A fist to your fucking face.
Top album!
One of my favourite bands/albums as a teenager. This isn’t a album I come back to these days. Really enjoyed listening back, still sounds a brilliant album. Contemplated not giving full marks because it’s not an album I come back to, (Maybe because I prefer less aggressive music now I’m in my 30s), but to not disappoint a 14 year old me it gets the full 5.
When it’s time to rage there is no more aptly named band or album
Thanks to RATM I've been saying ACAB since I was like 12 years old
This album is very special to me. It saved me from becoming an alt-right biggot and made me realize that the politics that my family has forced onto me is nothing but lies. We need this music more than ever right now
Pure energy. What an album.
I don't know if it was the mood I was in, but this album was absolutely amazing. The attitude, the guitars, the drums, the lyrics. All of it just really spoke to me. Yes x5000.
Discazo. Me enrabia y me emociona de igual forma, jaja. 10/10
Rock doesn't get much better than this.
The album goes hard AF! Obviously very political but was excellent throughout. 9/10.
Fucking legends
Love this album. Has always been near my CD player for the last 25+ years
An absolute classic. Rage on my friends, rage on.
🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘