Reviews (page 9 of 15)
Geiles Album, banger after banger
swinging, driving, and furious
Knallsterk, spesielt de tre første!
Nice
Angry but awesome
very interesting style, pretty unique
Fantastic rock album. I don't love the screaming instead of singing, but I liked everything else. Great to listen to when I'm having a frustrating day.
Rage Against The Machine is a debut that still hits like a hammer. From the opening of “Bombtrack,” the band set out their mission with explosive energy, blending metal riffs, funk grooves, and politically charged fury into something completely their own. “Killing in the Name” remains one of the most confrontational songs to ever break into the mainstream, its mix of repetition and raw anger still capable of shaking walls decades later. Tom Morello’s guitar work is full of inventive sounds that feel like turntables one moment and sirens the next, while Zack de la Rocha’s delivery is sharp and unrelenting. What makes the album so gripping is its consistency. Every track feels locked in, from the propulsive “Take the Power Back” to the simmering tension of “Know Your Enemy.” The rhythm section holds everything together with precision and swagger, giving the album both weight and movement. There’s no filler here, just a band absolutely clear on their sound and message from the start. Even after years of imitators, Rage Against The Machine still sounds fresh and dangerous. It’s a record that channels fury into something laser-focused, and while its politics are upfront and confrontational, the music itself is so tight and innovative that it demands attention regardless. Few debuts arrive this fully formed, and it remains a landmark in rock and rap crossover.
Absolute classic
This is an awesome album, maybe held back just a tad by some repetitive lyrics. But everything is full adrenaline and testosterone.
Gritty album that still resonates today over 30 years since its release.
Is good, I have no idea how the average is so high though
I liked the way they raged against the machine
Great all the way through
Imagine being surprised that RATM is political. The people who don't get it are probably the people that need to hear it the most. Anyway. Politically, RATM is right on. I'm glad this music exists, that it is unapologetic in its messaging, and that it is something young men will be drawn to. Now more than ever RATM's messaging is relevant and needed. All that said, this is not for me. I'm not the target audience. I don't really like Zack's vocals and it's a bit repetitive. I'm going with a 4 because it's important; docking a star because of the repetitive nature of it all.
An album I haven't listened to in 25 years! Still mostly good, tracks might be slightly too long. 3.5 rounded up Heard before? Yes - used to have Owned: No 14/1001, 14/56 (25%) Will I get? No
First time for a full listen of this record - wow. Stellar debut album. Particularly Morello’s playing is just top shelf.
Listened in the truck via YouTube music. It’s been a while since I’ve listened all the way through. There were several surprise tracks that stood out and also that the music was not nearly as “heavy” as I once thought it to be. The guitar work from Morello was much more nuanced than I’d remembered and the bass was funky if not verging on the Nu-metal sound.
Now we’re dundalkin
Pure class, I wanted to crash the car and shoot a fascist (RIP CK)
Fuck yes, so good, enormous amount of clinkers on this. Fills my body with the fury of a million suns.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this album. The gritty, heavy tones & lyrics work perfectly together, and I quite like this slower, funk influenced genre of metal.
Started to blend.
Brilliant album to listen to if you want to get really pumped up, lots of angry energy mixed with some catchy riffs
This is a good one.
great
Schon geil. Vor allem für den Rage
It’s all one song, but that song is really good.
Since always
Not exactly my thing, but lots of admiration for this politically fearless, smart, head-on album.
I’ve never been a fan of Rage Against the Machine, but I promised myself I’d give their self-titled debut a fair shot. To my surprise, I enjoyed this album far more than I expected. It’s not just mindless head-banging — it’s a sharp mix of genres with real purpose behind the noise. The record is full of raw power, anguish, and unfiltered anger, driven by anarchic lyrics that still feel relevant to America today, more than 30 years on. I have to admit, I probably liked this album more than I’d ever admit publicly. Consider my opening statement withdrawn. Favourite track: Killing in the Name is iconic for a reason, and Take the Power Back really hit me. I also loved the Zeppelin-esque guitar intro to Wake Up. Least favourite track: Honestly, I enjoyed every track. Album artwork: Simple, bold, and instantly recognisable.
de mi top ten de albums favoritos del mundo mundial
Only criticism is that the record was mixed/produced too “clean”… really needed to be recorded live to get the full force of sound.
OK påminner mig om Red hot chilli pepper
Just a fantastic debut even if they did kind of join the machine they were raging against
Track 1: Bombtrack - references to political struggle of Peruvian revolutionaries against US backed government in music video. 'I warm my hands upon the flames of the flag'. Track2: Killing in the name - protests police brutality and systemic oppression. Written six months following the Rodney King beating in 1991 which resulted in LA riots. Lyrics reference the system being complicit in the upholding of white supremacy in the US ('some of those that work forces are the same that burn crosses'). Track 3: Take the power back - serves as a message to reclaim power from the government and return it to the people. Power comes from self-education, not what is being taught in education system 'in the right light, study becomes insight, but the system that dissed us, teaches us to read and write'. Track 4: Settle for nothing - written in the point of view of a frustrated youth in poverty 'a jail cell is freedom from the pain in my home'. Track 5: Bullet in the head - refers to band's belief the government uses media to control the population, drawing comparisons between typical residences and Alcatraz. Lyrics draw comparisons that symbols in support of the US military to that of the nazis 'a yellow ribbon instead of a swastika'. comments that news cycles and images people are being shown are used as weapons to control peoples perceptions and maintain control of them. Track 6: Know your enemy - contains anti-war and anti-authoritarian lyrics, contrasting notions of the American dream against the reality. Uses literary references (A room with a view, which discusses repression of women in England). Speaks of police brutality. 'The finger to the land of the chains. What? The 'land of the free'? Whoever told you that is your enemy'. 'I've got no patience now, so sick of complacence'. Lyrics reference that the oppression of thought begins in the classroom, the government aims to indoctrinate people into the 'American dream' by educating them against their own will to believe differently. Track 7: Wake up - critique of racism within the US government, FBI memo is sampled in the song (J. Edgar Hoover suggests a need to suppress black national movement) and references Hoover in the lyrics. Closing lines reference Martin Luther King Jr. speech. Reference to 1966 and the founding of the Black Panthers. 'fist in the air in the land of hypocrisy'. Lyrics liken words being as powerful as fighting and liken to an Ali fight. Track 8: Fistful of steel - about how being silent and complicit is bad ('silence can be violent'), references to Orwell's animal farm, sheeps and conformity. Track 9: Township rebellion - speaks to global white supremacy, references apartheid in South Africa ('Townships' were the designated areas non-white people were forced to live in) and compares it to police brutality against minority populations in South Central. Track 10: Freedom - references native American activist Leonard Peltier who was condemned to two life sentences for the deaths of two FBI agents (questions have been raised since his trial about prosecution's misconduct and fabricated evidence and falsified testimonies). Lyrics reference the genocide of native American people and consequent tactics to assimilate native people into the culture of European settlers. Album was released same day as the 1992 presidential election. Favourite Track: Wake up, Know your enemy Album cover: 1963 photo of a monk burning himself to death protesting the persecution of Buddhists by the South Vietnamese government
One of a kind sound and lyrics. Always good for head bobbing. Niceness out of the way, it's a shame that Morello is a known communist and they, in fact, endorse to "do what they tell ya." The last bastion of anti-authority (main stream) has fallen (hard). 4.25*
Yep, that's how I feel all the time.
Definitely an album that is of its time. The style isn't really my thing but the playing and production are top notch. Great guitar/bass interplay and a locked in drum beat are hard to resist. The themes they're singing about are still way too relevant today. The level of cognitive dissonance of right wingers listening to this and interpreting it as a paean to corporate bootlicking is off the charts. This band had something righteous to say and those tools took that message 180° in the opposite direction.
Always a good listen. Pivotal and energetic to STAND UP as the little guy to speak truth to power!
Amazing album with good lyrics and heavy guitars 8/10
I enjoyed this. I liked it when i was young hanging out at the Y
Take the power back good good
The guy from Guitar Hero III has a band?
Love the album, some unforgettable tracks. Then there are tracks that kind of blend with others and can't keep them apart, but I'd still return and listen to the entire thing on repeat for the energy alone
A record I did not like when i was 15 and very like now.
Really good. Not on my high rotation but i enjoyed it. 4/5
KILLING IN THE NAME OF!!!!!!! Favourite Songs: Killing In the Name, Take the Power Back, Know Your Enemy, Wake Up. Least Favourite Songs: Fistful of Steel, Township Rebellion.
This album rocks. It's anger distilled into musical form. But over time the tracks start to blend together. So while it's still a great album, I can't elevate it to a favorite. 4/5
I liked it. It reminded me of some Brazilian rock bands from my adolescence, which were probably inspired by this band. 4
It’s not an 8AM album, or maybe it is, I don’t know. It’s great but I associate it with people I don’t associate with anymore and so it’s hard to be objective about it.
Absolute banger of an album. Hits hard and fast continuously. While I think that a handful of the songs (Fist of steel, Township rebellion, settle for nothing) are just ok when compared to the whole piece, the album as a whole keeps up its anger a power harder than I thought it could.
Awesome
A refreshing blast of energy and a good, tight sound.
antidisestablishmentarianism
Powerful and still relevant.
One of the best debut albums of all time. Often imitated, never duplicated. Truly a game changer that inspired so many (good and bad) bands
9/10
You can feel the angst from the moment you hit play. Every song feels like an indictment on injustice around the world. Tense from the word go.
A great time all around. Power walking into the office really hit with this as the soundtrack. A few songs weren’t as successful as others but overall really enjoyed it.
✊🏼
Besides the powerful inclination to punch a stranger, that went really well. (Was playing Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails and paused it halfway through to Rage. Straight back to Downward Spiral now and I am all kinds of fucked up.)
Some of these tracks are pretty awesome. I need to listen to the full album.
I love how this band lives up to its name so completely. Musically not five stars for me, but I admire their passion and their message.
Though I’m not the biggest fan of Zac and his lyrics I can’t deny this is a fantastic album. Musically brilliant and a very worthy entry to the 1001
Great rebellion soundtrack. Bass guitar forward
quite intense, nothing to listen to every day, but I get it.
Beasty Boys on metal steroids. Reminds me of Linkin Park. Interesting energy infused riffs and flow. At the end of the day, not completely my jam, but definitely up there.
If you've heard Rage Against The Machine, well... You've heard 'em. To their credit, RATM is explosive as a unit. Zach De La Rocha's dedication to the lyricism is apparent in his intense vocal delivery. Tom Morell, Tim Commorford, Brad Wilk hold things down between heavy riffing and grooves for De La Rocha to scream or rap over. This is easily Rage's most raw album, and you have to appreciate how rough around the edges they are. Although the need for rap/rock isn't as dire now as is may have been in the 90's, RATM built on the blueprint laid by Public Enemy to make arguably one of the more successful attempts at rap-rock. There's a cool Maynard James Keenan feature I had forgotten about!
There is always a place to rage against the machine in my heart
Perhaps a little too stale, but the messages make up for it. It's scary how timeless they are... Pure explosive rage is an appropriate reaction, truly.
Favorites: Killing In the Name, Bullet In the Head, Know Your Enemy, Wake Up, Fisftul of Steel
I love this record, but it is too irregular in energy. Too quickly they shift from raging metal to funky bass, too often.
Hasn’t really been my jam before. But for some reason it hits differently after November 5, 2024 can’t imagine why….
This is a very good album, albeit not one that I go back to a lot. I'm not the biggest Rage guy, despite Newman's assertions I should join their commune. Despite all this, this album rocks and is worthy of four stars. Whereas other conformists would want me to give this five stars... FUCK YOU I WON'T DO WHAT YOU TELL ME FUCK YOU I WON'T DO WHAT YOU TELL ME FUCK YOU I WON'T DO WHAT YOU TELL ME FUCK YOU I WON'T DO WHAT YOU TELL ME Top Tracks: "Killing In the Name," "Wake Up," "Bullet In the Head"
Prime listening hours for that good shit. Rage rules, and the early stuff has an edge that cooks so hard some 30 years later. ZDLR might be one of the best screamer-singers there is. Even the politics still matters in the year of our lord 2025. Fascist Pig Cops do burn crosses! Etc. god, this fucking rocks so hard. Even just on vibes, it sounds incredible. Even if you just wanna be like, okay, ZDLR, we get it with the politics, it's still amazing music.
Incredible bass and instrumentals. Lyrics very topical for nowadays. Goes incredibly hard. Favourite Song: Take The Power Back Honourable Mention: Bomb Track PS: The name of the band and the album cover goes so hard.
There anger and sound is intoxicating. I’d fight the system to this.
🔥🔥🔥🔥
4 The moment where the Day-Glo color sheen of the Eighties becomes stark Nineties grainy black and white. Boiled down to its simplest attack, Rage is not blunt but wields their rage like a sword - ready to slice you open and then explain why you should have seen it coming.
Just really liked it. Great lyrics, unique sound, really just felt like I let Rage down listening to this at my desk in a corporate office job.
When I was a kid, Evil Empire was my first Rage album and I loved it. I think because of that, I never spent a lot of time with the S/T album. The singles, of course, but not the rest. Really enjoyed it. Probably 2nd best for me after Evil Empire. 4.33/5
As someone who had only in recent memory listened to Killing In the Name, this is, infact, definitely an albumful of Rage Against The Machine music. If you're familiar with one of the songs and you like it then the rest of the album isn't going to throw you for a loop. That being said they're pretty sick and it's a good album to the end, they keep enough interest for the near-hour that the album lasts Unfortunately, due to the nature of this timeline, there is no specific day where rolling this album is particularly apt, it's more just whenever you get this, "yeah that checks out"
"Hey Tom, that guitar riff is awesome, can you play a solo as good on this track?" "No"
To co-opt a phrase that was used to sell dish detergent and blenders during the COVID-19 pandemic, we need this type of statement “now, more than ever.” At least I think. All the guys who listened to this album in high school are now terminally online transphobes with hypocritical browser histories, so I don’t know. I remember enjoying this as an angsty teen, and as a weird terminally online bleeding heart lefty, I wonder if the angry poems about the injustices levied upon the working class will resonate even harder today. To battle! Bombtrack - Pure funk metal. I mean this is such a familiar song, and whilst I don’t really care about any of the “this song is better than other songs” shit, but I love a good shot at landlords and every suit wearing sycophant draining the planet of life. Solid start. Killing in the Name - I probably talk too much about autocorrect and what it attempts to do during these meandering tirades, but this time it believed I just forgot to finish that common phrase “Killing in the Name of Jesus.” Do people say that? I know all religions are barbaric control devices responsible for more death over the eons than anything else ever, but still. Anyway. This song has again, been ruined by adult teenagers who are just grumpy about having to have showers, but this song has so much energy. Pure vitriol. Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses. Take the Power Back - More drive, more hatred. “Jump the fuck up” riffs done tastefully almost a decade before they’d encourage broken gypsum boards across the nation. Settle for Nothing - The lyrical repetition doesn’t work as well for me here, but this song almost has a Dystopia vibe. The band, not the concept. Add some broken glass and some increased hopelessness to the lyrics, you’re pretty damn close. Bullet in the Head - Probably the funkiest one going. Another comment on the news here and the propaganda machine in the US. The bass really leads this track. God that tone is incredible. Know Your Enemy - I remember this one being one of my favourites when I was 13 or so. The metal riff off the start is fantastic and the song moves with a swaggering aggression I still really enjoy. Undeniable. The shouted, repeated outro is still bone-chilling. Wake Up - Wake up, sheeple. I don’t love the funk sweeps (?). How do I say that? The funk guitar can be a little grating. Lyrics are strong here. Possibly the strongest lyrics but also perhaps the weakest song. Fistful of Steel - That guitar whine reminds me of some WWF theme song from later. More violent riffing, and a brief foray into Tom Morello guitar hero stuff. That main riff is just too good. Township Rebellion - More funk proto nu-metal. Solid riffing. You know what to expect at this point of the album. Freedom - The vocal breaks at the end of this are perfect. When you can hear a vocalist going beyond performance, it’s a special moment. One of my favourite spots on the entire record. These days, every moron with an internet connection (me) has some extreme political take. Half the discourse is about not thinking poor people should have water or houses or food; and the other half is about murdering the CEOs whose greed is ripping the planet in half. However, in 1992? I feel like this wasn’t trendy. This wasn’t a commonplace thing to hear, especially on the radio. America trained its citizens to be petrified and angry at any socialist thought, so to release this coherent and miserable blast aimed at the base of that military-industrial fire this early? It’s a true departure from the mainstream that somehow wove its way into it. Obviously, Rage Against the Machine didn’t invent the ideas held within their self-titled album, but to get these thoughts into the consciousness of your garden variety teenager in the early 90’s was a massive accomplishment. To do it with such an uncompromising vitriol? That is a triumph. A little bit of sameness keeps this from perfection, but this group cashes every cheque that their name writes and donates it to the various guerrilla forces forming outside of Fortune 500 company HQs. See? Sometimes I write serious things. Better save it. Uhhh Excuse me Mr. monk, you’re blocking traffic. There’s this sale at Lee Valley and if I don’t have my miniature trainyard done by Christmas, I can kiss my “Prince of Rails” blue ribbon certification goodbye. Oh great, now he’s self-immolating in protest. I better call Jim over at Lee Valley. I might be here awhile. 4 HIGHLIGHTS: Bombtrack, Killing in the Name Of, Know Your Enemy, Fistful of Steel
used to listen to this album in one earbud underneath my turtle beach headset while I played call of duty, and I would only pause it if I was last alive in search and destroy or something intense like that. It was fun to relisten as a way less angry and older person, especially while on a walk in beautiful weather 😍😩 who else is up raging against they machine
There were no pictures of the band on the band. They were a mystery. They played hard. It was very influential for a teen in the 90’s. Every single one of us has sung along to, “Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me” Too bad most of us didn’t take that to heart.
Great album
All ratings/reviews are really just a 'point in time' opinion. This album is a 5 on artistic merit and innovation alone, but as of today, I'm going with a 4 (really, 4.5). Whether that is from over-listening or just all of the nu-metal that came from the popularity of this, it just doesn't seem quite as revolutionary as it was. But it does want me to get my 311 CDs back out, haha! RATM still rocks hard, and 4.5 is still classic status. Tomorrow, it might be a 5.
Pretty solid album. The screams remind me of the tie fighter sound in star wars. I didn't realize how much I had heard this album when I was younger.
While I enjoyed this, it has very angsty lyrics and singing which I think high school me would have appreciated this more than adult me. I especially enjoyed the instrumental and the rhythmic rapping. Found myself tapping my foot or bobbing my head along quite often. Note quite a 5 for me, but close.
Great album!
Great album, so much…rage
Excellent Album
so true
BEST SONGS: - Take the Power Back - Fistful of Steel
classic
This Rocked.
It’s still pretty great at pumping you up
1. shite politics. but anyway, fuck MAGA. but anyway, shite politics. 2. good song. 4/5
It’s been awhile. Still fun.
Perfect for the times!
Enjoyably political. A little repetitive, but headbangy. Me likey
Ah I know this one very well indeed! This takes me back to my college days mostly.
Rage Against The Machine was System Of A Down before System Of A Down; '90s metal wrapped under a left-wing blanked. It's unironically hilarious that here in the United States Of America, Former Speaker Of The House Paul Ryan is a fan of the band. Favorite Track: "Killing In The Name"
Atrociously good funk rap, rock and roll. Legitimately one of the best albums ever. It’s so angry, so funky, so riffy, so heavy! An absolute delight.
Listen, the anger is justified (and it is, often, in the lyrics) But it is a whole fuckload of anger, no way to be healthy in that space Woke, Furious Chili Peppers, some grooves here Very cathartic, especially in 2025, felt like being at a protest A statement of an album that maybe could’ve been an EP? A few singles? and said just as much
Rage Against the Machine...a polarizing group for sure. I've come to appreciate them a bit more as I've gotten older. Sure, their blend of metal/funk/rock makes for an interesting listen. Growing up and actually comprehending what these guys were preaching, why they're raging against "the machine", the anger is not unfounded. Honestly, the guitar playing by Tom Morello is the main character here. Zack de la Rocha vocalizes his anger well, but Rage wouldn't be Rage without the melodic and amplified riffing from Morello's guitar. Very few can do what he does quite honestly. The bass and drums from Commerford and Wilk, respectively, complement the rest quite nicely too. Anyway, this is a banger of a debut album.
When I think of this album, I think of a sonic Molotov cocktail of punkSO passionate and defiant. It's a battle cry for social justice and a testament to the power of unapologetic resistance. Love it, but then again: not my PERSONAL musical favorite. Would give it 4.5 stars if I could
Ett av dom mest ikoniska metalbanden, deras sound är toppen!
Fetare än din mamma
8/10 not really my genre, but it’s well made and I agree with the politics so there’s that
I did enjoy raging against the machine
Very good
nice album, with some banger songs
Buenos recuerdos. Fue mi día a dia
Great beats, memorable lines, important lyrics - all around this album hits the mark. The biggest detractor is how repetitive some of the moments are. Repetition can be great to hammer in a point, but too much and it just dilutes the impact. 4.3/5 -> 4/5
Awesome debut album. I was a big RATM fan as a kid learning guitar. Morello's guitar style is super unique but accessible.
cool
3,9/5
I'm surprised at how much I'm actually enjoying this one. I would typically not think of this as my sort of music at all.
Very good! Bombtrack is a bomb!
I understand the appeal but I am not their target audience
i like it!!! first song reminds me of sabotage by beastie boys which is one of my favourite songs so thats sick! obviously killing in the name is a classic and have loved that one for a hot min. one issue with this album is that it was one of my ex's favourites so that does slightly ruin it just because transporting me to dark times. shame though because this is a very good album, slightly same-y though. favourite was probs wake up though!
Rage Against The Machine's first album delivers a potent political message, intricately woven with a fusion of pulsating funky bass, exceptional guitar riffs, and heavy metal influences. While I occasionally feel the album as somewhat repetitive, particularly in its rhythms and certain lyrics, this simplicity echoes the straightforward messaging often found in protests or marches, which perhaps explains the rationale behind this stylistic choice. Since the album's release, I have had two significant insights. Firstly, I have developed a profound appreciation for Tom Morello's innovative guitar techniques, which have continued to venture further into uncharted territories over the years. Secondly, it is unfortunate that many frat bros who partied to this album, particularly like those from my university days, failed to grasp the underlying message, as they are now major contributors to the world's problems rather than solutions. This album is undeniably impactful. Yet is disheartening to recognize that its message remains pertinent and necessary today, likely echoing the sentiments of those who were raised on the protest music of the 1960s.
all the songs sounded the same but hell yeah
Anger is an energy, etc.
buenisimo
Worthy addition to the list. Great if you're in a combative type of mood. Gets a little repetitive after a whole album though
Got to admit, I entered this full of bias, but by the end of the first track I was engaged. A number of tracks too heavy for me, yet overall, and in the context of its era this is a fine album.
I felt like raging against the machine today whilst I was wait in line to vote for a prime minister, of which I think all the candidates are flogs and a waste of space
Never heard Rage Against the Machine before and its really good. Heavy and hard rock. They got good vocals and music as well. Intense at times but I really like it. Sometimes these albums can get repetitive and sound the same.
Bangers straight through. Cohesive but each song is packed with interesting riffs to keep it entertaining. Didn’t realize they made all their music with the same consistent quality as their hits. Definitely a certain vibe that I don’t get to that frequently which is the main reason I’m only giving it 4.
Very good album but for me I have to be in high energy mood for it. Definitely sounds as advertised. ⚡️✊🏽💪
3.5
3.5
8.4/10 ★★★★
I can’t decide if rage against the machine is a vibe that I’m just not totally clicked with or too cringe for me to live through so I will be positive.
Great debut album.
The original! Lots of raging against the machine.
Too political for my liking
One of those awesome custom cars, every detail idiosyncratic, lights in surprising places, fetish lug nuts, stainless steel 'mufflers' that actually increase volume, BUT ALSO they don't know when to stop applying the wordy lefty bumper stickers.
I can't say I fell in love with the album, but I liked it. I always appreciate albums with personality, and this one had a LOT of angst. This is one of those albums that feels like if you rate it poorly, you're trying really hard to make a statement. Which is a good sign that this album is decent and at the very least culturally significant.
some of the songs go on too long in a meandering sort of way, losing energy by the end. only thing keeping it from a 5
the sound is just great, the lows on the album don't bring it down very much at all.
Makes me wanna #FreeLuigi a CEO and play some Devil May Cry
Much better than Coldplay.
8/10 Great guitar. Very angry
One of the first albums I bought when I really started getting into music at 13. Wake Up was my favourite then. This is really good, probably the peak of the genre.
Love. Just 🔥
Sounds like it was well produced. Clear instrument distinction. There is indeed a lot of rage.
Awesome. The kinda rap rock that makes you miss the days of rap rock.
great album, a little repetitive at times but great
Great album, doesn’t get more protesty than this, and it’s cool to see that rage hasn’t really ever gone against their social justice ethos. The music is great too, the singers voice is perfect for his message and Tom morello’s guitar riffs make it sonically appealing as well. 4.3/5. Fav song: Killing in the Name
Incredibly invigorating and so full of energy. Morello’s inventive guitar playing makes the album.
I forgot how much this album is also a really solid FUNK album in addition to all the other things it has going for it.
Anti war anti corporate politics appropriated by the band's teenage audience as adolescent rebellion. Fuck you (mom) I won't do what you tell me! But if rock-n-roll isn't for pubescent catharsis what is it for? When that was my demographic this was the gnarliest, hardest, dirtiest, fastest thing imaginable (ie in the radio) and I was first scared of it the loved it. In retrospect it's much cleaner (the guitar is distorted but very tightly), the riffs are slower and have more of a groove, and the extreme vocals are a much more focused rap-scream delivery than I remembered. Far from wild and flailing it's precisely controlled fury and it fucking rips hard. A comp with the best tracks off this and evil empire and 2 from their 3rd album would be the best hour of 90s metal hands down, but they all have some filler.
4.5
Enjoyed it
Another entry on the "this is an unreal debut album" list. The energy of Rage would be enough to get it on the list but the fact that they're actually good makes it a great listen. I remember buying this CD and ended up looking up the image from the album cover. Tom Morello is a sick guitarist. There's some creative use of funk. I could imagine being at a show of their would have had unreal energy.
Amazing musicianship. Conscious lyrics and interesting compositions. A well rounded album. Production value if higher would be interesting, but it's a debut album. A new standout track for me was know your enemy.
great instruments, great fast paced would like a little more variation
Sommige nummers zijn net teveel rap, maar overall wel goed
Listening to this on my drive into the office for our team's onsite made me feel like I was in the opening scene of Office Space. I can't help but think RATM would be super disappointed if they knew this album was the soundtrack to my morning commute to my corporate job. That said, I am PUMPED UP. This isn't really a nostalgia album or band for me. I grew liking Rage and having a ton of respect for Tom Morello, but was never super into them as a band, beyond knowing the hits. Favorites here were Killing in the Name and Take the Power Back. Some really cool and unexpected guitar solos across the whole thing. Only complaint is that the rap/rock thing feels like it runs its course after 30 minutes, but that's just a matter of taste.
And that machine? Tariffs
Woke nonsense, but actually they are right about most of the things. Even though I'm not a commie or an anarkist, it's true that the US has done a lot of really bad stuff in the past. But like also, the US government IMO is too stupid to do stuff like control the populace using the media, and all the other weird conspiracy shit.
Znam!!
dope
önceden dinlemiştim
Angry and excellent
I love it when funk gets angry
Would love to see what this was like in concert in the front row. Spit hurtling towards you, elbow shoves and the smell of sweat... lovely. Great album.
This is so timeless - loved it. Made me feel stuff.
One hell of an album, pure raw energy. This one is on the favorites list for quite some time, so I listen to it occasionally. The album just works, everything is working towards a common goal of expressing ones anger and rebellion towards authority. It's hard to pick something that stands out, everything is great. The guitar work of Tom Morello is phenomenal, the riffs are heavy, interesting and diverse. The rhythm section does a great job, there are nice drum fills and hi hat work. The bass is also great, with nice solo riffs here and there. The vocals and the lyrics are a single unit, they fit in perfectly. The themes can pretty much be summed up as "fuck the system". The album is loud and fast most of the time, but isn't afraid to get slow and quiet when needed, with powerful lyrics taking the front seat. The band has two more solid albums, but this one stands out as the special one, one of the best from it's era for sure.
Soooo pissed! I listened and thought this was a very good album for the late 90s. I double checked the release date...1992! This is doubly good given the year it was released. Wow
Serious rock
Detta komme vidare til oslo
The zenith for angry 15 year olds.
Time travel is possible it seems. This album transported me back to the mid-90s in a scary way. Working on code while headbanging is not something I expected to do this fine Friday afternoon. This album more than most reminds me of listening to music with headphones on. This is not social music for me. This was a guilty thrill like reading under bedcovers with a torch after lights out, or sneaking into the old man's closet to page through old porno mags from the 70s and 80s. Fun to visit but I wouldn't want to live there. I'd forgotten about the Maynard cameo and all the LedZep rips.
One of my favorite workout albums.
Like if the Chilis actually had something to say… actually enjoyed this quite a bit, maybe it just hit me on the right day
as someone who plays bass, i've been obsessed with the opening basslines on bombtrack and take the power back since like grade nine, and as someone who's been varying degrees of leftist my whole life, i'd been obsessed with this album since like grade seven. all around has aged better than i expected, and i find it impressive how effectively they balanced their intellectual and political ethos-crammed lyrics with really cool instrumentals and production; kind of the thinking man's beastie boys. all around though, the tracklist feels like it's retreading the same formula a lot of the time - but these are punctuated by these really cool, almost slint-esque experimental moments. my fav tracks would be settle for nothing, wake up, bombtrack and killing in the name of! probably about a 7-8/10 for me.
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me!
This is a fantastic album. An essential tool in the box for political advocates, the band synthesizes the frustration, anger, and critiques of punk, metal, & some strains of rap. Speaking of rap, the flow is unique — a staccato that is timed with the rhythm so the words actually hit you. The rhythms are propulsive and swaggering. While it’s political, this music puts you in your body. There are flaws. A few of the rhymes are lyrically strained. And this is not music I can listen to for too long, like I could have 30 years ago. But, it’s still essential and relevant — and it rocks!
Unique sound and stirring lyrics. The bass lines were my favorite
Man, this a really freaking good protest album. There aren't really any low points through the album. There are a few odd instruments being used, or instruments used in odd ways that doesn't really work well. But there's really one moment where it's particularly noticeable. It's an album with an incredibly high floor. Some of the time changes are also really freaking cool. All of this while being a "fuck you" protest album. Hell yeah, brother Favorite Song(s): Killing in the Name, Take the Power Back, Wake Up
This is fire, iconic metal, politically fueled, the vocals are really good and super clear which is sometimes a problem I have with with metal, one song had a slap bass which went unreasonably hard on metal, a 33 year old album that still stands really well musically and politically, definitely gonna add it to my list.
Everyone should love a bit of RATM. It may not be your musical style, but the content is fucking incredible and the message gets across undeniably.
God damn i expected this to be a decent album. But no this was extraordinary. To describe this album with two words: Tom Morelo. This man does everything in this album and gives some of the most consistent and amazing guitar performances I have ever heard on an album. About a 9/10.
This is an excellent album, although I must be getting old, if I’m admitting that I got tired of the yelling. Overall to me this is a pretty groundbreaking album that was socially conscious and introduced rap/rock/metal (at least to the mainstream public). Lyrically it’s great, although it is sad that the themes are still relevant nearly 25 years later. what a time to be alive.
Not my usual choice of genre but you can't deny the quality.
This is never going to be my favorite genre (is this Nu Metal? Do people still use that, or was that a fly-by-night NME name?), but this is as good as it's going to get. I appreciate that this isn't anger for the sake of anger like some other albums on the list, they're angry about very real and legitimate things. Definitely pumped me up on the way into work and warranted another listen on the way home, but the songs do get slightly formulaic by the end of the album.
Bald.
Very good. I listen to it when I exercise!
Really solid album with a ton of energy and a lot of great tracks. A very worthy listen.
ss
Unpopular opinion : RATM is one hit song wonder with Killing in the name of.
One of the best listens so far!
Solid album. Coupla good bangers in here, and the vibes are immaculate through the whole album
3.5
Oh, so heavy. Not fun. Serious and pointed. I saw these play once. Powerful and serious. Today's politics have not moved one iota from the points they have made then. It's a great bit of work. I don't like listening, but they have their place ... 4 stars, easy.
What a great way to start a week. Woke up feeling tired and drained, now I'm feeling like joining a protest and setting something on fire. What a fantastic album. People are always talking about how great Tom is, and don't get me wrong he's amazing. I'm not even sure how you make a guitar sound like he does, but he can definitely makes his sing. People seem to sleep on the bass though. It's funky, it's heavy, and the drums fit perfectly. You know it's a great album when the album ends and you listen to other songs by the band.
This album rocks, kicks, slaps, and raps. I can totally understand if someone has never heard of RATM, they probably wouldn't like them. They're aggressive, the rap flow is strange, the lyrics are very politically driven. But that's what I love about it. And, it's a fantastic album to workout to. The rhythm section is what carries the band, with Tom counting as part of that because he's incredible and his guitar definitely makes you groove and fits so well into the bass and drums. When bombtrack plays, and if you're not banging your head when the band comes in, I'm convinced you're not a fan of music. And what bass player hasn't listened to Take the Power Back and not immediately fall in love? This band rules, this album rules. It's not perfect, but I love it.
This is a strong debut record and a true introduction of what was to come for Rage, but there are also a lot of tracks that kind of get lost in the mix and don’t measure up to the material that came later. They definitely hit you with a punch right out of the gate with Bombtrack and Killing in the Name, but it sort of levels out a bit after that. Still you hear what makes each of them such talented individuals. This is truly a 3.5 star album in my eyes but I suppose I’ll round up
Klassiker
Heard this before. Became a fan.
Hard rockers, I wish people paid attention to what the lyrics were saying.
brabo em
Another I knew well. Love the heavy Tom Morello guitar and the venom spitting the lyrics a real call to arms. F you I won't do what you tell me.
A classic album I have heard many times with some really good and hard hitting songs. Loved it just as much today as 20 years ago.
8/10
Great hard hitting funk rock hooks and powerful lyrics. The album would have been better if they dropped a song to make the runtime shorter and written a 3 minute song also. Not every rage has to be 5 minutes long.
First half is banger after banger... second half is a little weaker
incredible record. so effective and so powerful. "Wake Up" what a track (it was on the Matrix soundtrack)
Damn, i forgot how hard these songs were. It was this or Wu-Tang Forever before every football game. Some of DeLa Rocha's lyrics do not hold up- not the politics, but just the phrasing. Still, we could use his anger today.
I'm glad I first heard this when I was young enough to be influenced by it, because boy oh boy was RAtM right about... everything.
So fucking amazing jesus
los rage against the machine
Classic. The Rage template never changed--Zack + Morello an incredible combo, backed with a fierce rhythm section. "Killing in the Name" is the biggest hit, but Bombtrack, Fistful of Steel and Freedom are all excellent. Their best album imo.
4 stars
Hectic. Epic. Immortal immolation
This shouldn't have been an album I enjoyed. I have disliked this sort of music as long as I can remember. But something about this particular work clicked for me. The contrast of (at times) beautiful instrumentation and the roughness of the, we could say, loud singing, is actually very cool. Maybe I was in a more angry mood than i thought i was in today, but this was quite the listen. Fuck the world, inter alia.
Banger! Start to finish a great album.
4.5. Always a great listen.
One of the greatest rock album ever. "Killing in the name of" is just a theme song for one generations, epic song. The other song are also great, Bombtrack, Take the power back, Bullet in the head are the most memorable songs.
I mean this is definitely a classic, and you can hear the influence on later 90s /00s rock. It's catchy, kind of groovy, but a bit too macho for my tastes I guess.
Yesterday I rated a very generic rock album 4/5 because it was such a refreshing surprise after many alt/post/psych/folk rock albums in a row. I would like to officially apologise for and rescind my high rating for such a generic album. RAtM has reminded me what my heart was truly yearning for all along: punchy, metal, fuck you rock anthems that make you want to smash your guitar against the wall and rage against the Man.
So fierce, so angsty, so good! Some truly great bass, the album’s values and messages still hold up to date really well.
My introductory album to RATM. My teacher taught me that rock is supposed to be about the rebellious spirit, a message. This is it.
They're a one-trick pony, but it's a good trick. Sounds like they mean it. Favorite song: township rebellion.
Some absolute classics I used to listen to all the time. Also a few I used to skip - most of this is doing the same thing, with a varying success rate.
The lyrics on here are constantly occupying the space between genuinely righteous/radical and completely corny. Thankfully the music absolutely rips
Not exactly good work music but still amazing.
I was in high school when this came out and it was a really big deal, super popular. It's an amazing album that I have heard many times and I always get pumped up listening to it. Hearing it back when I was young kind of gave me some hope for the future, sort of like regular people could make a difference. Very creative guitar work and excellent lyrics what's not to like?
The rap rock band. Political rock for those that are bent that far left, of which I am not, but still features serious grooves of a Black Sabbath magnitude mixed in equal parts with thrash punk. Enjoyable, even if by the time you reach the back half of the record, the songs begin to run together into a shade of rap rock beige. Quite bit of conspiracy theory idiocy. Has the classic bangers "Killing in the Name", "Freedom" , and Neo's own "Wake Up".
clean sound. not my genre nowadays but great teenage memories
8/10 Favorite Tracks: Bombtrack, Know Your Enemy, Wake Up Least Favorite Tracks: Bullet In Your Head
Great album to workout to
Classic. Man I haven’t listened to this since I was a teenager. Def helped form my musical taste.
I'd heard this one before but a refresh was definitely needed. Awesome bass work throughout the record and a fine piece of political lyricism. For sure one of the better rock products to come out of the 90s.
Pretty okay album, but very much one-note and repetitive. Instruments and vocals are pretty good.
One of the best albums. ever.
Still relevant after 30+ years.
I bought this when it came out on the strength of Killing In The Name Of, but didn’t really gel with it. Now, thirty-some years later I’m a much more cynical and disillusioned person, and this really hits hard. It’s pretty heavily front-end loaded, but it is still solid and enjoyable throughout.
While the message is still very prescient to this day, I feel like its impact is shown to be less as time goes on. Contorted and ignored, somehow misinterpreted. The band off to the side not interested in continuing the message just coming out every now and then to make money playing the same old songs again. And songs played so much in so many places they just don’t hit the same. It’s a great album overall though honestly.
3.5-4?
No one does angry hard rock better than Rage.
Paul Ryan. You're sadly amusing. It's Ok to like what you like, but just so you're aware, Zack de la Rocha stands diametrically opposed to everything you believe in and work toward. While we're at it, you know nothing of Ayn Rand either.
admittedly the only RATM album ive heard .. I do think ultimately the music is really exciting and entertaining and it is nice to see a band who I share politics with be successful... me and Tom are actually in the same union :) and its nice that he has sorta kept the socialist folk singer thing alive with his The Nightwatchman project... anyways the band really does kick a lot of ass and I gotta listen to the rest of their stuff ... and audioslave apparently
Listening to this the week of the 2025 Inauguration really hit at the right time. Love the comparison of De La Rocha to Chuck D and the praise for his lyricism and leadership, but they left out Tom Morello! So political, so focused, so revolutionary... this album blew open a different arena of music, and nobody that did rap rock after did it as well. Wild how something so raucous is just honesty and talent.
Jeugdig enthousiasme kan alles
Great pump up album… Base is A Game!
Rå, politisk ilska från fantastiska öppningslåten 'Bombtrack' ända in i mål. Oftast väldigt on the nose, men ibland mer subtilt (iaf ljudbildsmässigt), som i 'Settle for Nothing', som är mer tyst frustrerad tills den exploderar i refrängerna. Stilen är också så originell. Hör man de la Rochas arga rap tillsammans med Morellos wah-wah-iga dataspelsgitarr förstår man på millisekunden vad det är man lyssnar på. Älskar hela 'Wake Up', och speciellt introt (som är väldigt inspirerat av 'Kashmir' av Zeppelin), som får mig att känna att ett krig är på väg. 'Fistful of Steel' också fantastisk. Gitarren går verkligen igenom HELA registret. Ett härligt bevis på att det bara är vänstern som klarar av att göra kvalitativ protestmusik. Är i slutändan inte 100% min genre, men råheten, ilskan, passionen, och ställningstagandena gör albumet drabbande. Vill ut och ställa mig på barrikaderna. "Silence, something about silence makes me sick / Cause silence can be violent sorta like a slit wrist". Bästa låt: Går inte att bortse från Killing In the Name.
The most powerful, thougtht-provoking album for the era in which it was released
"Rage Against the Machine is like the ring in Lord of the Rings. It drives men mad. It drives journalists mad. It drives record-industry people mad. They want the thing, and they’re driven mad.” Tom Morello via Rolling Stone Magazine (2023) Highlights: Killing In The Name, Bullet In Your Head. In a nutshell: furious minds We need more left leaning anarchists like RATM in the world. Play Know Your Enemy to the spawn in your life. Teach them media bias, to question everything and call out bullshit when they see it. Once that's done, stand back and hope they will grow up to think for themselves. Korn, Pantera and Slipknot are known pioneers of nu metal, but it could be argued that Rage Against The Machine unintentionally contributed to what would eventually be the nu metal sound. Overall: 7/10
This an intense package full of really good music and terrible politics.
I only knew singles by this band. As I grew up and got older, I understood Rage Against the Machine much better. It is still shocking that this band became such a success with their overtly political lyrics being screamed at you over outrageous and often experimental instrumentation. But the band is so tight, and some of the songs are unbelievably fun to shout along with. Listening to this album for the first time today, it finally clicked in my brain that they are funk metal. This album doesn't have all of my favorite Rage songs (notably Sleep Now in the Fire and Guerrilla Radio were later) but it's hard to believe that they came out with Killing in the Name right out the gate. They sound so fresh and new but also like they've been playing together forever. It's no surprise that the three instrumentalists found further success after Rage with Audioslave. They have incredible chemistry. By the end of its 52 minute run time, I'm definitely tired of being screamed at, but overall, this is a solid album, and thirty years later it still stands out as unique. 3.5 stars
I don't always agree with RAM's politics, but the songs do make me think, and I respect that. I also respect the vocals, instrument performances, and songwriting; top notch. Some of the most memorable guitar riffs!
Its crazy how this album even fit to these times... But that's also with every album that critics politic racism and communist environments. But that beside its still a great album that I love to take in the gym with me!
HARD GAAN
Know Your Enemy and Wake Up are good - he has a distinctive voice, the band have a distinctive and recognisable sound - and yet, the album is never boring. Lots of changes in direction within songs, plenty of time for the instruments to breathe. It is a very, very good album. Aggressive, but directed at legitimate targets, and avoids a lot of the angsty rock nonsense. Nice job lads.
🔥🧘♂️🔥
Listened to this at work as well, so I didn’t get to record the standouts for this one. Good album. Exciting, lively, and angry. Good time.
Favorite Track: Wake Up
This bangs. I am so hyped on this one. It's not my usual stuff, but I do enjoy pulling it out every so often. My "don't tell me what to do" sentiment is higher after listening.
Its kinda like limp bizkit but more poltical
Bombtrack Killing in the Name Bullet in the Head
Such an easy 4 star. A banger from start to finish! Maynard on Know Your Enemy and great memories of the concert in 2022. Not much else to say other than an evergreen banger of a rock album.
Enjoyed this, bit samey but solid set of tracks. Average score on here is 4 so I’m going to have to be a conformer unfortunately 4/5
Love this album, bombtrack straight into KITNO riff is such a great transition. Interesting to have this post Metallica, enjoyed this much more
Thanks to this list for making me have to listen to this album again. Made me all pissed off about shit. I have no ability to change, and raised my fucking blood pressure beyond belief once again. I'm too old to start a revolution at this point of my life, as I was, at the time that this album came out, but at least it still feels good to get my heart pumping once again, just to know I'm alive.
The toughest thing was finding a time when 50+ year old me could find space to listen to this nasty bit of aggro brilliance at a sitting. I'd forgotten that it came out just as I was graduating. Remember going out to Arizona and seeing some kids wearing the t-shirts but I really didn't suss it then. This was pretty popular stuff in the 90's. If there's anything going on right now with this level of rebel energy, I don't know where it is.
"Ignorance has taken over. Yo, we gotta take the power back." Heavy guitar, heavy drums, funky bass, defiant lyrics. A little too strident for my taste, but the message is on point.
Never heard the entire album before. It's good!
Powerful! Interesting music and banger.
3.5, really angry
Yeah hard to argue with, pretty damn good album
Was dreading listening to it before I turned it on, but actually they’re quite good. Music is very good, I’m a fan, highest score so far for me 4/5
Nice
I really liked the politically charged lyrics and overall sensibility, but I wasn't completely in love with this album. It was angry in a way that I found cringey. The songwriting didn't feel great to me. That being said, the guitar work sounded very fresh. There are some sensibilities that felt lifted from avant-garde music, and the guitarist switches between ferocious and tender in a way that I thought was cool.
Hard to be in the mood for this at the moment but still quality and a perfect example of what it is.
Essential 90's rock/punk.
ANGER - THE ALBUM I hadn't listened this album in years. Killing In The Name Of was one of the songs I listened to most when I was a teenager. Time when I woke up in the morning, drank my coffee and went to fight the system (skip class)
A tremendous start to any album - 3 unbelievable tracks - unfortunately only a couple more lived up to this - what a great album though
Fuck you I won't do what you tell me! 🤘🏻 I first heard of Rage Against The Machine in 2009 - I saw a campaign on facebook to get Killing In The Name to #1 in the charts, and to block X Factor from getting the Christmas #1. Being the angsty teen that I was, I of course joined in and downloaded the song I'd never listened to any of their other songs, and I really enjoyed this album! I wish back then I'd have also downloaded the rest of this album because I've been missing out! A very high 4 ⭐️
This is an awesome album. It's the perfect storm of anger, rap and rock! It's a landmark album. Tom Morello is a fucking legend. It can't be on too high a rotation for me, as it just makes me feel angry! solid 4 stars
Real music keeping it real. Heavy and often profound lyrical content. Sometimes heavy metal and sometimes funk mixed with elements of rap and global awareness. Music humans will be talking about for years to come.
Cañero cañero
Listened to before. Highlights:
A metal album I could actually listen to!
That's hard dude 4/5
I’m hyped for this
Hell yeah.
gott stuff
Iconic protest record.
Good stuff, but again, not my style.
Bombtrack 4.2 Killing in the Name 4 Take the Power Back 3.8 Settle for Nothing 3.7 Bullet in the Head 3.9 Know Your Enemy 4 Wake Up 4 Fistful of Steel 3.7 Township Rebellion 3.5 Freedom 3.7 Score: 3.85
Rage Against the Machine is the debut studio album by Rage Against the Machine, originally released in 1992. Rage really came out swinging on this debut. This thing is full of heavy riffs and angry vocals. Say what you want about the lyrical content, it really makes you want to fight for something. Others have called it "frat political rock" or "cheesy" but I honestly like the lyrical content. I think it comes off as authentic enough. The vocal delivery makes it feel authentic to me. The vocals are just so powerful. The musicianship is great on here too. Tom Morello is a very interesting guitar player. The bass is heavy and in your face. Even funky at times. The drums are aggressive. Don't even get me started on that album cover. Very very powerful. How could you see a record in the store with that cover and not buy it.
Ekstremt groovy, passende vred. Eneste kritik er at sangene godt kan lyde lidt for ens
Some great tracks