N°93 RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE - BOMBTRACK

RATM is a band whp produced their best album as a debut. All that comes behind is good but not as good as the 1992 Rage Against The Machine album. I’ll just name three songs and you know I’m right: Killing In The Name, Bombtrack, Bullet In The Head. Don’t need to say anymore do I?

RATM has been active between 1991 and 2000 and from 2007 on. The break wasn’t because of internal fights but Zach De La Rocha; the lead singer; attempting a solo career which never really took off. The other bandmembers engaged themselves in a new band called Audioslave with former Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell. When Cornell ended Audioslave in 2007 Rage Against The Machine started with a reunion concert at Coachella festival before playing a first own concert later that year. The only strange thing is that Rage never recorded a new album since coming back together.

Four studio albums they recorded in the period between 1992 and 2000. Rage Against The Machine was the first in 1992 followed in ’96 by Evil Empire. The Battle of LA was created in 1999 with a grand finale the year after: Renegades. Rage also produced two live albums. One of them released in 2003 in the middle of their break up.

Their style should be described as rapcore combining hardrock with politically influenced rap lyrics and is known for the specific guitar sound of Tom Morello. The lyrics are faar inspired by othe bands such as Public Enemy. Morello found rapper De La Rocha at an open mic session and both agreed on their agression against the political system and decided to work together. Morello knew some guys from the band Inside Out and all together they formed RATM. Their rage against the machine or the system peeked in 1993 at the Lollapooza Festival where they performed totally naked with ducktape on their mouths. Thei bodies painted with the letters P.M.R.C. This was fort heir protest against censorship in music

The first little break up was in 1994 when they split up for four months not being able to write a single song fort heir second album. But in 1996 the magic happened once more when they were on location in Los Angeles. Evil Empire was born and rocketed to the number 1 chart position. They kicking against many shins on different occasions. It’s 1998 when they record a song for the Godzilla movie and at the same time they produced a third album and started touring again. Problems with managers and little disagreements in the bend led to the split a week before the release of the last album.

After the reunion they commenced touring again around the biggest festivals around the globe. Rock Am Ring, Pukkelpop, Electric Festival, in Japan and Australia, Pinkpop, Reading and Leeds Festival. You name them, they were there. In 2009 right before Christmas in the Uk an internet campaign was held to try and get Killing In The Name at the Christmas Number One song in this yearly chart instead of another X-factor pussy. As a big thank you for achieving this RATM gave a free festival in London Finsbury Park.

During their career Rage Agaisnt The Machine picked up no less than six Grammys and three MTV Music Awards. 

I’ve chosen bombtrack since a shelter is needed when the bombs are falling. Have fun listening.