| Rage Against the Machine - The Battle of Los Angeles |
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| Music Disc Reviews Audio CD | ||||||||||||||||||
| Written by Jerry Del Colliano | ||||||||||||||||||
| Tuesday, 02 November 1999 | ||||||||||||||||||
You know that The Battle of Los Angeles is a good record when, in its first week in stores, it out-sells Mariah Carry’s brand-new album. Rage Against The Machine is now one of the single most outspoken rock-rap-fusion acts on the airwaves. Their scorching, riff-based songs are interlaced with left-wing political messages, screamed by lead singer Zach De La Rocha. Rage’s sound is on the edge and, unlike many bands of the 1990s, absolutely unmistakable. The Battle of Los Angeles is clearly Rage’s best work to date. The band shows they still know how to rock the paint off the ceiling, but also exhibit a funky side with songs like "Calm Like Bomb." "Guerrilla Radio" is the first single, an up-tempo rocker that features a Theme-From-Shaft-on-Fire guitar rhythm with a catchy hook, which makes this cut the best of the record. Rage Against The Machine is far from scared to take on the most racy topics – and I am not talking about 23 positions in a one-night stand. "Voice of the Voiceless" is in support of Mumia Abu-Jamal, a black man accused of (and who confessed to) killing a Philadelphia police officer. Other bands like The Beastie Boys and Bad Religion have joined Rage in support of Mumia Abu-Jamal in benefit concerts. On the Mumia Abu-Jamal issue, I don’t think I support them. However, Rage provides a section in their liner notes dedicated to social action, which includes contact information for a number of charities including Amnesty International, the Hollywood Sunset Free Clinic and Women Alive. You may or may not agree with Rage’s politics, but you have to agree that they rock. The Battle of Los Angeles is the best record of their career, with their most well-thought-out songs to date and shrewdly developed production values. The Battle of Los Angeles is a dirty-sounding record, which is perfect for its subject matter. It is great for crank-the-volume-to-the-point-of-pain listening sessions, but it is not the test of all tests for the accuracy of your music playback system. Like this article? Bookmark and share with any of the sites below.        |
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