Rap-Metal as a genre has pretty much become a cliché now. But when Rage Against The Machine first started out in the early 1990s the genre was still new, with only the Beastie Boys being notable in combining the two styles. Then along came a little group from Los Angeles. This group of course was Rage Against The Machine. They released their debut album in 1992, just as Grunge was taking over the airwaves. In contrast to how introverted many of the acts the day were, Rage were very politically active. All of lead singer Zach De La Rocha’s lyrics were furious attacks on the US government and a superb rhythm section led by guitarist Tom Morello supported them. Morello is a very innovative musician and has come to be regarded as the most talented guitarist to emerge from the 90s rock scene. What Morello does is utilize his guitar for creating innovative sounds that sound as if a DJs turntable or a synthesizer created them. But it was all just Tom and his guitar. In addition there is the superb drumming of Brad Wilk and the bass lines of Tim Commerford.
Rage released their self-titled debut album in 1992. It was a massive success. They followed it up with Evil Empire in 1996, which spun off numerous hit singles and made the band stars on MTV and rock radio. Then after a nearly three-year break, Rage returned in 1999 with The Battle Of Los Angeles. After that long wait, many fans were not sure whether or not Rage would be able to deliver a good album. I promptly purchased it and discovered that the answer was yes.
Not only did Rage make a great album, they made the best, most consistent one of their career.
The album starts with the single ’’Testify’’. The song begins with a loud roar of pure musical fury, and then the whole band kicks in. The song is about government-imposed censorship; about the information people get from the news media. The lyrics make reference to that fact that the government tried to cover up the genocide committed by the Iraqis against their own people during the Gulf War and how many innocent civilians were actually killed. The band filmed an excellent video for the song that satirized the pathetic 2000 Presidential Election and offered commentary on how many Americans (myself included) felt about the two frontrunners (that they were both pathetic choices). A great way to begin
The next song is ’’Guerrilla Radio’’ which was the first single off the album. The song begins with some heavy riffing by Morello, coupled with a few drum blasts by Wilk and then the rest of the rhythm section starts. The lyrics go ’’No shelter if you’re looking for shade/I lick shots at the brutal charade/As the polls close like a casket...Who stuff the banks/Who staff the party ranks/More for Gore or the son of a drug lord/None of the above/F it cut the cord/Lights out guerilla radio’’.
’’Sleep Now In The Fire’’ is a blistering blast of pure fury. The song begins with a wailing riff, and then De La Rocha lets out a roar. The lyrics attack politicians who care only about self-advancement and harm civilians in the process. The song starts with the lyrics ’’The world is my expense/The scope of my desire/Jesus blessed me with its future/And I protect it with fire/So raise your fist and march around/Just don’t take what you need’’.
’’Born Of A Broken Man’’ is a song about migrant workers. The song begins with Morello playing a riff that sounds positively wrenching. The riff is played sort of like a funeral march. Then the rest of the rhythm section starts and the song is revealed as a heavy rocker. Here De La Rocha whispers on the verses and shouts on the chorus. The second verse is emotionally affecting ’’Trapped in a lampshade/Somewhere within/Their wings banging and burning through endless nights/Forever awake he lies shaking and starving/Waiting for someone to turn out the lights’’.
’’Born As Ghosts’’ is a straightforward rock song. This one recalls an older Rage song called ’’Darkness’’. The lyrics are about pollution and poverty. ’’Home is a wasteland/Taste the razor wire’’.
’’Maria’’ starts with a sharp burst of feedback that continues in the background throughout the song. The lyrics are about a migrant girl who falls into human slavery ’’The foreman approaches/His presence it terrifies/And echoes in her brain/No moments to rest/No minutes to pray’’.
’’Voice Of The Voiceless’’ is a sort of Rage manifesto. The lyrics allude to segregation and the violence directed by the bigots in the American South toward black people. One lyric that I especially like is ’’This little brother’s watching you too’’.
Other great songs on here include ’’Calm Like A Bomb’’, ’’New Millennium Homes’’. ’’War Within A Breath’’ and ’’Ashes In The Fall’’.
With this album, Rage Against The Machine succeeded in taking their fury at the state of the nation and translating it into superb music. The Battle Of Los Angeles gets my vote-tied with Nine Inch Nails ’’The Fragile’’-as best rock album of 1999.
Note: If you like The Battle Of Los Angeles, be sure to check out both Evil Empire (1996) and Rage Against The Machine (1992).