Evil Empire - Rage Against The Machine

Advantages: The guitars and drums sound amazing
Disadvantages: The vocals in places

...piece of it” So there we have it that was Evil Empire by RATM, probably not to many people’s tastes but if you like Audioslave and have never listened to Rage then it’s pretty much a similar style. The album is available from amazon.co.uk for a very reasonable £6.66. ... Read review

Advantages: FUNK FUNK me DO, FUNK ROCK FUNK YEAH, YEAH YEAH FUNK
Disadvantages: Weak links

This is often considered a bad album alongside the other Rage Against The Machine albums. But then if you're brothers were Brad Pitt and David Beckham you'd have a lot to live up to. Okay it may not be quite as outstanding as the other RATM material but it's outstanding none-the-less. The liner notes specifically mention "all sounds [are] made by Guitar, Bass, Drums and Vocals." Which is pretty impressive especially these days when nobody frowns ...
...People Of The Sun Right near the start of this song Zack screeches to turn up the bass, and that is fantastic advice. He raps away, though it's probably best to read the lyrics in the liner notes because just when you think you understand him you realise you've totally misheard something. It's the sheer power you see. This song is a brute. Excellent if a little short. Padders Concise Score: 8/10 2- Bulls On Parade This is a classic RATM song, and ... Read review

Advantages: Poltically motivated lyrics, innovative music, great songs
Disadvantages: some say too similar to other rage albums (I disagree), not for the faint of heart

...the Soviet Union as the Evil Empire. We've kind of come to understand that you can pretty much flip that on its head to see that the US has been responsible for many of the atrocities in the late 20th century." PEOPLE OF THE SUN: Nominated for a grammy for best hard rock performance in 1998. The song is primarily about the plight of the Mexican people. "Since 1516, minds attacked and overseen" when the Spaniards invaded and destroyed much of the ...
...the 'Marlboro Man', and ethnic cleansing in Los Angeles (referring to laws subtely aimed at oppressing the Latin Americans there). NOte that RATM's singer is of Latin American heritage, and lived in Los Angeles. He is also rumoured at one point to have helped on the front line with the Zapatistas! Musically this is a powerful, catchy song in my opinion. A typical funky, heavy rage song. BULLS ON PARADE: This is about the Zapatista movement in ... Read review

Advantages: Politicised and powerful; what more do you want?
Disadvantages: A little samey in places.

Main Review ------------------ Rage are well known for their left-wing political tendencies. And boy do they show it here. Zack De La Rocha's spitting and angry lyrics hit you full in the face, Tom Morello's stunning guitar riffs burst into the brain, Tim Commerford's thumping raw basslines pulsate throughout the very heart of the album and give it it's anger and deep edge, and Brad Wilk's poetically violent drumming smash through your senses like ...
...album, you'll not feel the same again. It contains so much raw anger and disgust that you feel that the album actually despises you for spending money on it. A truly amazing piece of work. Track Listing ------------------ 1. People Of The Sun 2. Bulls On Parade 3. Vietnow 4. Revolver 5. Snakecharmer 6. Tire Me 7. Down Rodeo 8. Without A Face 9. Wind Below 10. Roll Right 11. Year Of Tha Boomerang Track Reviews -------------------- ... Read review

Advantages: Contains 10 out of 12 songs that are undoubtedly brilliant.
Disadvantages: Contains two songs that aren't quite upto scratch.

Before submitting this review, I read a couple of other's opinions, and to be honest, I don't think they actually listened to the album more than once. I'm going to pick on them too much, as I have a review to write, but one said that all the songs sound the same! They don't. And I'll prove it to you... The first great thing about this album is that the first three songs are some of the best Rage have written. 'People of the Sun' is a direct attack ...
...express Zack's (the lead singer's) radical left-wing opinions and encouragement of the Zapatistas. 'Bulls on Parade' is still a slight mystery to me, I know it is about the build up to war, but I don't get some of the lyrics. However, the song starts and finishes with a great riff, and Tom Morello (guitarist) shows us how "wah" pedals should be used; and tops of his performance with a great solo. 'Vietnow' expresses simialr opinions on war, yet in ... Read review

Advantages: Contains all the best songs, it is cheap considering
Disadvantages: It will make you want to fork out a lot of money for festival tickets

...Track Listing Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against The Machine 1. Bombtrack 2. Killing In The Name 3. Take The Power Back 4. Settle For Nothing 5. Bullet In The Head 6. Know Your Enemy 7. Wake Up 8. Fistful Of Steel 9. Township Rebellion 10. Freedom Rage Against The Machine - Evil Empire 1. People Of The Sun 2. Bulls On Parade 3. Vietnow 4. Revolver 5. Snake Charmer 6. Tire Me 7. Rollin' Down Rodeo 8. Wind Below 9. Without A Face 10. Roll Right 11. Year Of Tha Boomerang These two albums are, without a doubt, my favourite Rage Against The Machine albums. They are loud, explicit, violent and they just make you want to throw your head around. I generally think lyrics are a very important piece of a song, but with Rage Against The Machine, it matters less. Most, if not all, of their songs are about US... Read review

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Advantages: Heavier than their other albums, if you like that sort of thing
Disadvantages: Heavier than their other albums, if you don't like that sort of thing

...1996 saw the long awaited release of Rage Against the Machine's second album 'Evil Empire', a much darker and heavier album than their self titled debut. In league with their political stand point the title is in reference to the name given to the former Soviet Union by Ronald Regan and other conservatives. Although the album was produced 12 years ago it is interesting to note the same political concerns are still prevelant. Featuring less innovation and more melody from the guitar and more production on the vocals. The line up remained the same with legendary guitarist Tom Morello, vocals by Zach de la Rocha, drummer Brad Wilk and Tim Commerford on bass. The album was produced by the band themselves. 'People of the Sun' 'The new era of terror check this photolens, tha City of Angels does tha ethnic clense' Dealing... Read review

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Advantages: It Rage
Disadvantages: they split up

...Evil Empire is one of the best ablums available. it contians a great mix of songs and often the songs themselves are varied and changing from verse to chorus. whilst rage against the machine are no longer around they are still a greta band and i tis well worht buying their albums. whilst their music is not liked by all i find that their mix of rap and heavy guitar is a perfect combination to get anybody moving and moshing along with many of their tracks. Some people however will be taken aback by the disregard for political conrectness. The cover can be very misleading with regards to the songs within many may think that they are a mor eboy group like band but they are definatly rockers to their very cores... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful