Evil Empire - Rage Against The Machine > Reviews > Confrontational Hardcore at it's Best

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Groundbreaking
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Outstanding
Value for Money	Excellent

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

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

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 with a central them of the Zapatista revolutions, it also references the destruction of the Aztec empire by the Spanish and the Zoot Suit riots of LA in 1943. An explosive mix of distorted guitars and vibrant bass, the rhythm is kept in place by everything but the percussion, which are off beat.

'Bulls on Parade'

'Weapons not food, not homes, not shoes
Not need, just feed the war cannibal animal'

With a solo that is ranked at number 23 of the '100 Greatest Guitar Solos' by 'World Guitar', this track deals with the theory that industry promotes war for profit and the government uses fear to control the masses. It features a funky riff from the lead guitar with intense use of the whammy and an explosive chorus, but it is the percussion that provides the driving force.

'Vietnow'

'The transmissions whippin' our backs
Comin' down like bats from Stacey Coon
Terror tha' product you push'

A song about right wing radio shows, the central riff bears a resemblance to the brillient 'The Wanton Song' by Led Zepplin. For the majority of the track the percussion is indistinguishable, only breaking through during brief pauses in the guitar and vocals where the percussion comes in clear, where as throughout thte rest of the track it is indistinguishable from the vocals and bass. The guitar is heavy and low pitched with occasional high pitched tweaks, with the bass playing the same riff as guitar, only breaking for the bridge where becomes oppressive, before movinf on to an outro consisting of a rolling bass and stuttering guitar overlaid by insistant vocals.

'Revolver'

'His spit is worth more that her work
Pass the purse to the pugilists'

The intro to this track is formed of distorted and disjointed guitar noise and a series of beeps, controlled to give a bizarre melody which then drops into a heavy riff. The vocals begin quietly backed by a subdued and meandering guitar and bass, but quickly moves to a heavy chorus As each verse nears close there is a build in tension and bass climaxing with chorus introduced by a strong drum beat. Introduced by a distorted and stuttering guitar, the bridge melody id kept steady by the bass while the guitar fluctuates around it, punctuated by frequent mutes and pauses. Everything becomes more subdued until it is almost silent and then, suddenly, another repetition of the ferocious chorus.

'Snakecharmer'

'An empty dream
A selfish, horrific vision
Passed on line the deadliest of viruses
Crushing you'

This intense track has my favourite riff on the album and stands out from the other tracks with much more central percussion. It is introduced by a drum roll which is taken up by an insistant lead. Use of distortion and feedback throughout the entire track aids in building the tension during verses and the release of an explosive chorus. The first half of the track uses a heavy guitar with high pitched tweaks to create a feeling of urgency. The second half has more melody finishing of with fading vocals and feedback noise. The solo features a high pitched guitar backed by a simpler second guitar and ascending bass. The outro has two sets of extreme vocals and ends on a fade with feedback from the guitar.

'Tire Me'

'Admidst the eulogues of bliss
Who will now know what I know about you?
Now that history's a flowering cancerous mess ... a mess'

Apparently written to celebrate the death of Richard Nixon, this short, sharp, storm of a track is one of my favourites on the album and is full of explosive anger. Bass takes the lead for a short intro backed by aggressive vocals and a stuttering guitar. The bridge is a short piece with pauses punctuated by drum rolls and impatient lead. After the bridge there are repetitive and insistant vocals, that become more subtle before taking the listener back to ferocious guitars.

'Down Rodeo'

'Yeah I'm rollin' down Rodeo wit a shotgun
These people ain't seen a brown skin man
Since their grandparents bought one'

A direct attack on Rodeo Drive in Beverley Hills, one of the wealthiest shopping districts in the world, featuring a simple synth melody, heavy guitars and confrontational lyrics. Typically, there is a short intro, taken up by the vocals, the bass taking the central melody and an alarming lead acting as puncuation for the end of each line.The riffs are far less innovative and share close ties with the grunge scene than previous tracks. During the verses an eerie synth backs the vocals in an effective opposition to the heavy and simplistic choruses. During the outro, the composition flips so that the vocals punctuate the guitar with repetitive lines before they become quieter. The guitar sounds lonely, but the warmth from the bass remains, ending with whispered vocals and a thoughtful fade.

'Without a Face'

'Survive one motive no hope cause every
Sidewalk I walk is like a tightrope
Yes I know my deadline sire, it's when my life expires.'

Opens with a fluctuating single note from the guitar which continues behind the first verse. The verses themeselves are vocally lead, with a quietly foreboding bass. The lead drops in pitch to introduce the chorus and heads into a funky riff with an intensely heavy edge, signalling the beginning of the chorus. The entire track is driven by the guitar, while the bass is warm and bluesy. The outro is introduced by an angry, schreeching leadand leads into a 2 chord riff driving the vocals into demise.

'Wind Below'

'And while the gut eaters strain to pull the mud from their mouths
They force our ears to go deaf to the screams in the south'

Introduced with an eerie guitar riff. This track uses a second set of muted and reverberated vocals so that it retaliates against itself and is backed by heavy chords during the chorus. During the verses a simple guitar, bass and percussion places emphasis on the vocals. Bridge consists of ascending and descending chords for a high pitched reverberated eerie lead with a cool bass. Bass takes on a new riff for the outro as heavy power chords take the listener to a powerful finish, before descending intro dischord and feedback.

'Roll Right'

'Here comes the hands of the leashes
The cross, the capital. the pale families, the fear and the mouthpieces'

A dark and moody intro with an insistant lead guitar gives way to a funky bass with high pitched squeaks from the lead controlled by the 'Digitech' Whammy pedal and pick up switch. The chorus is controlled by the lead guitar, while bass holds together the verses. The vocals and guitars are desperate and insistant and have minimal and disorganised backing from the rest of the band.

'Year of tha Boomerang'

'Cast me into classes for the electro shock
Straight incarcerated, the curriculum a cell block
I'm swimming in half truths and it makes me wanna spit.'

This track has a bizarre time signiture that makes it sound almost awkward. The bass and guitar used the same riff slightly off set with the bass acting as a reply to the guitar. Similarly the vocals have a second set of reverberted vocals behind them. The bridge features a heavy rolling guitar that melts into a tiny, somewhat out of place, melody. The passion filled and erratic outro is vocally lead, backed by rolling guitars that become increasingly distorted before it careers to a stop, pausing briefly to gather itself before moving on.